Happy new year! I love this time, when everyone renews commitments to themselves and makes new goals. Of course, it would be great if we did that every day of the year, but sometimes we all need a little kick of motivation. .

Maybe you were on your best behavior, or maybe you slipped a little bit from your regular exercise and diet during the holiday season. Either way, that's behind us as we all look ahead and dedicate ourselves--not only to 2012, but to help ensure the highest quality of life for many years to come.

• Take advantage of the new winter schedule, with 6 am classes now being offered every weekday
• Ease back in with our Introductory classes if you have been taking a break from your practice
• Bring a friend to yoga--having a yoga buddy is always helpful! We suggest the Introductory class for first-timers. (Please arrive at least 20 minutes before the start of class if your friend has not been here before, so we can register and welcome them without rush.)

Start the new year right by starting or renewing your BYGVNC Membership!

Annual Members

• Save $140 with our 'Annual Annual' SALE thru Jan. 31st, and get a year-long pass for only $1040!
• Unlimited yoga for 12 months from your start date
• 20% off all merchandise and special events

Monthly Members

• Only $99 per month
• Unlimited yoga (6-month minimum commitment)
• 20% off all merchandise and special events

Life is always better when you feel and look good! Stay healthy--for yourself, for those you love, and for those who love you. Here's to you and the wonderful year ahead together!

Lots of hugs and Namastés,

Kelly Schrader, Owner and Yogini
Bikram Yoga Grass Valley / Nevada City
530-273-2030

Annual Annual SALE!
Act now and save!

January Karma Classes
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nevada County and North Lake Tahoe

Our first karma cause of the new year! All of this month's karma classes benefit the wonderful work of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Please keep on coming in Tuesday nights at 6 pm to help raise as much as possible!

Check out their site for more info on volunteering time or resources: www.bigsofnc.org

2012 Schedule Changes * Reminder
Now in effect

As happens time to time, we're starting 2012 with some schedule changes that best reflect our members' and teachers' needs. Please make a note!

• There is no longer a 7am class on Tuesday and Thursday.
• We've added a 6 am on those days instead.
• Our 6 ams have all always been silent (in which the teacher practices with the class and as a studio we wake up together). New for 2012:
  • The Friday 6am is still silent, and is recommended only for experienced yogis as there is no verbal instruction.
  • The Monday thru Thursday 6 am classes will be our standard class with dialogue. This is a change for those of you have have grown used to early morning silence, but I believe it will strengthen everyone's practice to bring back the dialogue. When you're craving a silent routine, come join us on Fridays!

Pocket schedules with these changes are now available at the front desk. You can also save this image onto your phone for reference.

NorCal Yoga Asana Championships
January 14th, 2012

Shiny Happy Yogi: Sandy Boyd
Our Student of the Month

We're all about celebrating our students here at BYGVNC, and what better way than to feature one of you each month. Many of you have inspiring stories about how you found Bikram Yoga and the positive changes it has brought to your life, and we're excited to share them here as motivation for all.

How long have you been practicing?
Since October of 2008.

How often do you practice?
I try to get in every day, depending on work and home schedules.

What is your favorite pose?
I don't really have one favorite--or it changes regularly-but as probably everyone knows, I am always chasing that elusive Half Moon.

Where do you spend your time when you are not at the studio?
Professionally, I do home study assessments for families adopting children from the foster care system. Personally, my partner and I enjoy mountain biking and travel--especially to the Caribbean, with Jamaica on the top of our list. Daily I enjoy walking downtown Grass Valley with my Maltese, Jelly Bean.

What do you love?
I have been fortunate to have family, friends, and community who support me and enrich my life daily!

What is your favorite quote?
One quote that always helps me get focus when I am challenged professionally and personally is from Albert Einstein: "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

What advice would you give a first-timer?
Even though it is really difficult, this yoga will give you what you need for your mental and physical well-being!

Who's someone in your life you'd love to see join you in the room and why?
My partner, Bob Giuliani. Our beautiful and lovely daughters--Heather in Honolulu and Maryanna in Santa Barbara--practice Bikram Yoga already. All three of us are trying to get Bob in the studio to experience the joy we know.

Say one nice thing about the person who first told you about Bikram Yoga.
Heartfelt thanks to my special friend Teri Paulus, who took me to my first class. She is a good friend, past gym and current yoga buddy.

Do you have any yoga goals for the future?
Continue to strive for better alignment in each pose.

Since I was young, I have always enjoyed being physically active. I rode horses, mountain biked, skied, and was a weight-lifter/bodybuilder/physique competitor. Every activity resulted in one or more injuries to my knees, back and shoulders. The most severe was a lower back injury that was inflicted when my training partner turned to talk to someone in the gym, and the 220-pound bar I was squatting pulled my upper body forward and tore my lower back. That began years of dealing with regular lower back pain that limited all aspects of my life. I prefer alternative healing, so saw chiropractors, an acupuncturist, and went to physical therapy. I even had to quit a job I loved as the driving was so difficult. Growing tired of the pain and the life impact, I was considering the unimaginable: injections into my lower spine.

It was about that time my dear friend Teri invited me to go with her to Bikram Yoga. I was pretty scared of yoga and the thought of the heat but figured I could give it a try. My first class was horrible. As a person who had spent years building muscle, I had no flexibility or balance. Also, I had no experience with yoga poses--I was convinced my muscle body did not have the 'code' to move in those directions. I was not going back for sure.... but then I experienced the best night's sleep I had in years, and the pain in my back and knee didn't have as much intensity. Crumb--I had to go back to get that outcome again!

As time went on, I continued to experience healing and did my best to move as I was instructed, but definitely believed I would never get close to the "full expression" of any pose. I was surprised the instructors were so patient and positive, continually coaching me on correct alignment. Amazingly, one day an advanced student (Natasha) said, "You are really improving--your practice was beautiful today." Who would think?! Those beautiful, tenacious instructors believed in me and never gave up until I believed in myself. So today, in 2012, I still have an old back injury, but the pain is all but gone. Plus, I now love to be in that hot room working on improving my alignment. I also discovered another lovely outcome--meeting so many wonderful people in the yoga community.

~ Sandy

Postures of the Month
A closer look at Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose, Head to Knee Pose, and Stretching Pose

Each month, we focus on 2 asanas. It's a great way for everyone to come back to what's most important about a posture, review the benefits, learn best techniques, and more. You'll find these postures will get a little extra love in the room this month as teachers go into special detail and demonstrations.

All information is adapted from the book Bikram Yoga by Bikram Choudhury, available for sale at our studio or through bikramyoga.com.

Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee
Dandayamana-Bibhaktapapda-Janushirasana

Instruction:

Start with your feet together, arms overhead. Palms together, thumbs crossed, elbows locked. Take a big step sideways to the right--at least 3 feet. Taking a wider stance here will make this stretch easier to accomplish in the beginning. Turn the right foot out to the right side, same as in Triangle, but this time also turn your hips and torso to face the right. Your left foot is at a 45-degree angle.

Keeping both legs absolutely straight, stretch up toward the ceiling. Then curl your body up and out, over and down, brining the forehead to the right knee. Look at your belly button and exhale 100 percent of the air in your lungs. Suck in the stomach to create compression and stabilize the spine. Your clasped hands should rest gently on the floor in front of your foot, with the arms and elbows straight. Square your hips until they become parallel to the floor.

If you are unable to do this, simply bend the right knee as far as you need to in order to get the forehead to touch--but the forehead shouldn't go lower than the knee. Now, to assist in achieving the ideal posture, you can spread your fingertips on the floor in front of your toes and push into the floor, elbows locked, and push on that knee with your forehead. Straighten the bent leg, eventually, into the locked-knee position. You'll feel the stretch in the back of the knee.

Straighten up in the exact reverse of how you went into the pose, and turn back to the center. Maintain your wide-legged stance. Now pivot on the heels, turning the left foot out this time, and reverse the pose.

Posture Benefits:

• Trims the abdomen, waistline, hips, buttocks and thighs
• Massages and compresses the thyroid gland, which helps to regulate the metabolism and the immune system
• Improves flexibility of the spine, shoulders, hips and sciatic nerve
• Improves circulation to legs and brain
• Improves memory, helps some types of headaches, and brings mental clarity
• Balances pituitary and thyroid glands
• Helps offset manic depression
• Massages internal organs

Posture Tidbits:

• The goal here--bringing your head to your knee with the legs straight--can be difficult if not impossible to achieve at first. One thing to remember in all these situations is that breathing deeply will help you get further into any stretch. So inhale and exhale fully, keeping the breath under your control, and with each exhale, try to go a little deeper into the pose.
• Many of the benefits are lost if the forehead and knee come apart, so remember to bend your knee as much as you need to so that they touch and remain touching.

Head to Knee Pose & Stretching Pose
Janushirasana & Paschimotthanasana

Posture Instruction:
Sitting on your mat, stretch your right leg out diagonally so that your two legs form a 90-degree angle. Bend your left knee and bring your left heel into the groin area near the top of your right leg. Lock the right knee.

Raise both arms overhead and interlock your fingers. Tuck your chin into your chest and bend down over the outstretched leg. Move the arms and mid-body as one unit. Grasp the right foot firmly in both hands, with the fingers interlocked beneath the ball of the foot. The thumbs stay crossed under the toes. Try to lock the right knee, then bring the forehead to the knee. Beginners may have to bend the leg to bring the forehead to the knee. Press down with your forehead on the knee, keeping the grip on the foot and toes. Eventually, doing this will allow you to lock the knee.

Pull the toes back toward you, with your chin tucked. Bend your elbows and bring them down to the floor. Bring your left elbow, shoulder, and knee down closer to the floor by rolling your body slightly to the left of your outstretched leg.

Come up slowly, and then reverse the pose with the left leg extended, right leg bent. Use the same rolling action to bring your right elbow closer to the floor. Then come up slowly and extend both legs straight out in front of you. Now we're ready for Paschimotthanasana, Stretching Pose.

Raise both arms overhead, thumbs crossed, and recline backward to the floor. As soon as your shoulder blades touch, inhale deeply and do an immediate sit-up. Take hold of your big toes with the first two fingers of each hand. Pull the toes toward you as much as possible. Wiggle your hips backward right and left a few times--that will help you reach forward a little farther. Try to lock both knees. If your knees are locked with the thighs tightly contracted, then lower your stomach to your thighs. If your knees stay locked, then lower your chest to your knees, keeping your back as flat as possible. Chin up.

Now bend both elbows and try to pull your heels up off the floor. Eventually, you will be able to touch your forehead to your knees. Keep your knees locked, and thighs tight.

Come up slowly, then rest in Savasana.

Posture Benefits:

• Excellent for the immune and lymphatic systems
• Increases circulation to the liver, spleen, kidneys, pancreas, thyroid, thymus and intestines
• Improves digestion and is good for allergies and arthritis
• Relieves chronic diarrhea by improving the circulation of the bowels
• Helps balance blood sugar levels
• Improves flexibility of sciatic nerves, ankles, and hip joints
• Strengthens and firms abdomen and arms
• Reduces symptoms of asthma

Paying It Forward
THANK YOU!

Thanks to everyone who donated canned and boxed items to our collection efforts throughout the month of December. Together we were able to make a significant gift!! In conjunction with the $501 we raised for the Food Bank as our December Karma Class honoree, we're so happy to have been able to give extra support to this great local cause!

This holiday season, the gift of giving was in true abundance. So many students gave to the Food Bank, and so our studio gave away a monthly unlimited pass in a raffle amongst the donators. The recipient, Cindy Sweeny, in turn gifted the pass to another student who was more in need of the financial support. At our Holiday Challenge party, Gayle Herman won the raffle for a 3-month package and gifted it along to the next winner. And Michael Seghezzi, full of holiday cheer, personally gifted 3 months to another student in need. All of this giving brings to light what it truly special and unique about our studio: the community we've formed, the support we show each other, the love we share--for the yoga and for our fellow students on the same path to being our best selves. Thank you, thank you, thank you: for being you , for inspiring others, and for making me so proud of BYGVNC!

January: Watch the Clock, Watch the Waistline
From EVOLVE, an Integrative Nutritional Practice

WHEN You Eat is as Important as WHAT You Eat

It's that time of year when resolutions are being discussed everywhere from the evening news, to cocktail parties, over a dinner with friends, in doctors' offices, and more. Roughly one-third of Americans say they have made a New Year's resolution to lose weight, according to the Thomson Reuters--NPR Health Poll. It is fascinating to me how the topic of weight loss has been such a hot one for so many years, yet we keep repeating the same old tired weight loss methods as if they will magically start to work after decades of collective failure. In my practice, I believe in focusing on strategies that are sustainable and that are in alignment with the naturalness of the body and the wisdom of life. So, in reality, it's less about losing weight, and more about living and eating in a way that allows the body to simply reach its inherent biological potential.

With this in mind, science has known for more than half a century about circadian rhythms. More specifically, Bio Circadian Nutrition is the study of how nutritional metabolism is directly connected to the time of day that we eat. And of course, this makes intuitive sense when you consider that just about any bodily function you can name is time- and rhythm-dependent.

• The body optimally digests, assimilates and calorie-burns at the exact moment when the sun is highest in the sky--a little-known scientific fact.
• The body has its slowest digestion and calorie-burning capacity in the late evening hours.
• Many people looking to lose weight hold off on eating until the afternoon--which means they miss their peak metabolic eating time.
• Many dieters will thus eat the bulk of their calories in the latter third of their day-which is a poor strategy for weight loss.

If you make New Year's resolutions, I hope you'll make some about your relationship with food and eating patterns--what, when, and how. As always, I'm here to help guide you through making well-informed and realistic goals in these areas. If you haven't yet come to see me for a free consultation, now is the perfect time to take all your clarity and optimism for the new year and put it toward being your best potential self. Come see me today!

About EVOLVE integrative Nutritional Practice
If you have any questions about your daily diet and how it impacts your practice, I invite you to schedule a complimentary health consultation with me. As an Integrative Nutritionist, I have studied all the major dietary theories and will help you discover what approach works best for you at this point in your life. I work with my clients to create a happy, healthy life in a way that is flexible, fun, and free of denial and discipline. I will guide you to find the food and lifestyle choices that best support you, and help you to make gradual, lifelong changes that enable you to reach your current and future health goals.

Learn more: Schedule a free consultation with me.

Reminders
Good Stuff Last

Any time of year, we're always interested in your comments and suggestions--and yes, even your complaints. You can email, call, chat with myself or a teacher, or drop a note in our suggestion box. The studio exists for you, so your feedback is vital to help us grow and flourish!

~ Kelly