Yoga New Year's Resolutions

Two themes tend to dominate New Year’s resolutions: getting in shape and saving money. With a plan in place to implement your yoga resolutions, you can do both.

Getting in shape with yoga is all about consistency. Ideally, you should do a 90-minute yoga practice of moderate intensity at least three times a week. Attend class as often as your budget allows. The best way to save money on studio classes is to buy them in bulk, which often offers a substantial discount and provies the added incentive of getting your money’s worth since you’ve paid in advance. If you already have a gym membership, don’t discount their yoga offerings before checking them out. Many great teachers work both for yoga studios and health clubs. Students discount and karma yoga opportunities (classes in exchange for service) are also worth looking into. If you prefer to do yoga along to a DVD at home, that is also a viable option and is really frugal.

Three long session a week is great, but to really stay on track it’s best to do a little yoga on your off days too. As little as 10 minutes a day can help you maintain your progress so that you are getting the most out of your classes. This 30-day yoga guide makes it easy by outlining exactly what routines to do each day. These daily stretches are also a good way to get at least a little yoga each day.

People often want to know how long they will need to do yoga before they see results. It’s a tricky question because it depends on so many variables, including the individual’s baseline fitness, what type of yoga they are doing, and how often they are doing it. Yoga is never a quick fix, but stick to this plan (or return to it faithfully if you lapse) and you will be in much better shape at this time next year.

Also keep in mind that while the new year is a great time to make resolutions, each new day offers the same opportunity for a fresh start.