2018: the year I did yoga every day

Adriene Mishler may not know it, but she’s done yoga with me almost every day for a year. On the days I wasn’t doing Yoga With Adriene videos I was freestyling on my own, and once, actually set foot in a yoga studio.

Yeah. I just did yoga every single day for a full year – and had a regular routine going for a few years before that. Here’s what happened, and what’s happening next.

woman doing yoga on beach, toddler nearby

Why Yoga is So Great

There are so many reasons why I’ve embraced yoga as my go-to fitness routine, so let’s start with that, and then I’ll dive into how I incorporated it into my routine.

You’ll Probably Lose Weight & Get a Yoga Butt

Want to get healthy and maybe drop a few pounds? Yoga can absolutely help. I wasn’t worried about weight in 2018 but I was working on losing baby weight in 2017 and it definitely made a difference.

It’s Energizing & Relaxing at the Same Time

This is probably what blew me away when I first tried yoga. The combination of feeling like I just did a solid workout combined with a day at the spa was surreal.

Maybe you’re craving a hardcore workout. Maybe you’re feeling kind of blah and need something more restorative. You can choose a video accordingly, although I’ve found most practices incorporate both serious exercise and relaxing meditation.

It Goes Well With Other Fitness Routines

Are you a runner? A swimmer? A dancer? Already got a solid fitness routine going? Yoga can fit in seamlessly, helping to stretch necessary muscles, and can be a fun switch up to try something different.

There are Countless Benefits in Addition to Weight Loss & Fitness

Yup. It’s not just about weight loss and looking good. It’s about feeling good. It’s about knowing you’re ready to tackle your day. It’s about stretching sore muscles. It’s about avoiding back pain and neck pain. It’s about benefiting your respiratory system, your nervous system, and more.

Anyone Can Do It – Yes You!

This is a big one. It makes me sad to hear people say they “can’t” do yoga. They’re not flexible. They have bad knees. Etc. etc.

If you are saying you can’t do yoga that is factually inaccurate. It’s not about getting into the perfect shape and staying in the shape and then going into the next shape. It’s about, as Adriene says, finding what feels good. It’s about working with what you have, and adjusting poses as necessary.

Can’t get into a tree pose? Who cares? Keep one leg straight and one leg slightly bent, with your toes on the floor, as you practice balance and eventually you can try lifting that second leg up.

In fact, when I was pregnant, I did virtually no prenatal yoga. I watched my regular yoga videos and adjusted as I needed to, not forcing myself into anything that would have been unhealthy for me.

Yoga Every Day – A Little Goes a Long Way

When I say I did yoga every day that doesn’t mean a full hour, or even half an hour. In fact, most of the time it was between 12 and 20 minutes, doing longer sessions on weekends. My philosophy was that 12 minutes is better than 0 minutes.

The shortest time I’d allow myself was eight minutes, and then I even shortened that when I was running a lot in preparation for my first 5K. Adriene has a great seven-minute pre-run yoga video, so I would do that.

Every little bit counts. Every little bit is beneficial. If you don’t have time for a half hour sesh, do 10 minutes. Or even eight!! You can do that.

Working It Into the Routine

I’m usually a morning yoga person, starting it right after grabbing my coffee. Sometimes mornings are crazy and it doesn’t end up happening until later in the day. Or, if I know there’s a longer video I want to try, I’ll just wait.

When I do yoga in the evening it’s usually just after 7pm, when my son goes to bed. On occasion I can slip it in right when I get home in the evening before starting dinner.

Throughout this past year I had the toughest time fitting  yoga in, not surprisingly, when I was away, like when we went to Seattle during the summer. But I still made myself do at least the bare minimum.

As far as doing yoga with a toddler in the house – there have been times when I’ve had to stop what I’m doing, sometimes even turn off the video altogether and come back to it. I’ve also had milk spilled on my mat. But this actually doesn’t happen as often as you’d think, particularly if you work around their sleep routine.

It’s totally doable to get your yoga in with kids in the house, and if they’re old enough, check out Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube and get them to do it with you!

What’s Going to Happen Next

For 2019, I plan on keeping up my yoga routine, although not necessarily absolutely every single day. I might go easy on myself if I’m sick or on vacation, but I’m still going to do it on let’s say 98% of days.

A goal I’d like to set for myself for the following year is try to harder yoga poses, and different poses. I’ve kind of been doing the same thing over and over again, and undoubtedly getting better at it, but I need branch out.

A second goal is to do at least one more 5K, ideally more, and in general get more into running. As I run more, or if I’m hiking a lot, or otherwise getting a lot of fitness in, I might scale back the yoga a little bit.

Ready for Some Yoga? Here’s My Top 12 Favorite Yoga With Adriene Videos

1) Yoga to Get the Juices Flowing

This is my eight-minute, super quick, go-to routine. It’s perfect to do first thing in the morning to start the day, or if you need a quick break from work or doing things around the house.

Man there is just something about doing a triangle first thing in the morning though that makes me feel super ready for the day ahead.

2) 30 Days of Yoga Day 5 Feeling Alive

The Day 5 part is a reference to one of Adriene’s 30 Day Challenges, more on that momentarily. This is a 16-minute video that reminds me a lot of the aforementioned eight-minute video, except, you know, a little longer.

3) Hips and Core Vinyasa

This is a 12-minute video. Although it’s short, it’s  a serious workout that will get your heart rate up. This is the one to choose if you don’t have a lot of time but are trying to get a good workout in.

4) Yoga Stetch

This is a 21-minute, super easy video. It is not a hardcore workout. This is a good one to do if you’re sore. She’s also outside in this one, which is always nice – the next two listed here are also outdoors.

5) Yoga for Your Butt and Thighs

I had to retire this 29-minute video for awhile I did it so often, I think it’s my favorite one of all time. I almost have this one memorized. Just do this one, trust me.

6) Feel Good Flow

This one is 19 minutes, takes place on a beach, and is pretty easy. I do this one when I want to spend more than 10 minutes on yoga but don’t necessarily want a crazy intense session.

7) Total Body Workout

It’s one hour and one minute and works it all. This is the one to do when you’re feeling ambitious and badass.

8) Strengthen and Lengthen

This is a solid workout and it’s 40 minutes long. If you want to do more than half an hour, but don’t want to commit to a full hour, this is a nice length and pace.

9) Yoga for Climbers

This 29-minute video is aimed towards (obvs) climbers. One of the really great things about Adriene is she has a slew of videos geared towards a specific demographic – climbers, dancers, teachers, golfers, etc. – and yet, anyone can do them. I’m not a climber, but I really enjoy this one.

10) Yoga for Zombies

Because I love Halloween, okay? It’s 15 minutes.

11) Let It Go Flow

As the name suggests, this is a great a video to do if you’ve got some pent up negative stuff going on and need it to let it go. Release that crap for 19 minutes.

12) 30 Days of Yoga Day 6: Six Pack Abs

It’s all about the abs! This yoga sesh is not hard, you feel your abs strengthening, and it’s only 16 minutes.

Now is the Perfect Time to Try Yoga

In addition to the above videos, every January, Adriene puts out a new 30 Day Yoga Challenge. So if the above ones don’t speak to you, brand new ones are starting. Just subscribe to her YouTube channel and start the year feeling awesome.