I say all this to say that I am now in round two of recovery for my foot. I had foot surgery almost a year ago to correct a bunion, a second toe — hammertoe issue, and a benign cyst on the bottom of my foot. Four screws were placed in my foot during that first surgery.  It was a traumatic experience for me. It was eight weeks of almost 23 hours a day of keeping my foot up; it was horrible punishment for someone who moves daily. I couldn’t do anything; I felt very helpless and had to rely on my husband. 

Yoga Unscrewed My Foot, or Yoga Screwed My Foot!

Fast forward to nearly nine months later, I was doing an arm balance yoga posture — crow pose. It is an asana I have done many times before, but pre-hardware in my foot. I floated back to plank, and my foot didn’t quite bend like it was supposed to. It was still stiff from the surgery, even nearly a year later. Apparently, a screw started to lift from my second toe, and I got a big knot on top of my foot near the metatarsal. 

The injury occurred one week before my trip to Italy. I was so stressed that I wouldn’t be able to go, but interestingly, I did go (I write about my travels in Italy; you can read the blogs on Live Fit Magazine), and I walked between 15,000 to 30,000 steps nearly every day. However, sadly, I still needed to have the surgery when I returned home because of the pesky lifting screw! The injury seemed to have made the screw in my second toe start to pop out of the bone but not the skin. I actually had a screw loose! Ha!

Foot Recovery Begins

So, now I find myself laid up for another two weeks with crutches and very limited walking. I’m back on the icing on and off and hoping the swelling stays down to reduce the possibility of infection and expedite the healing process. It’s hard for me not to be in motion, but I understand that you must honor your body, the journey, and the recovery process to keep fit and live well. 

So, should you be recovering from something or getting ready to have surgery, I feel for you. I hope you find the next few blog posts that I do helpful. I’ll post about the mind and the body and the exercises that help me. Maybe they’ll help you too.

I’m also happy to answer questions about my bunion surgery process. I researched the heck out of it and got four consultations before choosing my doctor. It’s a big surgery and an even bigger recovery, so if I can pay it forward by helping you, I’m happy to do that because, guess what, I’m kicking up my feet, and I got time to chill — well, sort of.  Apparently, I answered work emails immediately after surgery while in the hospital recovery room and while still a bit doped up  — not advised!

The post Recovering from Foot Surgery Round 2 or You’ve Got a Screw Loose! first appeared on Keep Fit With Phoebe.

I found #yoga nearly two decades ago but it took me quite a while to turn the physical activity of yoga into a spiritual journey that I now find helps me go within to find my escape and my peace.

This is tonight’s yoga flow. I’m practicing arm balances, building strength, and aim to fly out of chaturanga dandasana and into a foward fold with straight legs. It requires a lot of shoulder strength and a very tight core to pull your legs through to the forward fold position.

Sorry for the vertical video, if you follow brand journalism storytelling and podcast show (The Brand Journalism Advantage) then you know that I hate vertical video but this was shot for my Instagram feed. @KeepFitWithPhoebe

I got certified as a #yogateacher in 2013 when I wanted to learn more about the practice of yoga and I wanted to challenge myself to go deeper with it. Since then it’s become a not only a true passion but also a way of life for me.

From the yoga breath to the deep sighs of release to the sweaty # #vinyasa flows… #yogaismylife. It’s funny, I was in the gym the other day and I let out a loud sigh in the locker room, not a bad sigh, just a release for me and a woman in the locker room with me said, “I hope it wasn’t a bad day.”

Sighing for me and letting the breath out through an audible breath is just that… a release. Too, often, we Americans are taught to be quiet, keep it in…to me that’s straight up BS!

Sigh it out. Move the stagnant breath through your body and out. BE ALIVE and in this MOMENT.

Namaste  Love, light, and hugs! 

Phoebe

The post Vinyasa Yoga Flow first appeared on Keep Fit With Phoebe.

If you want to keep fit, your body must stay in motion. Too many of us are sedentary and that leads to health issues and weight gain.

Always in motion. I want to make a film about being in motion because to me the seems more right when I’m flowing from one moment to the next with ease and grace. But when you’re burdened with health issues, aches and pains, or financial worries, you often don’t feel like being in motion.

The mounting stress eats away at your peace and you feel like doing nothing. And that’s when it all goes wrong!

The poor eating and weight sets in. You feel crappy and you’re anything but Living Fit and Keeping Fit. You feel like giving up before you even began.

I get it, I’ve been there. Those moments when it’s just not working and you need to hit the reset button.

Why Your Body Must Stay In Motion To Keep Fit!

The good news is it CAN BE DONE! No matter how old you are, how out of shape or in shape you are. No matter if you’re in the job you love or the job you hate. Regardless of your financial income, the path to having the life you starts with MOTION!

Activity to make your body and mind feel good and make your lifestyle match the happiness inside.

To some, I’m preaching to the choir, to others these words may finally be the catalyst to start living a healthy lifestyle that’s “always in motion.”

The motion is what keeps me balanced. Hiking and practicing yoga are some of my activity staples but they are more than just a fitness regimen they are the necessities in life that help me balanced, energized, healthy, and fit.

As I enter the next half-century of my life, WOW! Yes, it’s true I turn 50 this year! I’m launching this blog and Instagram feed to share and grow with a community of like-minded beautiful souls.

I HOPE YOU’LL JOIN ME! Strength is in numbers!

I’m grateful for this body that has faithfully taken me through so many in “motion moments” from weightlifting, yoga, hiking, gymnastics, zip lining, running around with TV News crews, and more—my body has been in constant motion.

Today, we’re often mostly sedentary and in motion only a wee part of the day. We have smartphones and watches to tell us to get off our butt and stand! And frequently we dismiss the nudge.

If you follow me @theplantbaseddiet then you know that I eat #mostlyplabtbased and I strive for moderation. Here I’ll share some recipes but it you crave more catch me on my other feed.

Want to be part of the in motion movement?

Be sure to visit and like my Facebook page and join my private group.

The post Why Your Body Must Stay In Motion To Keep Fit! first appeared on Keep Fit With Phoebe.