So, for those of you that don’t know this about me, in addition to being an aspiring NINJA, I’m also a total hippie.
If I’m not punching or kicking something, I’m looking up recipes for vegan dishes and buddha bowls or researching meat-free nutrition plans for athletes like myself (side note: not a vegan, I love me some BBQ. But I’m all about that dairy-free, plant-based, whole foods life). You can find me wearing the quintessential tie-dye-flowy-hippie-clothes, coloring or drawing, and doing some yoga--because I’m also a certified yoga instructor.
Because why break only one stereotype WHEN YOU CAN BREAK THEM ALL?
Yoga is a big part of who I am; like fighting, I discovered it at a time in my life when I desperately needed a refuge. It gave me the sense of calm and direction that I was lacking during my college years. Not only that, it helped me address the years of body-hating I’d inflicted on myself, something 97% of women deal with every single day.
Yoga taught me to have compassion for myself and for others while helping me learn to love my body and respect myself. While it may seem counter intuitive, I think having a background in yoga has helped me tremendously as a fighter. Not just in terms of flexibility or athleticism, but also for mental fortitude and inner calm.
And while I may be incredibly out of practice, I still roll my yoga mat out once a week to do my own flow. Because it’s all about balance--finding the balance between aggression and peace, between a killer workout and a mindful flow. And, it keeps me flexible. Which is kind of important for EVERY athlete.
So, with that said, here’s a compilation of my favorite happy-hippie resources to keep you well-fed, centered, and flexible!
Websites:
Greatist: I LOVE this site because they cater to every human; they have recipes for meat-eaters and vegans, workouts for hardcore athletes and for casual gym-goers, and plenty of inspiration and articles for everyone. I get about 90% of my recipe ideas from here.
Meditation breathing: I use this site for five minutes twice a day to practice deep breathing. As a naturally high-energy, i.e. high-strung, person I have to practice relaxing because it is not my forte.
Pinterest: Typical, I know. Women and pinterest (insert huge eyeroll here). But, as an information junky, it is the fastest way for me to find ANYTHING. I jump on pinterest for quotes that make me feel inspired, for information on what I can actually use apple cider vinegar for, or for a step-by-step guide on cooking salmon correctly for cooking-inept dummies like me. I heart pinterest.
Apps:
Forks over Knives - $5 - This app is amazing because it has all plant-based recipes AND makes shopping SUPER convenient by preloading all of the ingredients and syncing them to your phone so you can keep track of everything you need, per recipe. Shout out to lazy, health-conscious shoppers like me!
Daily Yoga - Free w/ Upgrade options - AWESOME app for beginners or seasoned yogis; it has yoga to destress, pre and post run stretches, and body-part specific yoga postures for tight hips and the like.
CalorieCount - Free - Does this one need explaining? I mostly use this to count my macros, make sure I’m not eating too much sugar and am getting enough vitamins everyday.
Instagram:
GRRRL Clothing - @grrrl_clothing - This brand is one of the sponsors for both Holly Holm and Rose Namajunas. As a female athlete, specifically a fighter, I love seeing the inspiring posts they flood my feed with.
Jeannette Ogden - @shutthekaleup - Great, fun photos of delicious food (and a really freakin cute baby), because, it’s instagram. And sometimes it’s just about the pretty stuff :)
Massy Arias - @massy.airas - A fitness account with tons of workouts, stretches, nutrition info and one of the coolest, most body-positive ladies on the planet.
I hope you enjoyed this post! Subscribe to my newsletter so you can Join the Journey as I work and write about my goal to become a world-class fighter.