Yoga is gaining more and more popularity as time passes. More people from all across the world are making yoga an important part of their daily routine. This is due to various reasons, including its physical and mental health benefits. It is true that yogis have a different lifestyle, including unique perspectives, routines, and diet. Let’s learn about the diet staples of a yogi and the foods that keep your body nourished and your brain clear. 

People who regularly practice yoga tend to stay healthier and lead a better-quality life. They see things from a unique perspective and have a more focused brain and fitter body. But did you know that most yoga practitioners or yogis also follow a certain yogic diet? After all, their healthy lifestyle is not just the result of stretching. Let’s see what a yogic diet is.

The Philosophy of Yogic Diet

For yogis, taking care of their health is very important, which explains why they are considerate about what they eat and what they put into their body. While yoga teaches you freedom, there is a focus on knowing the truth and making informed decisions. This is no exception when it comes to food or diet.

Yoga enthusiasts firmly believe in eating healthy and rejecting food items that may be harmful to the body or mind. While there is no certain yogic diet that all yogis follow, they most definitely make adjustments to follow the philosophy of Ayurveda. Ayurveda refers to an old healing system that dates back to 5000 BC.

For yogis, eating healthy is as important as determining good yoga postures. Many people misunderstand a yogic diet as a diet that helps you lose weight and look good. However, a yogic diet is all about choosing foods that can speed up healing and create a healthy balance between your mind and body.

Not to mention, yogic diet plans ensure that your food meets your body’s nutritional needs rather than just filling up your stomach. It should align with your yoga beliefs and nourish your body and mind.

What Do Yogis Eat?

As we mentioned earlier, most yogis follow the Ayurvedic philosophy when it comes to choosing a diet plan. In Ayurveda, there are mainly three categories called Sattva, Raja, and Tama.

Easy Guidelines You Can Follow to Eat Like a Yogi

Sattvic foods are the most popular choice of most yoga practitioners. However, they also prefer whole, unprocessed, and fresh foods over genetically engineered, and processed ones. Below are guidelines that can make you easy to follow a yogic diet along with your daily yoga practice:

Are you practicing to become a yogi? Let us know the staples in your diet and the foods you consume to fuel your body and mind!

Yoga is gaining more and more popularity as time passes. More people from all across the world are making yoga an important part of their daily routine. This is due to various reasons, including its physical and mental health benefits. It is true that yogis have a different lifestyle, including unique perspectives, routines, and diet. […]

Whew…pregnancy! It’s a time when our bodies drastically change, our lives begin to morph and prepare us for the season ahead, and for a lot of us, is a time where so much of our old “normal” is no longer there. And whether you’re a runner, a weightlifter, a body builder, or a CrossFitter, you can definitely relate to the notion that your normal fitness routine must be changed and adapted to the current season of growing a little one.

I am currently at the very end of my second pregnancy and getting ready to welcome our third baby into the world. With my first pregnancy, I was pregnant with twins. I truly had not done a whole lot of research or prep when it came to how I should change my fitness and workout regimen to best suit me and the babies I had growing inside. I continued going to CrossFit classes, and only modifying when it became super obvious that a movement was no longer “working” for my size. By the time I reached my third trimester with the twins, I absolutely could not workout anymore. I was uncomfortable 24/7 and even walking was too much of a workout for me.

When I found out I was pregnant again this past summer, I knew I wanted to do things differently. I had made some decisions I wasn’t super proud of my first go-around when it came to maxing out, keeping certain movements in my routine, etc. This time, I took a totally different approach and I am really pleased and proud of how much I’ve grown from a mental standpoint when it comes to fitness and pregnancy.

I wanted to share with you some key lessons I have learned this pregnancy:

1. Find a coach or fitness program who you TRUST.

Photo courtesy of yourfitmom.com

It is super important that you find some resources who are credible in this space. While your coach at the gym likely has some experience dealing with pregnant athletes, they most likely haven’t actually taken any specific training courses in this space. I *highly* recommend finding someone (this can be virtually!) who specializes in pregnancy and postpartum exercise and can help you find a tailored plan to meet you where you are at in pregnancy. I have absolutely no affiliation with her/her brand, but I absolutely love Brianna Battles and highly recommend her pregnancy training and fitness program if you’re looking for a good place to start!

2. Coming off of the first point - just because someone has had a baby, does not make them a coach.

This is pretty self-explanatory. Having a baby does not give you the credentials to write fitness programs, just like losing weight doesn’t mean you should be writing nutrition programs. This is a period of life where you want to be getting information from someone with TRUE knowledge on the subject.

3. Work on turning off the “athlete brain” and channeling your competitiveness in new ways.

Photo courtesy of momjunction.com

This was a concept I really struggled with during my first pregnancy. I hated scaling things. I hated that on “max out” days, I was encouraged not to fully max out. I didn’t like having to pace even slower than I was already moving (because, WOOF, it's easy to get out of breath while pregnant!). This time around, I have constantly reminded myself: I am playing the long game. While it may be fun to try and max out and claim I hit xxx lbs on my deadlift while pregnant - what does that really matter? Is the risk worth it? Am I drawing my recovery out to be WAY longer because I insisted on thrashing my pelvic floor and core when I really didn’t need to be?

So this pregnancy, I have been super hyper-focused on movement patterns. Your body is ever-changing throughout pregnancy, and the way you must adapt your balance, how you shift weight, etc, truly change from day to day. Allowing myself to focus and concentrate on that, versus how much weight I am lifting or if I can do a workout Rx, has been so much more healthy and productive.

4. If you don’t find a pregnancy coach/program and want to continue your current programing, do your research to find appropriate scaling options.

There are tons of resources and guides out there, including free ones, that teach you about the modifications that would benefit you the most from trimester to trimester, or even month to month. These are so helpful in keeping you and baby safe, while still getting the intended stimulus of a workout. While I do generally follow a specific pregnancy workout plan, this type of information has come in handy when either wanting to do a specific charity or hero workout our gym has hosted, or during the Open this year.

5. Try new things.

Photo courtesy of bumpboxes.com

This pregnancy, rather than “needing” to do CrossFit x times per week, I have found other ways to move that are a bit less intense but so helpful to this baby-growing bod! I have been walking most mornings and absolutely love the way it makes me feel (pro tip - make a plan with a friend or family member who can walk at the same time as you, and either meet up in person or call each other for your walk time! It can make it so much more fun, and gives you accountability to get out and keep up on your commitment to walk!). I also have been finding pregnancy yoga videos on YouTube, which help on the days where I feel extra tight or sore, or just really don’t have the motivation for a typical sweaty workout.

Those are the ways I have been keeping my fitness a priority, yet keeping my “athlete brain” in check this pregnancy. Is this something you have ever struggled with in your own pregnancies? What are some suggestions you would add to this list of adjusting your fitness while pregnant?

Whew…pregnancy! It’s a time when our bodies drastically change, our lives begin to morph and prepare us for the season ahead, and for a lot of us, is a time where so much of our old “normal” is no longer there. And whether you’re a runner, a weightlifter, a body builder, or a CrossFitter, you […]

Many people struggle to fall asleep for various reasons, including stress, etc. While there are many ways of combating sleeplessness, yoga is among the most effective, and it has the least number of side effects. In this article, we will discuss 5 yoga techniques that can improve your bedtime routine and help you sleep better.

If you are looking for ways to improve sleep, yoga might be your answer. Packed with several amazing benefits, make sure you try out the following yoga poses to restore balance and prepare your body for some nighttime rest.

1. Tree Pose

To start with the formation of the tree pose, balance your body on the right leg. Make sure you fold your other leg and support it on the inner thigh of your standing leg. Now stretch your arms above with your hands clasped together and pointed upwards.

Now gaze in the distance as you shift your weight to the other leg but don’t straighten your right knee. You can hold this position for a few seconds before you repeat it with the other leg.

2. Supported Child’s Pose

Grab yourself a pillow and sit at one end. Place your thighs on either side of the pillow and your sitting hip bones directly on your heels. Then lean forward and rest your body on the pillow, turning your head to one of the sides.

At this point, you must let go of your body weight onto the pillow, along with any disturbing thoughts that you may have. Stay in the position for around 10 to 15 breaths, after which you should move your head to the other side.

3. Happy Baby Pose

To get in the position, lie down on your back and make sure it is stretched.

Then, bring your knees to your chest and try grabbing your feet. Start extending your legs slightly and widen the gap between your knees. Your elbows should fall in between your thighs at this point and push into your hands.

This should stretch your body enough, but if you want, you can roll your body in different directions to massage it further. Hold this position for around 10 to 15 breaths.

4. Camel Pose

Get started by kneeling down on your yoga mat, keeping the knees and feet together. Now, start pushing your hips towards your front while leaning your body backwards. Now, you will need to bend your spine and head towards the back. Make sure you go back as far as you can.

Then, rest your hand on your feet and relax your body, especially the back muscles. Hold this position for a few seconds and then release.

5. Twisted Roots Pose

For this pose, get in the Happy Baby Pose and bring your legs down. You knees should be bent and pointed upwards while your heel touches the floor. Now, lift your hips and place them back on the floor, over to the side. Then, bring your knees closer to your chest and let them fall on the opposite side.

Now spread your arms turn your neck, and look in the opposite direction of your knees. Hold the position for around 100 to 15 breaths and repeat on the other side.

Make sure you try out the above-mentioned yoga techniques to regulate better sleep cycles. Right after you roll up the mat, get yourself some DREAMAID GO and sleep tight! Tag us with your favorite yoga poses on Instagram! @FITAID 

Many people struggle to fall asleep for various reasons, including stress, etc. While there are many ways of combating sleeplessness, yoga is among the most effective, and it has the least number of side effects. In this article, we will discuss 5 yoga techniques that can improve your bedtime routine and help you sleep better. […]

Happy March, but more importantly Happy Women’s History Month! The FITAID community is filled with fierce, independent, strong women, and we celebrate them not only this month but every month and every day. From our internal employees to our female ambassadors and athletes, FITAID would not be the same without them. 

History

If you didn't know, Women’s History Month started off as International Women’s Day in 1911. In 1978, the school district of Sonoma, California celebrated the first ever Women’s History Week. This week was centered around March 8th, International Women’s Day. In Febuary 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8th, 1980, Women’s History Week. The proclamation stated: 

"From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.” 

In 1987, the National Women’s History Project petitioned a bill to turn Women’s History Week into Women’s History Month. Congress passed the Pub. Law 100-9 which made March of 1987 the first official Women’s History Month and declared March of every year moving forward to be designated as Women's History Month. 

FITAID Women

Be sure to check out all of our great female athletes and ambassadors who we are honored to work with day in and day out. Stay up to date with everything they have going on by following them on Instagram! 

Alexis Johnson - alexis_mathlete

Ashley Kidd - ashleykiddsurf

Brianna Cope - briannacope

Cassidy Lance-McWherter - cassidy_lancemcwherter

Emily Bridgers - emilybridgers

Emma Lawson - emma.lawson_5

Hunter Elam - hunterelam

Jackie Perez - jackie585

Kelsey Kiel - kelskiel 

Laura Horvath - laurahorvaht

Meagan Martin - meaganmartin89

Sara Sigmundsdottir - sarasigmunds

Zoe Szczepanek - zoeszcz

Happy March, but more importantly Happy Women’s History Month! The FITAID community is filled with fierce, independent, strong women, and we celebrate them not only this month but every month and every day. From our internal employees to our female ambassadors and athletes, FITAID would not be the same without them.  History If you didn’t […]

You know we've got your back when it comes to drinks that serve the purpose of being functional AND delicious, now let’s take the same approach to your dinner table. Here are some of our favorite simple and nutritious recipes for those busy weeknights when you’re looking to fuel your body without spending too much time in the kitchen. 

 

Paleo Strawberry Avocado Salad: This delicious keto friendly salad pairs nicely with an ice cold FITAID Strawberry Lemonade. 

Ingredients: 

Dressing: 

Check out other recipes and how to put this beautiful salad together here. 

Spicy Thai Chicken Zoodles: Try combining this with an ice cold LIFEAID Thrive for a refreshing touch of sweet heat.  

Ingredients: 

Dressing

Salad 

Instructions: 

  1. Make the dressing in a large bowl by combining the sunflower seed butter, sriracha, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Whisk well to blend a thick sauce. Ta-dah!
  2. Now go grab your veggies and leftover cooked chicken from the fridge. Get your vegetable spiralizer and make your zoodles.
  3. Finish dicing and chopping your other veggies and herbs.
  4. Dump the raw zoodles into the bowl of dressing and add the julienned carrots and chicken. Toss well to combine.
  5. If you’re feeling fancy, transfer the salad to a clean bowl and top with sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds. Eat immediately.

Head to nom nom paleo for this recipe and several other simple and quick dinner recipes. 

Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet: Our favorite pairing with this comforting meal is an ice cold IMMUNITYAID. The flavorful orange boost is a perfect sweet treat without the guilt. 

Ingredients: 

If you want to know why you should use a cast iron skillet instead of a regular pan and want to see the step by step directions, check out Primavera Kitchen

Smoked Ribs: A protein packed favorite that goes down easy with a chilled PARTYAID. 

Now this is a fan favorite. We all love a good bbq smothered rack of ribs. However, for the best smoked ribs, check out Traeger’s advice on the perfect way to make these ribs. It’s all about the 3-2-1 method. 

Enjoy these simple recipes and let us know what you think! Tag us on Instagram with your favorite weeknight meals @FITAID 

You know we’ve got your back when it comes to drinks that serve the purpose of being functional AND delicious, now let’s take the same approach to your dinner table. Here are some of our favorite simple and nutritious recipes for those busy weeknights when you’re looking to fuel your body without spending too much […]

What is our secret to success? What do all winning teams and industry-dominating companies have in common? A strong set of shared values that each member of the team upholds day in and day out. The LIFEAID Team is proud to stand by our core values. We’re excited to share them with you! 

  1. Create the most fun, healthy, holistic & fulfilling work environment in Santa Cruz (we think we’ve got this one down. Just a quick walk to the beach to get into that Flow state)
  2. Grow deliberately, sustainably & consistently; create long term value for our customers & stakeholders (all of you & all of us)
  3. Be curious, ask questions, communicate & adopt a growth mindset (always ask questions, approach new situations with open arms and an open mind)
  4. Everyone is an owner, approach your work as such (it really takes teamwork to make the dream work!)
  5. Work hard, Play hard; have fun doing both (the exact reasoning for FOCUSAID & PARTYAID) 
  6. Create raving fans- of our team members, customers, suppliers & community (check, check, and check)
  7. Be solutions oriented, not problem focused (obstacles are really challenging opportunities for growth!)
  8. Do more with less (think Macgyver here, yes the Tv show from the 80’s)
  9. Strive for continuous improvement instead of perfection (everyday is a new opportunity to level up your game)
  10. Always play the long game (all great things take time, energy, love, blood, sweat, tears)

What are your core values? Crack open a can of FOCUSAID, tap into that flow state and start crafting your list.

Take a look and find out what and who LIFEAID is for! >  https://youtu.be/P9OJImhdUe8

What is our secret to success? What do all winning teams and industry-dominating companies have in common? A strong set of shared values that each member of the team upholds day in and day out. The LIFEAID Team is proud to stand by our core values. We’re excited to share them with you!  Create the […]

Just like you, we like to make things as easy as possible because we are subscribers too! This is at the core of how we've formulated our products, taking the guesswork out of blending the perfect combination of vitamins and nutrients to help you live your best life. We wanted to share this helpful reminder on how easy it is to swap products and modify your LIFEAID subscription.

Please click on the My Account button in the upper right-hand corner of our main page. Once logged in, you'll be able to edit your address, credit card number, frequency of deliveries and even select a different product to be sent for your next shipment.

To make changes to your subscription click "My Subscribe and Save"

If you'd like a shipment sent right away, you can click the "Ship now" button. If you select the "Ship now" button, please be aware that this will move your next ship date to 30 days from the date of clicking that button. If you click "Skip Next Delivery" you can skip the next month's delivery. If you click "Pause My Deliveries," you can choose to push the next order out for up to 4 months. Clicking "Edit" will allow you to Modify the products in your subscription. Click "Modify Delivery" to cancel your subscription.

To cancel the subscription, click "Cancel My Subscription."

Check out the images below for a more detailed walk through! Of course if you ever have any questions on your subscription our Customer Success Team is happy to help! 

Just like you, we like to make things as easy as possible because we are subscribers too! This is at the core of how we’ve formulated our products, taking the guesswork out of blending the perfect combination of vitamins and nutrients to help you live your best life. We wanted to share this helpful reminder […]

Most people associate caffeine with coffee and fewer people than you might think know that caffeine is also in tea. Caffeine is actually present in the beans, fruits and leaves of more than 60 plants around the world – one of the most popular being green tea! Why does this matter? And what are the facts about caffeine made from green tea? Let’s start at the beginning…

What is Caffeine?

Caffeine is a naturally-occurring stimulant that works on the nervous system. It boosts alertness and fights fatigue by blocking the effects of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel tired as it builds up over the course of the day.

It is commonly consumed in coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks and as a dietary supplement tablet.

Caffeine in Green Tea vs Caffeine in Coffee and Other Beverages

How much caffeine is actually in your drink?!

The amount of caffeine in a 230ml (8oz) cup of coffee is 95mg.

The amount of caffeine in black tea ranges from 25 to 110mg.

Soft drinks (like cola) contain between 23 and 37 mg while energy drinks contain 72 to 80mg.

Although the amount can vary according to the tea plant variety, growing conditions and the production process, generally a 230ml (8oz) cup of green tea is around 35mg. It can vary between 30 and 50mg.

The variation arises from numerous factors:

Is the Caffeine in Green Tea Better?

In recent years, green tea has gained popularity as a health drink. Research has linked green tea with benefits such as:

Scientifically, there is no difference in the type of caffeine in green tea but there is an element in green tea that might lead to the conclusion that green tea caffeine is better than caffeine in other drinks.

Green tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid that works in synergy with caffeine. This makes the “buzz” you get from green different and milder. Working synergistically, caffeine and L-theanine have demonstrated an improvement in focus and alertness.

You can assume green tea is a safe source of caffeine. The safe limit for an average adult is 400mg per day so you should be able to drink 4 x 8oz servings of green tea each day without side effects.

Try out FOCUSAID, which contains 100mg of clean caffeine from green tea! 

Most people associate caffeine with coffee and fewer people than you might think know that caffeine is also in tea. Caffeine is actually present in the beans, fruits and leaves of more than 60 plants around the world – one of the most popular being green tea! Why does this matter? And what are the […]

If you have had the chance to pick up any of our delicious products from our website, you have figured out 2 things.

  1. We’re passionate about providing the cleanest, tastiest, way for you to enjoy your vitamins!
  2. We’re obsessed with Customer Service. Our Customer Success Team here at LIFEAID is devoted to ensuring you have the best experience with our products, and is available to assist with anything you need.

Our “CST” put their heads together to craft this Mission Statement to share our values and our commitment to your success on your journey with LIFEAID. We’re pleased to share it with you here.

As a Customer Success Specialist I strive to continuously enrich and refine the relationships with our customers. I personalize each interaction keeping the customers best interests in mind. Thereby creating a defining moment in the day of each individual.

So now our question to you is this: 

Is there anything we can do to make your day a little better? As always we are only a dm, text, email, phone call or chat message away. We look forward to helping you make shopping LIFEAID the best experience we can.

If you ever need ANYTHING LIFEAID related, follow this link to find out the ways in which you can get in touch with our Customer Success Team - https://www.lifeaidbevco.com/contact/

If you have had the chance to pick up any of our delicious products from our website, you have figured out 2 things. We’re passionate about providing the cleanest, tastiest, way for you to enjoy your vitamins! We’re obsessed with Customer Service. Our Customer Success Team here at LIFEAID is devoted to ensuring you have […]

What is the history behind yerba mate? What is it? Where does it come from? Well…yerba mate has been used as a medicinal herb since at least the 16th century when it was consumed by the indigenous Guarani people in Paraguay.  Since that time, word of its benefits has spread across the world resulting in it quickly becoming a delicious herbal drink consumed worldwide.  While still mainly cultivated in South America, yerba mate can now be found in herbal and nutrition stores globally and people are digging it!

So what makes yerba mate so popular?  A lot.

For starters, yerba mate contains caffeine which everyone loves!  If you were to consume yerba mate by brewing a tea, 1 cup would contain about 85 grams of caffeine.  This is awesome as   caffeine is one of the most effective ergogenic aids we know of and can improve health and fitness through a variety of factors including;

Second, yerba mate contains a ton of compounds known as “polyphenols”.  Polyphenols are a large group of various antioxidants which are naturally found in some of our food.  Together, have been found to offer an array of health benefits as diets that contain high amounts of polyphenols may;

In fact, yerba mate has been found to be a more powerful antioxidant than the superfood green tea!

Third, yerba mate has been found to help individuals achieve or maintain a healthy weight.  This is accomplished through several different mechanisms.  For example, some studies have shown yerba mate increases the use of stored fat for fuel.  This means fewer cravings, higher levels of energy, improved exercise performance, and less discomfort when in a caloric deficit.  Better yet, yerba mate might be one of the very fat compounds which actually targets belly fat!

The fourth reason yerba mate is a true superfood is that it may be able to mitigate the risk of several chronic diseases.  One of those diseases is diabetes which is, unfortunately, seeing a disturbing uptrend in society.  It is believed to be able to lower blood sugar levels naturally as well as help maintain proper levels.  

South Americans have known about the miracles of this herbal tea for hundreds of years and its far-reaching benefits have finally reached the shores of the USA.  Americans are always looking for that special miracle pill or some new drug being produced by big pharma.  In reality, we should be looking at what earth has provided us and yerba mate could very well be the true miracle drug you’ve been looking for.

What is the history behind yerba mate? What is it? Where does it come from? Well…yerba mate has been used as a medicinal herb since at least the 16th century when it was consumed by the indigenous Guarani people in Paraguay.  Since that time, word of its benefits has spread across the world resulting in […]