Many times over the years, I’ve been asked for a variety of recommendations. Things like:

• What yoga mat should I buy?
• What are the best yoga pants?
• What are your favorite books?

You get the idea. Well, here is a start to things I’ve recommended over and over again to my friends and students, and I always get great feedback that I was spot on. So here is the first of hopefully many posts for things I recommend that can help you immensely in your journey to better health and wellness. This particular post is centered around yoga recommendations, so here we go.

(Photo courtesy of Guide to Secret and the Law of Attraction)

Yoga Mats

My favorite yoga mat — and I have had MANY of them since I began practicing in 1999 — is the Manduka PRO Yoga and Pilates Mat, Black Magic,71″. This mat is thicker than average, which is great for people like me who have joint issues. Plus, I don’t care how hot of a yoga class I’ve attended, I never slip when I take this mat with me. I sweat — a LOT! And prior to having this mat, I could never go to hot classes because I always felt like I would hurt myself…I would slip as soon as I started to sweat. But once I got this mat, it was smooth sailing! I’ve had my mat since 2009, and it still looks brand-new…and I use it a LOT! It’s expensive but worth the money.

If you travel and can’t take a mat this thick, the Manduka PROLite Yoga and Pilates Mat, Midnight, 71″ travels better and is also a bit cheaper.

Yoga Shoes

Next up…my favorite yoga shoes! These Merrell Women’s Tango Posh Zip Sneakers Shoes [Black] [7.5] shoes are awesome because they are super light and bendy, so I can wear them when I am teaching (my feet get cold when I am not actually doing the practice with my students, and I also don’t like my feet getting dirty by walking around on a floor that might not have been cleaned). Even when I’ve practiced yoga, I’ve worn these shoes because they really do feel like I am wearing nothing. Yet when I need to leave and move on to the next event, these shoes are super comfy so I don’t even have to change into a different pair.

Yoga Pants

Now for yoga pants…there are so many options! But I love the leggings Reebok has, as they are not super expensive, and they last a long time. Plus, when you’re doing yoga poses that require you to “stick”, you don’t want slippery pants, and you want pants that let you breathe so you don’t get too hot. I love these Reebok Women’s Elite Tights from Reebok, because I love the pattern…it’s quirky and funky, like me!

But if you would rather pants with a bit more of a feminine look, then the Reebok Womens Tree Tight might work better. Same material, so you should experience the same benefits as mentioned above.

Yoga Tops

In terms of yoga tops, that is SO hit or miss for me. I tend to get really hot and sweaty if I am practicing a vinyasa style, so I like something that breathes and moves with me…something very light and stretchy, but that doesn’t look skin tight. That is not easy to find! I tend to love tanks by Next Level, and I love this Next Level Women’s Stylish Soft Tri Blend Racerback Tank Top because it’s not too tight and typically runs true to size.

However, when I am in a more gentle or restorative class, I want to be warmer and tend to prefer long sleeves. Again, I love Next Level, as they make a super comfy Ladies’ Burnout Hoody that is the perfect amount of thickness, AND I can wear it to more than just yoga.

 So there you are. A few of my favorite things that always help me have a more amazing yoga practice. Stay tuned for more of these, which will cover books I recommend, as well as various things I use to help me in my journey to health and wellness.

Namaste,

Melanie