Fitness philosophy: True fitness addresses the physical, energetic/emotional and mental aspects of health. My philosophy begins with an honest assessment, and from that, commit to a personalized version of enhancing your life experience through vibrant foods, purposeful movement, deep breaths and gratitude.
Morning ritual: I wake up early, around sunrise, drink two full glasses of water (the first with lemon juice). As the coffee is brewing, I do uddiyana kriya (an energizing, abdominal purification exercise) and then sit upright and take 10 smooth, even breaths. As I breathe, I visualize the fresh life energy, on the breath, traveling through my body.
Best motivator for clients during lockdown: Reminding them that doing just a little bit of practice every day (or a few times each day), even 10 minutes—with gratitude, sincere effort and consistency—is the most powerful gift we can give ourselves.
How to optimize home workouts: Be playful and start “microdosing”—little hits of focused activity with creativity and curiosity. You can do this with diet (colorful, vibrant, nutrient-dense snacks), movement (whether it’s a few sun salutations or 50 jumping jacks) and mental-fortitude practices (meditation, drawing, flower-arranging, decluttering your home).
Words to live by: As Carl Sagan said, “We’re made of star stuff,” but sometimes the density of our physical form and the intensity of our mental activity can prevent us from feeling that radiance. I encourage people to get out of the way of the free flow of fresh life energy that is trying to enter the body on every inhale. As long as the breath is moving, there is no “giving up.” I also remind people that for something to work, it needs to have an infinite number of judgment-free fresh starts built in.
Recipe for success: Notice how you respond to different foods, movements, and energetic interactions. Be willing to shift. Vibrant health isn’t a chore; if you’re not having fun, adjust your ingredients. erikahalweilyoga.com and tapovana.com; @erikahalweil on Instagram
