The Flexitarian Method
as a Yoga Lifestyle
Feeling stressed? Having a hard time dealing with all that is coming your way? Life can get overwhelming. There may be many things that need to be taken care of, but most of the time, it is our perception and how we deal with what comes our way that determines if we feel stressed or not.
Tips for Dealing with Stress
Sit and watch. During moments of stress, stop everything, even just for a few seconds, and breathe deeply. Let thoughts appear, observe them, and then go back to what you were doing. Simply being aware of the thoughts as they come and becoming the witness of these thoughts helps us gain a better perspective on what is actually happening.
Do one thing at a time. We often get overwhelmed when there are many things happening at once. Stopping for even a few seconds allows us to connect with the present moment and with that we can tackle the one task that is most crucial. When we are focused on just one thing, all other tasks simply do not exist at that moment, and thus the stress drops away too. In our attempts to get so many things done all at once, we never actually accomplish any of them. Prioritize, and then focus on one thing. Close all alerts so you have fewer distractions and causes of stress.
Practice 1:2 breathing. This helps calm the nervous system and lets the fight-or-flight mechanism subside so you can actually take action from a calm and clear place. You can do just a few rounds whenever you feel a bit overwhelmed or stressed. You can also sit or lie down and practice ten rounds (inhaling to a count of four and exhaling to a count of eight), to really shift your nervous system.
Take a deep breath. Yes, so easy, and yet it does wonders. The main thing is to focus on a long slow exhale. This is really just one round of the 1:2 breathing. For example, suppose you have reached a red light and you are already late. Take a big breath, and slowly release it. Or suppose someone is being slow to pay at the supermarket. You have a meeting to attend, or your kid is screaming—take a deep breath. If you cannot change the situation, stress will not help; it will only make it worse.
Sit on a cloud. Say what? Yes, just for a few moments, imagine sitting on a cloud and looking down at the world. See the bigger picture. See how small you are, and maybe realize that your situation is less dramatic than what you are making of it. At a given moment, when our minds create stories, situations may appear life-threatening, but most of the time the story we create in our mind is far more dramatic than what is actually happening. Really, the stories we tell ourselves can make things worse. Instead of dealing calmly with the situation, when we are stressed, we normally function less effectively and make more errors.
Meditate. This is a regular practice that will help you stay calm and under control. Any of the meditations in the meditation section can be helpful. For stress, sometimes object meditation works best, as for many of us it is easier to focus on an object than to focus on the breath.
Review of Dealing with Stress
How to Make It Happen
Have a visible calendar. Use a calendar as a rough guide to help you get started. You can use your regular calendar and include all your flexitarian practices in it, along with your other important meetings, or use a separate sheet with just your practices (maybe even include colors and images to entice you to look at it—really make it fun). The most important part is that you actually show up to practice! Make sure your calendar is visible to not only you, but also those that need to support you on your journey. If they know your plans in advance, they will be much more likely to support you with your practice.
Set up regular times for practice. If you know that part of your morning routine includes meditation, pranayama (breath work) and yoga poses, then it is easier to follow the routine than would be the case with random practice times.
Use a timer for meditation. Find something easy to use, that you can easily turn on and off, and that has a pleasant enough sound. Most smartphones have timers. Please, use your timer. Using a timer allows you to have peace of mind—you do not need to worry about how much time has passed or how much is left. You can simply sit without needing to peek at the watch. The timer is also like a watchdog. You simply know you will not get up until you hear the timer.
Remember to have your space set up in an inviting way and to have what you need for practice easily accessible. When you need too much time to set up or organize your space for sitting in meditation, pranayama, yoga asana, or even preparing your food, you may find excuses for why you don’t have the time or get annoyed with the process. The flexitarian practices for some of us are challenging enough; try to make everything around it easy and welcoming.
Tips for Making Your Practice Happen
Programs
There are a few programs below. You do not need to follow them, but many times having a set program, even if you are not able to follow it perfectly, is far more efficient than having no program. The 22-day jump-start program is a great place to start, and good for anytime you feel you have dropped off the wagon and need to get back into a routine again. It is also a great place to start again after an injury; just make sure you consult with a professional before you do anything that may incur any risk.
When cardio is mentioned, you can choose anything that feels right for you: swimming, dancing, walking, riding a bike, etc.
If the evenings are not an option (maybe you have kids or some other life affair), consider doing half of what is required. Even five rounds of 1:2 breathing are far better than nothing.
You may need to practice the first week for a while before you move on. Take your time. Get comfortable with what you are practicing before you move on.
Once you have completed this program and you feel like you can maintain it, try to continue practicing days 15–22 regularly. Once you are comfortable with this, move on to the maintenance program.
22-Day Jump-Start Program
Days 1–3
Morning
Evening
Days 4–6
Morning
Evening
Day 7
Morning
Days 8, 10, and 12
Morning
Evening
Days 9, 11, and 13
Morning
Evening
Day 14
Morning
Days 15–21
Morning
Evening
Day 22
Maintenance Program
This is a wonderful intermediate program that is perfect to follow for life. For those new to this practice, it is advised to complete the 22-day jump-start program first. Get comfortable with that and then move on to the maintenance program. You can repeat days 15–22 of the 22-day program for a while until you are comfortable and then move on to the maintenance program.
I offer here a weekly practice that can be continued on a regular basis. You can modify it according to your needs, but this is a good place to start. Both when and for how long you meditate can be modified. Maybe you would rather do it after the pranayama (breath work) practice, as you are already prepared for it, or maybe after the yoga poses, as you have released some energy—either way is fine. Sit for as long as you can: five minutes or thirty minutes. Make sure you decide on your minimum sitting time ahead of time and use a timer. You can always turn the timer off and keep sitting if it feels right. Try to do a longer sit of twenty to forty minutes at least once a week using any type of meditation that resonates with you.
When three-part breathing is offered, you can practice the four-part breathing variation instead.
Fun activities such as walks, hikes, gardening, playing with the kids, or any other physical activity can be added anytime—the more the better.
Days 1, 2, 4, and 6
Morning
Evening
Days 3 and 5
Morning
Anytime
Evening
Day 7
28-Day Enhancement Program
Are you comfortable with the maintenance program? If so, you may be ready to take it a step further. You may want to do this program every six months or just do it as a one-week enhancement every month or two.
The program is set up as a four-week challenge. You can simply repeat the first week four times, or you can make a few changes, such as adding a longer meditation or pranayama if those are areas you would like to give some extra attention to.
I like to start it on a Sunday to prepare for the week. Monday through Thursday are a bit tougher days; Friday slow down, and Saturday you rest. Of course you can switch it around some to match your schedule.
Morning
Evening
Days 2 and 4
Morning
Evening
Days 3 and 5
Morning
Evening
Day 6
Morning
Evening
Day 7
Take a break. Do something fun like go to the beach, swim in a lake, go for a walk or a bike ride, etc. If you are craving more yoga, do some yin or restorative yoga.
One-Day Vata Balancing Program
This program is great for everyone but especially for those that feel a bit of vata imbalance (see the Ayurveda chapter). Since vata is the main moving force of our mind, many experience vata imbalance even if it is not their main dosha. I offer a one-day balance, but you can do this a few times a week as needed.
Morning
Evening
These programs bring together the yoga poses practice with the breath work and meditation practices. Keep your food and nutrition part of life in balance, as well, to support these programs. Work with these programs slowly and patiently, but be diligent and actually pursue them. It is better to modify some if needed, than to skip altogether. Remember to show up, that is always the first step. Then keep practicing. In the following chapter I’ll give you some tips on how to maintain these practices and states of mind. They work to reinforce these programs.