Gut Check: Benefits of Using Yoga Tools in Your Practice

09/14/202009/14/2020Leave a comment

I “met” Jennifer McGregor, a pre-med student, when she reached out to me via email in July and asked if she could be a guest writer for Gal on the Go! As part of her pitch, she explained that she and a friend co-created PublicHealthLibrary.org as a way to share reputable material on health topics and bring them to the forefront, making the information easier and quicker to find. I said YES, your project aligns with Gal on the Go’s mission! Her article below focuses on gut health and references a variety of resources. Enjoy!

Exploring New Options Can Maximize the Benefits of Yoga

All it takes is a single yoga practice to start experiencing the benefits, but we all want to get the best possible results from our efforts like anything in life. Trying new tools and ideas for deepening your practice can help you get even more out of yoga and benefit your health.

The Link Between Yoga and IBD

Yoga is one of the best exercises for someone with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) because it addresses many of your body’s needs. Yoga focuses on breathing and meditation, which lowers stress and anxiety. Researchers found a link between stress and IBD symptoms. Practicing yoga consistently gives you an ongoing mental health benefit that may also help manage IBD symptoms. The physical effects of yoga are pretty powerful, too. Yoga is a gentle way to increase your strength and energy, plus the movements can ease your symptoms by helping release trapped gas and bloating.

Give Your Practice a Tech Upgrade

One of the best ways to maximize these positive effects is to use yoga apps on your phone. Yoga apps are especially beneficial for your home practice because they can guide and help you focus on your specific needs. For example, the iGeeksBlog highlights the app Universal Breathing that’s all about breathing techniques, and the app Yogatailor offers the ultimate in customization.

Expand Your Use of Props

Some people mistakenly view using props as a shortcut, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! Using props is really about support, which can allow you to work into more advanced poses gradually.

Yoga Block

Your yoga block supports you, helping make any asana you’re practicing work for your body. Examples include using a block in a pose like pigeon to get a deeper stretch or using it in seated poses to ease your joints’ pressure.

Yoga Strap

Using a yoga strap is a way of lengthening your body to work into more challenging poses and get a deeper stretch from the poses you’ve been practicing. In addition to helping you achieve more advanced poses, using a strap can also help you achieve correct alignment. This is especially important when you’re practicing at home and don’t have a mirror or instructor to rely on for guidance.

Yoga Bolster

Some of the most popular uses of a yoga bolster are getting into a really good restorative stretch. Along with these common uses, your bolster can also be a highly effective way to expand your practice in other ways. For example, the Yoga Journal guides us through multiple ways to use a bolster to access a gentle backbend.

Beyond the Basics

Besides props, you know the basics that every yogi needs, like a good mat and comfortable clothes. But another way to reach the next level in your practice is to give your basics an upgrade. An example of one we love is yoga pants that have a built-in pocket for your phone. Or if you travel frequently, a travel yoga mat simplifies keeping your practice mobile.

Set Up a Home Practice

You can still make yoga a part of your everyday routine with at-home practice. Find a quiet space in your home away from high-traffic areas. Create a positive vibe by removing clutter, letting in natural light, and lighting some sage.

When you think of these tools in terms of support, you can see how taking advantage of that support can transform your practice. And really, doesn’t that get to the heart of yoga, and the spirit of namaste? Your practice is personal, but you’ll get more out of it with other people’s support and the right tools!

NOTE: If you would like to be a guest writer for Gal on the Go, submit your story pitch to galotgo@gmail.com.

Start to Finish: The Road to ESR20

02/12/202002/12/2020Leave a comment

Shout-out to Tori Menneto at Roswell Park for her constant communication with #ESR20 participants. She just sent us a detailed Travel Planner with tons of info on the things we need to know about the event route and more. I’m impressed with how well organized the Foundation has been, and I feel like I’m in excellent hands! They have taken every measure to provide us with as safe as an experience as possible.

esr20 route
Here’s the route for the Empire State Ride this year… every day will be a mental and physical challenge, but it appears Day 4 may be the most difficult. We will receive daily cue sheets, the route will be marked with orange arrows, and mechanics will be with us along the way to assist if we have a problem.

DATE	ROUTE POINTS	MILES
Day 1: Sunday, July 26	New York City to Yorktown Heights	56+ miles
Day 2: Monday, July 27	Yorktown Heights to Rhinebeck	54+ miles
Day 3: Tuesday, July 28	Rhinebeck to Albany	62+ miles
Day 4: Wednesday, July 29	Albany to Utica	95+ miles
Day 5: Thursday, July 30	Utica to Weedsport	82+ miles
Day 6: Friday, July 31	Weedsport to Spencerport	76+ miles
Day 7: Saturday, August 1	Spencerport to Niagara Falls	75+ miles

Saturday, August 1, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. riders will gather at a Niagara Falls rest stop for a police-escorted group ride to the FINISH LINE at Old Falls Street in downtown Niagara Falls!!!! (They estimate us reaching it at approximately 4:00 p.m.)

Friends and family can cheer riders on and join an outdoor reception at the end. To all of my Buffalo peeps, I would be beyond grateful to see your faces at the finish!

Gal on the Go Gets a Makeover

04/30/201906/25/20192 Comments

Gal on the Go

I launched my Gal on the Go blog 14 years ago as part of a grad school project. I cannot believe how fast time has passed!!!! My writer’s voice has evolved and it was time for my look to progress too with some fresh branding. I hope that you enjoy the blog and continue to follow along. Like a fine wine, my goal is for it to keep getting better.

This year I created a sub brand of Gal on the Go called Rock N Flow Yoga, combining my past experience as a DJ with my passion for yoga, by offering private yoga instruction to musicians and bands and leading fun power flows at public festivals and events.

It takes a village of amazing friends and strangers with heart to help make your dreams a reality. You can try to do it alone, but it is much more achievable (especially on rough days) when you have people who are behind you rooting for you!

That said, I would like to give a shout-out to the following people for their unwavering support with this venture…

Angela Tarantula, my friend who is a talented graphics designer created the new Gal on the Go logo down to the detail of the arrows giving a sense of action and looking like a pair of legs running. (She also created my Rock N Flow Yoga logo.) Insta: @angtarantula
Lauren, my friend who is a skilled photographer and owner of Elle Three Photography took the photo used as the base of the new Gal on the Go logo.
Danielle Daily, my friend, and business mentor who is a TED Talk savvy businesswoman and host of the Suddenly Single Show podcast who came up with the concept of rebranding Gal on the Go.
Yorke B., a new friend and my Custom Ink rep who has been beyond helpful with all my merch needs for Rock N Flow Yoga.
Christina, my friend who placed the first order for some Rock N Flow Yoga merch and gifted it to me as a gesture of her belief in me and my dream.
Amanda, my original omie who attended my first studio yoga class ever and every one of my public yoga events.
YOU (my blog readers) and the people who grant me interviews — all of whom are a constant inspiration.

Sit back and enjoy this wild ride as we keep it moving onward and upward together!!!!

Limitless Possibilities

12/28/201812/28/2018Leave a comment

The Suddenly Single Show With The Danielle Daily

My talented friend Danielle, creator and dynamic host of the new podcast The Suddenly Single Show, is an expert at formulating ideas, tackling her dreams, and networking. She was recently looking for sponsors for her new show so I took a leap of faith and signed on. I believe that there are no limits to what we can achieve when we support each other’s endeavors!

[The Suddenly Single Show is THE inspirational podcast for people who find themselves, “Suddenly Single.” Divorce, death, separation, or good old-fashioned gettin’ dumped. Like it or not, sometimes you find yourself Suddenly Single.]

Be sure to check out Danielle’s podcast through her website, iTunes, Spotify, and more! The episodes are loaded with great insight from people of many walks of life.

Race Season 2018: Sponsors

04/18/201804/19/2018Leave a comment

And so it begins, race season 2018! This year my schedule organically evolved into a theme of running, the sport most outside of my comfort zone. I am very appreciative to have secured three company sponsors so far…

Westfields Dental

Westfields Dental in Fairfax, a woman-owned dental practice using the latest technology in their field and very community focused. This is Dr. Whitney Jarrell and her awesome team’s second year supporting me. Westfields Dental is special to me because they have believed in me and supported me from the start, and for that, I will always be grateful.

Downs & Associates (who recently merged with HRI Associates) located in downtown Herndon are new advocates of mine. They are an insurance company who don’t typically support individuals but were impressed with my future goal for starting a foundation based of off Gal on the Go. Bonus surprise, their office manager Lana heard about my blog and plight to encourage girls and women to lead fearless healthy lives and sent me a personal check.

Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute in Fairfax and Manassas is another new sponsor of mine. They donated a laser treatment/injectables package for me to auction off and Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute goodies for my #galotgo bags. Their life-changing team consists of Dr. George Bitar, an award-winning board-certified cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon and member of the prestigious American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS), Dr. Larry Lickstein, and a highly skilled crew.

Thank you, advocates, for backing a member of your community who is striving to make a positive difference in the world in her own small way.

I am still in need of additional sponsors, so if you are interested in supporting my goal to have a positive healthy influence on the lives of girls and women everywhere, please give me a shout at galotgo@gmail.com!

SIDE NOTE: Workers recently entered my apartment to conduct an annual dryer vent cleaning. I was at work and had my camera on because as a female living solo you protect yourself the best you can. I have all my race medals and bibs hanging on a wall. One of the guys touched the medals and said, “wow, that’s a lot for a girl!” Another guy looked at the medals and said, “that’s too much exercise for me.” I am sure they meant well but listen up guys, the women of today are a fierce new breed!

Easy on the Eyes … ACTION

03/17/201804/03/2018Leave a comment

My friend Beth invited me to a commercial shoot for an up-and-coming personal product called the Shower Eye. Always open to fun new things, I jumped at the opportunity. Filming took place in a residential home. There were many takes and tweaks to capture the storyboard concept envisioned by the co-creator. It was great being immersed in a lively creative environment. Time flew and before I knew it, Toby, the director was yelling ‘that’s a wrap’!

Afterward, Katherine Pope, the ambitious product co-creator and company CEO, took time with me to answer a few questions that I thought you and future Shower Eye buyers would want to know!

Q: Who or what inspired you to come up with the Shower Eye?
A: My father. He is the idea architect in the family. Then, he asked me to figure out how to get the product made.

Q: How do you foresee the Shower Eye being used?
A: People can use the Shower Eye at home to alleviate confusion and frustration. I also think hotel guests would benefit from using it on the tiny product bottles.

Q: Who is your target audience(s)?
A: The 60 million baby boomers. I am fortunate to have good vision, but six out of 10 people wear glasses or contacts. I also hope hotels carry the Shower Eye and put it in their bathrooms as a convenient tool for their guests.

Q: When will the Shower Eye officially be for sale?
A: Hopefully in June 2018.

Q: Where will people be able to buy the Shower Eye?
A: Online through Amazon, at least in the beginning.

Q: What do you consider product success?
A: Turning a profit. If I can make a dollar more than what I have invested in it, I will feel successful!

Q: When will the commercial that was shot today launch?
A: Hopefully in June when we have product available for mass selling.

Q: Where will the commercial run?
A: We will test it on daytime cable networks in smaller cities to start.

I wish Katherine great success with the Shower Eye! Look out for the product online this summer!

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR: Toby Marquez, the owner of STUDIO M Inc., is a producer-director, photographer and writer whose assignments have taken him to 33
countries. He is the recipient of distinguished national awards including Hollywood’s “Directors Guild of America Award,” awards for the documentary “A Gathering in the Desert” and the Cine Golden Eagle Award for the short US Navy film “West Africa.”

Sneak Peek: 2018 Healthy Adventures

01/01/201801/01/2018Leave a comment

“When unforeseen obstacles arise, change your plans for how you will reach your goals, never give up on your goals or yourself.” – Gal on the Go

My healthy adventures schedule may appear tame now, but you never know what’s going to come up, and that’s part of the fun! 😉

DATE	EVENT	LOCATION
May 6	Race for Hope 5K http://www.teambt.org/	Washington, DC
May 11 & 12	Ragnar Trail Relay (Team: All the Good Names are Taken)	Zion, UT
June 2	Bay Bridge Paddle	Annapolis, MD
September 22	SeaWheeze	Vancouver, BC

Shifting Gears

11/05/201711/21/2017Leave a comment

Photo Credit: Fairfax County Department of Transportation

Cycling has been a recreational passion of mine since I was a child. I vividly remember the day I got my training wheels off and I biked as fast as my little legs would peddle with a great sense of freedom! This past July, Nicole from the Fairfax County Department of Transportation reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in serving my community as a Fairfax County Bicycle Ambassador. I instantly said yes! … and then um, could you please tell me what I just agreed to? 😉 She explained to me that the Bicycle Ambassador position is for one year and entails:

teaching and promoting cycling safety to Fairfax County residents in a fun way
giving presentations upon request on a variety of bike topics (ex. Bike to Work Day) at local businesses and organizations
handing out materials and assisting residents with basic bike maintenance issues if needed at local events

Things quickly got rolling! I enthusiastically shifted gears into my new position and became certified in First Aid. In August, I took part in a fun photo shoot in which the images will be used in various bike safety print collateral and on the coming soon website bikefairfax bikesafe.bikesmart. On September 20, I completed the required Fairfax County Bicycle Ambassador Program Orientation course with two other representatives. They gave us official ambassador T-shirts donated by Ben & Jerry’s that we must wear to all county activities we work.

In October, I attended my first local outreach event at the Providence Community Center in Vienna. I had a great time handing out the informative and detailed Fairfax County Bike Maps, safety literature and bike lights. The kids there were open to learning and very excited about riding the trails with their parents. My next appearance will be on December 4 at an outreach event in Tysons. I cannot wait to share my bicycle safety knowledge and spread the word about current resources available to bike riders and the awesome new county bike services on the horizon!

I just found out that one of the photos they took of me made the cover of the Fairfax County Bicycle outreach brochure! It’s been a great experience serving as a Fairfax County Bicycle Ambassador and promoting the safety of a sport that has nostalgic meaning to me.

Until their new website is ready, check out Fairfax County’s current bicycle resources web page.

Stairway to Heaven

09/16/201709/18/2017Leave a comment

Leslie, MaryKate, Sarah and Me

2017 National Capital Region 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, Oxon Hill, Maryland
110 Flights of Stairs
320 Climbers
*This is not a timed race event; it is a way for firefighters and the community to honor and remember the 343 FDNY firefighters who selflessly gave their lives. We were kindly given commemorative in memoriam coins for our participation.

My friend Sarah knew of an annual event where participants pay tribute to FDNY firefighters by climbing the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center. She asked if I wanted to participate with her and a few of our other friends. Of course! My friends Sarah, Leslie, MaryKate and I gathered outside the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center to check in. There were badges scattered on the table of FDNY firemen who died on 9/11 during rescue efforts. Each of us selected a badge, clipped it to our shirts and climbed in their honor. I proudly wore the badge of…

Jeffrey Palazzo, Age 33, FDNY Firefighter, Member of Rescue 5

This has been an eventful summer! My “race” schedule is starting to wind down, but I hope you will continue to be inspired by my healthy adventures and try new things.

Independent Ride

09/09/201712/25/2017Leave a comment

13 Colonies Ride (part of the 50 States Ride, 62 miles), Washington, DC
15 Miles
700 Cyclists (Sold Out)

I heard about this fun annual cycling event last year, but before I could sign up, it had sold out. It’s hosted by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), which I am proud to be a member. This year, I noted the registration timing of the event and entered The 13 Colonies portion before it sold out! The 13 Colonies is a 15-mile hilly ride through every Ward of the District and on every avenue named for the original 13 Colonies. Roads are open to traffic as usual and there are a lot of stops along the city blocks, which is probably why it’s an event rather than a race. The lunch pit stop took place under a tented area next to Eastern Market, located in the heart of the historic Capitol Hill neighborhood. The lively marketplace has been around since 1873 and features a variety of produce, handmade crafts and more. A bonus, there are also many delicious mom and pop restaurants and coffee shops in the neighborhood. It’s one of my favorite non-touristy places to wander around in DC.

FUN FACT: Can you name all 13 Colonies?
(Answer: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia) They are significant because these Colonies coming together formed the United States.