Let The Abs Challenge Begin!

I am super excited to announce the beginning of my 4-weeks abs challenge!

Every week you will get a new video with 5-10 core exercises. The movements are from yoga, pilates, gymnastics and calisthenics. Ideally you do each video 5 times per week until you get the new video.

In addition to that you should do cardio training such as running, cycling or swimming for best results. Make sure you eat healthy and keep hydrated!

I am looking forward to how you get on. Don’t forget to tag me on your social media channels with #zeynepyoga and subscribe to my YouTube channel

Enjoy the exercises and let me know if you have any questions!

Zeynep

YOGA WHEEL TUTORIAL

Do you have a yoga wheel at home and you don’t know what to do with it?

In this video I am sharing with you my favourite stretches using the yoga wheel. I think the yoga wheel is a great addition to my yoga practice and helped me so much in opening up my upper back and shoulders.

Enjoy trying out the exercises and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

Yoga for Feet NOW ON YOUTUBE

Have you ever spent time stretching and strengthening your feet?

In my YouTube video I am sharing my favourite foot exercises with you. If you exercise your feet regularly, it will improve your foot health and it will also reduce your risk of injury.

Here are a few more tips, which will help to keep your feet healthy:

1. Walk barefoot (indoors)
2. Don’t wear shoes that are too tight
3. Give your feet a massage
4. Strengthen & stretch your feet
5. Avoid wearing high heels too often
6. Lift your legs up now and again to take the weight off them
7. Wash your feet regularly, cut your toe nails, keep them clean

I hope I can motivate you to try out my exercises. Our feet carry us around, so please look after them!
Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel, so you are not missing out on any new videos.

Namaste,
Zeynep

 

Gentle Morning Yoga Flow Now On YouTube

Hi lovelies,
following my Power Yoga Programme, which is now online in English & German I have more videos to share with you.

(https://vimeo.com/ondemand/yogaflowsenglish)
(https://vimeo.com/ondemand/yogaflowsgerman)

I have just published another video, this one is a “Gentle Morning Yoga Flow“, also in German & English. Perfect to do this 30- minutes sequence in the morning, before you have to rush off.

Let me know what you think and what type of videos you would like to see in the future! Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Namaste,

Zeynep

 

Yoga Clothing Review

When you turn up to a yoga class these days, it seems like a catwalk, fashion show. Everyone wants to impress with their active wear. Don’t you agree?!
And not only in the studio or gym, but also out and about, women love to wear beautiful leggings to show off their legs!
I always get asked what my favourite brands are for sportswear especially yoga gear, which is why I took some time to write down a review for you. I haven’t listed all the brands I have tried out, as the list would be too long, but here is a selection of different sport outfits.

In this review I am evaluating:

1. Design
2. Comfort
3. Quality
4. Washability
4. Price

1. Reebok

I am absolutely in love with Reebok‘s newest Nature X collection. The seamless leggings fit perfectly to your body and create a beautiful shape. It is my first ever high rise ribbed waist leggings and I think it gives the leggings an extra feminine touch!
The open mesh at the sides makes it look really sexy, but that does mean I cannot wear the leggings when it is cold weather, but when the summer is back, they will be on!
The seamless bra is so soft and comfy, with a medium support, which is excellent especially when wearing the bra in a cold studio. Girls, you know what I mean! Haha.

The skinny straps help to hold everything together. Both the leggings and bra are made from cashmere, nylon and elastane knitted fabric.
The chalk pink coloured long sleeve is super comfy too, feels super light on your skin and is very sweat-resistant. It keeps me warm when I teach in cold yoga studios!
The fabric is a blend of silk and jersey. You can wash the sport wear at 30 / 40 degrees.
Generally Reebok has a stylish and sporty selection for yoga gear and the prices are about average for the market.

Nature X High Waisted Leggings: 89,95 €
Nature X Seamless Bra:  59,95 €
Nature X Long Sleep T-Shirt: 79,95 €

Link to website: www.reebok.com

Reebok on Amazon: Cadmus Women’s High Waist Athletic Running Leggings Pants With PocketReebok Womens Mesh TightsReebok Womens Cardio Capris

2. LAAIN

I personally have tried two outfits from LAAIN and I have to say that the quality of the fabrics caught my eyes straight away. 
They advertise themselves as offering “luxury fabrics” and I can certainly agree.
Their sport gear designs are fairly classic, feminine and yet stylish.
I personally love their very feminine seamless knits which are in beautiful pastel colours and they feel like a second skin and very comfortable.
 I would recommend wearing seamless underwear with these leggings.
The fabrics being used are sustainable; the leggings are made (78 %) from recycled polymer fibres (discarded fishing nets that are reclaimed from the ocean and recycled into new polymers).

What you will recognise as well is that the fabrics are sweat wicking and fast drying. They are UV protective and you can wash the gear at 30 degrees, but hand drying is suggested.
As these two outfits are from an older collection, they are on discount now, but if you want to go for a new collection you will see it is fairly high priced, but they are great quality items.

Coco bra: Was 60,58 €, now 42,63 €
Leggings: 118,92 €

Seemless knit:
Charlotte bra: Was 70 €, now 48,24 €
Cassie leggings: Was 85,27 €, now 60 €

Link to website: www.laain.co.uk

3.  Werkshop

This Californian brand is definitely famous for their prints. You can find the most fancy designs on their website and yes, they do have men’s sport gear too! Hurray!
These leggings are part of a vintage Circus fantasy collection. The sport gear is made of  compression triathlon fabric, which means when you put on the leggings first time it feels very tight, but they do loosen up after a while.
They definitely make a nice shape, but it takes a bit of time for it to feel like a second skin.

The Werkshop team recommends to go a size bigger if you want less compression. The leggings are made of 70 % polyester and
30 % elastane. Whilst producing the sport wear an eco-friendly water-soluble printing process is being used.
 The Werkshop outfits are breathable, they dry quickly and have
UV protection. The leggings are made in the USA with Italian triathlon fabric. The Werkshop prices are about average, and fair for the quality you get.

Tiger leggings: 71 €

Link to website: www.werkshop.com

4. Rohnisch

Rohnisch is a Swedish family business focusing on trendy, colourful, and functional women sportswear. I personally love my shiny Rohnisch leggings. I hardly feel the leggings on my skin and they make such a nice shape. Even their tops are super comfy, stylish and really good quality.

I love that their sport gear has a  feminine touch. With these leggings I would recommend to wear seamless underwear. The outfits are breathable and moisture wicking, and some of the leggings have useful key pockets at the back of the waist.
  The material being used for this leggings is 85 % polyamide and 15 % elastane.
It is recommended to wash the sport gear with similar colours, at 40 degrees and inside out.
You can find leggings between 39,16 € and 98 €, definitely fair for the great quality you get.

Link to website: www.rohnisch.com

Rohnisch on Amazon: Hannah Capri Run Tights, Liza Shiny TightShape Curved Long Tight,
Lasting 7/8 TightsShape Lasting Tights

5. Mandala

My Mandala leggings are one of my most comfortable leggings, they make me feel light and I don’t feel like I am wearing any leggings.
 These particular leggings are not my favourite design, but they have nicer designs online. The leggings are made from 90 % polyester and 10 % elastane. They produce the leggings from recycled plastic bottles and have a big focus on sustainability.

In all the sport gear they produce they use ecologically true materials such as GOTS-certified (Global Organic Textile Standard), ecological organic-cotton, sustainable tencel or resource-conserving recycled polyester. Their leggings are breathable, moisture wicking, elastic and very comfortable.
You can wash the sport outfits in 30 degrees without using fabric softener.
I love their sport bras as they are made of 95 % organic cotton and 5 % elastane. They are so soft on the skin and elastic. The sport bra I have is for small breasts as it has medium support and I love that it is a neck holder bra, so you can see the whole back. The prices are slightly higher than others, but you are getting sustainable yoga wear, right?

Printed leggings (NY Sports Club): 89 €
Neckholder bra (Rainforest): 49 €

Link to website: www.mandala-fashion.com

6. Jilla

I have got the limitless tight leggings from Jilla and I am in love with the leggings, as they are thicker and still create a nice shape. They are perfect for cooler days. I love the quality and the design. They are comfortable, but if I would have to wear them for longer hours, I would go for thinner leggings.
Their activewear is sweat wicking and quick drying and the clothing is made with an antibacterial and odour reducing technology.
The only thing I could not manage is the two cords/lines which help to make the waist a bit tighter, but once you start practicing, they kind of get out of the leggings.
Maybe that’s only me,
but I prefer not to have cords in my leggings. Their activewear designs are fairly simple, they focus on soft colours. The leggings I am wearing are made 90 % of polyamide, 9 % of elastane and 1 % polyester.
I do like their sport bras too, they are very comfy, good quality, they are double layered to give a secure fit and are also made with the antibacterial and odour reducing technology.
The bra I’ve got is made of 64 % polyester, 27 % polyamide and 9 % elastane.
 You can wash Jilla activewear at   30 degrees with similar colours. The clothing is crafted with soft fibres such as bamboo and modal, which makes the clothing soft and comfy. The prices are about average.

Limitless tight leggings: 50,49 €
Break Of Dawn Bra: 33,66 €

Link to website: www.jillaactive.com

Jilla on Amazon: Jilla Solid Balance LeggingJumping Jack Leggings

7. Onzie

Onzie is a Californian brand which focuses on fun prints and they do have a selection for men too! 
I personally like their creative designs. All leggings I have got from them are super comfy and I don’t mind practicing in their leggings for a long time.
Their bottoms do feel like a second skin, so you never have to worry about pulling or pushing the fabrics down. They just fit perfectly to your body and the fabric stretches whilst you move.

The quality of their activewear is very good and made of fabric technology, which makes the leggings functional and breathable.
 It says to wash the sport gear by hand or machine wash cold, but I have washed them in sport setting and it seemed fine! Tumble or hang dry is ok too. The price is fair for what you get.
You can get a leggings for 56 € – 61,30 €

Capri pant skull: 45 €

Link to website: www.onzie.com

Onzie on Amazon: Strappy BraLeopard leggings

8. Puma

I’ve got the leggings and sport bra from Puma‘s Velvet Rope collection. I got so many compliments about the design of the leggings. Check the golden spirals on the side of the legs out!
The leggings fit well on your legs, although around the waist I would have liked a bit more support. In particular, when I move into postures like a downward facing dog, there is a bit of fabric standing out from my lower back.
If you look at Puma’s general selection, it is quite simple, not too fancy designs and limited choice.


However, they do have some special collections coming out with amazing designs such as this one. The sports bra is really nice, but I just struggle with closing the bra as it is not the usual mechanism.
The materials used for their sport gear are nylon, elastane and jersey. I never feel like I am sweating when I wear the leggings, that’s because they have the special dryCell technology. You can wash the active wear at 30 degrees. You can get a leggings between 40 € and 75 €, pretty standard prices I would say.

Everyday Train Graphic Tight on Amazon.

Link to website: www.puma.com

9. Juvia

The German brand Juvia focuses mainly on lounge-  and activewear for women and men!
Their outfits are cosy and comfy as they use a super soft fabric.
The leggings are not as tight as you are used too, they might even feel a little “baggy”, but that is why you can use the clothing as loungewear too and it gives the skin room to breath.

The outfit I am wearing is made of 90 % polyester and 10 % elastane. You can wash the leggings and bra at 30 degrees. This brand is slightly more expensive.

Activepants anthra: Was 99,00 €, now 69,95 €
Top: Was 59,00 €, now 39,95 €

Link to website: www.juvia.com

10. OGNX

This German label OGNX (organics) is also very big on sustainability. Most active wear they offer for men and women are made from organic cotton and recycled polyester or polyamide.
I’ve got the two pieces from their Hawaii collection and love it.
They feel really good, light on the skin, like a second skin.
Both pieces are made from 90 % recycled polyester and 10 % elastane.
The apparel dries very quickly.


Overall OGNX has got some nice prints, but not a huge selection. The quality of their apparel is really really good.
I usually wash the sport gear at 30/40 or sport setting and that seems fine. Hang drying is absolutely fine, you’ll realise how quickly they dry!
You can get leggings between 20 € and 80 €, pretty average prices for good quality!

Leggings Hawaii: Was 69,90 €, now 59,90 
Cropped top: Was 49,90 , now 29,90 

Link to website: www.ognx.com

11. Fabletics

If you are looking for sport gear which is more afforable, Fabletics would be a good one to consider.
Behind this brand is the Hollywood actress Kate Hudson.
Fabletics constantly brings out new stylish, sexy designs and the clothing is at a more affordable price.
The activewear is moisture-wicking and more important, not see-through, so you don’t have to worry about anything showing.

The leggings I have got has a lot of compression, but they also do have leggings in softer material, which makes you feel like you are wearing nothing and they also have got an ultra lightweight fit, which dries super quick too.
The sport gear I am wearing is made of 82 % polyester and 18 % spandex (which has exceptional elasticity). I washed their clothing on a sport setting, 30 degrees and it was fine.

Leggings: 54 €
Tops from 20 €

Link to website: www.fabletics.com

12. Prancing Leopard

Prancing Leopard is known for their sustainable sports outfits, using organic cotton fabrics. Their designs are very simple and relatively limited. It is very important to them to offer clothing free of chemicals (nano silver free, formaldehyde-free, BPA-free and organic-approved dyes).
I like their reversible, medium support bra. It is made from 95 % organic cotton and 5 % elastane. It is super comfortable, fits well, feels light and is moisture wicking.

You can wash the bra with the machine on warm setting, with gentle cycle, dry-cleaning is not recommended, tumble drying only on low heat.
Speaking about their leggings, they are very comfy too, as they are made from soft organic cotton (95 %) and lycra (5 %).
They make a surprisingly nice shape for being cotton and the navy-black leggings has a zipped-pocket on the back too. You can wash the leggings in a washing machine, with gentle cycle cold or warm, tumble drying on low heat is recommended. The quality is fairly good, the price too, but as it is cotton the sports gear may lose its colour after a few washes.

Wapiti Racer-Back Sports bra, animal print: 65,66 €
Xingu Organic Yoga Leggings:  59,99 €

Link to website: www.prancingleopard.com

Prancing Leopard on Amazon: “XINGU” Organic Cotton Yoga PantsYoga Tank Top “COIBA”, Sport Bra “WAPITI”Yoga Top “OMORA”

13. Bjorn Borg

I do like my Bjorn Borg sports gear, especially their shorts, as they have inner shorts which is really handy, if you are planning to do yoga in them and want to maintain your modesty!
I like the quality of the activewear, it is really good, they fit nicely around the waist and are very comfortable to wear for longer hours. The design is simple, but nice.

Most of their clothing is made from performance fabric, some from recycled polyester, but there are a few collections with soft cotton too, which I do prefer, especially for my yoga practice.
All the gear is sweat-wicking. You can wash the outfits at 30, some at 40 degrees.
The branding on some outfits is huge, which I personally don’t like so much. I prefer more subtle branding, but you may like it! 
You can get a nice pair of leggings for around 34 € – 80 €. Pretty good prices.

Black top: 33,66 €
Shorts are around 33,66 €

Link to website: www.bjornborg.com

Bjorn Borg on Amazon: Cora Women’s Essential TightsConnie Women’s Essential TightsBianca Sports TopSolid Sanna Soft Top

14. Malaika Padma

When you pop into an Iyengar yoga class, you’ll see most students wearing these Puna Chic shorts. At first, you might think they are not the most stylish shorts, but once you try them on and practice in them, you will understand why everyone loves these shorts!
They are super comfy, come in lovely bright colours and what I really like is that they are made of 100 % GOTS certified organic cotton.

You do not have to worry about going into deep splits as nothing will show wearing the Puna chic shorts.
The shorts have really good quality and
as they are made of cotton you can wash the shorts at 30 / 40 degrees. It is recommended to wash the shorts on the reverse side with similar colours and not to keep them under direct sunlight.
The Malaika Padma team strongly believes in sustainability and make sure the organic cotton grows in an environmental friendly process without insecticides, pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. The apparel gets sewn by Israeli Arab ladies and Palestinian ladies (from the west bank), who work under the employment laws of Israel, Fair Trade.
So if you wonder why these shorts are a little pricey, there you go, you have to pay a little more for quality and 100 % organic cotton.

Puna Chic Yoga Shorts – Desert Rose36,21 €

Link to website: www.malaika-padma.com

Malaika Padma on Amazon: Yoga shorts

Summary

I hope you enjoyed reading through my review. As you can see, it really depends on what you are looking for. Is it a fancy print you are looking for or is it more important for you to have sustainable sports gear? How much do you want to pay? High compression, low compression?

I personally love to wear cotton gear when practicing yoga, but when I plan to sweat a lot I probably choose a different fabric. If I do not go for cotton, I like to go for recycled polyester.
I want my yoga gear to be light and comfy.
Also in my opinion it is worth investing money for a really good quality pair of leggings, which does not lose its glam after one wash and lasts for a few years! Normally the fashion of classic yoga leggings never runs out anyway!

What do you prefer to wear when practicing yoga? What’s your favourite brand?
I would love to hear your point of view!

Love,
Zeynep

Yoga Mat Review

I have so many students who always ask me about yoga mats and with such a large number to choose from, I am not surprised! So to help you guys out, I have decided to publish a post just about some of the different yoga mats that I use, so you can get a better idea about what’s out there!

Here are 8 different mats for you to look through and for each I will discuss the following attributes which I find most important in choosing a mat:

1. Grip
2. Weight
3. Design
4. Washable / not washable
5. Price

Lotuscrafts – Yoga mat OEKO Travel

This yoga mat is excellent for someone like me traveling a lot as it is foldable and very light (1.1kg!). It is the perfect mat for your holidays! It fits well in a rucksack with its 1.5mm thickness.

It is made of natural rubber, is 100% organic and very slip resistant. Perfect for challenging transitions in your yoga practice.
If however you still prefer to have more cushioning, you could also put this thin mat on top of a studio mat, for example.
I prefer to do this anyway, as most studio mats do smell… you know what I am talking about!

The mat is not washable, wiping the surface with a wet towel is recommended. It has a fairly simple design and the price (39,95 € / £35.25) is one of the lower priced mats, and definitely great value for what you get.

The mat on the picture has the colour: Cornflower

Link to website: www.lotuscrafts.eu

Yatay Cork Yoga mat

This yoga mat has a totally different feel to most as the top layer of the mat is made of 100% organic, natural cork and the bottom layer of recycled rubber. Perfect for those who are concerned about the environmental impact of what they are buying.
The mat is surprisingly light (900g!), so good for traveling although it takes a bit more space with its 6mm thickness. You probably need an extra yoga bag for this mat.

The design is beautiful, especially the logo with the palm tree.

The grip is very good. This mat is on offer at the moment at £59.99, but with a standard price of 96,31€ / £84.99 is one of the higher priced mats.

Colour: Dark matter

Link to website: www.yatayyoga.com

Vioyoga – Yoga mat OEKO-TEX

This yoga mat has a simple design, but has fantastic gripMy hands feel like they are glued to the mat, which is perfect for a powerful yoga practice session with a lot of jumping back and fourth. 

The mat is quite wide compared to the other mats, but still light at only 1.55 kg. It has nice cushioning with a thickness of 4.5 mm, so the knees are comfortable for poses like low lunge.

The mat is made of PVC vinyl foam and tested for harmful substances according to strict German Oeko-Tex standards. The mat is also machine washable at 40 degrees.
The price (49,95 € / £44.08) is good value for the quality of mat you get.

If you want to get your first VIOYOGA mat, you can get a 10% discount using the following code: Q8ZFHX8.

Check out their website and their yoga bags; they have some incredible designs.

Link to website: www.vioyoga.com

Manduka PROlite Yoga mat

This is one of my oldest mats and is one of my most durable (e.g. some mats I have owned only last a few months and lose the grip after only a short time). If anything the surface texture of this mat has improved with use.

However, this mat is quite heavy at 2.3 kg, so I use this mat for home use so I do not have to carry it around the city, and it has amazing cushioning, with a 5mm thickness.

The dot pattern of the surface makes the mat non-slippery, but once you start sweating I find it loses its grip. 

The design is simple and it comes in different colours. It is not machine washable, but if you want to clean the mat, you can wipe it clean with a damp cloth.

At a price of 65,52 £57.82 it is one of the higher priced mats, but is one of my longer lasting mats.

Colour: Thunder (grey)

Link to website: www.manduka.com

If you want to get the mat on Amazon, please use this link.

Vioyoga – Yoga mat Velvet Rug 

This yoga mat is definitely an eye-catcher with its beautiful Zebra design, but the second thing you notice is the feel of the mat, as it is very different to most. Why? Well, this is actually one of my combo mats, a 2-in-1 yoga mat and towel (a yoga towel, not one for the shower! Haha). The bottom layer is made of natural rubber and the top of super soft microfiber. You will definitely enjoy the Savasana on this super soft mat.

Combo mats actually get more grippy the more you sweat, as it absorbs moisture. So sweating is allowed! 

Compared with the standard PVC mats, which you may be more used to, it will probably take a bit of time to get to grips with the slippery feeling microfiber surface. However, if you are sliding too much try spraying water on the mat to improve the grip.

For someone traveling a lot, the mat is probably a little too heavy at 2.5 kg. If you want to give the mat a clean, it is cold machine washable. It is a little pricey (79,95 € / £70.55), but considering you have a yoga mat and a towel in one, you get a bit more for your money.

If you want to get your first VIOYOGA mat, you can get a 10% discount using following code: Q8ZFHX8.

Colour: Stripes – Black / White

Link to website: www.vioyoga.com

Yoga Design Lab – Combo mat – Serenity

This yoga mat is my other 2-in-1, combining yoga mat and towel. This mat is available in really cool designs; this one is called Serenity, and has such beautiful colours.

As discussed with my other combo mat, if you have never practiced on a combo mat your hands may slide around, so you may want to get a sweat on first or just spray a little water on the mat to make it more grippy.

The top microfiber layer is made of recycled plastic bottles and the bottom layer has a natural tree rubber base.

This combo mat is surprisingly light at 1.8kg.

The mat is machine washable (cold water) and comes with a black carrying strap. Like my other combo mat, the price (74,00€ / £64.00) is a little high, but we are talking about 2-in-1, right?

Link to website: www.yogadesignlab.com

If you want to get the mat on Amazon please use this link.

Pranamat ECO

Pranamat is a different kind of mat with its lotus flower shaped massage points, and is a specialist mat for minor pain relief, so wouldn’t be something you would use for your regular practices. However, it is a mat that is great to have as part of your collection.

It took me a little bit of courage to lie with bare skin on the mat, as the massage points are pretty sharp. I would recommend to start by wearing a jumper first, downgrading to T-shirt and then trying it on your bare back. It is recommended to stay on the mat for 15 to 30 minutes to feel the full effect and position the mat to where you feel the pain. That’s when the massage points start to actually stimulate the blood flow, which oxygenates and invigorates the muscles. It is recommended to repeat this five to ten times to reduce any pain.
You can target the back, shoulders, neck, waist, hips, feet and hands.

I personally prefer to stand with my feet on the Pranamat, especially after a long day walking around. Once you step away from the mat you feel this lovely sensation on your feet and feel much more grounded and connected to the floor.

The mat is light, I love the design, but it is a little bit pricey (113,32£100). The great thing about Pranamat is that you have a 30-day money-back guarantee. So if the mat does not work out for you, you can return the mat!

If you consider getting your first therapeutic massage mat, you can save 10 % using the following code: ZEYNEP10.

Link to website: www.pranamat.com

Yogamatters Sticky Yoga mat

This yoga mat is perfect for beginners. It is a very simple mat, coming in different colours, with a plain design.

It is light at 1.2kg and the thickness of 4.5mm gives a nice cushioning for the knees for poses like low lunge.

Once you start to get a bit more experienced, I would recommend getting a different mat, as the grip is not the best.

The good thing about this mat is that it is machine washable.

The mat is made of high grade PVC (AZO, DOP, phthalate and latex free).

At a price of 19,26£17.00 it is very good value, and therefore ideal for beginners or as an everyday mat that you don’t mind throwing around when you are rushing to your next class!

Link to website: www.yogamatters.com

Summary

As you can see there are lots of things to think about when buying a mat and everyone has different preferences, but I hope I have highlighted the different options that are out there for you.

For me, the grip, weight and sustainability (environmentally friendly) are the most important factors to help with the more advanced yoga poses and as I need to carry my mats around with me a lot of the time. Once these three factors are ticked, I am super happy. However, like me, it can be a good idea to have two or more mats with different qualities for home and for when you are out and about.

If you do decide to practice yoga regularly it is worth investing in a more expensive, higher quality mat.

Let me know what you think. What is important to you and which yoga mat do you use for your yoga practice?

I am looking forward to hearing from you!

 

Me in 3D

Have you ever wondered how you look like in 3D?
I definitely have and that’s why I was so excited to be part of this 3D motion capture project.

As always it was a great pleasure to work with Scott Eaton from bodiesinmotion.photo.

This is me doing a headstand variation:

You can find me in a few different postures here:

Yoga motion captured

© Scott Eaton

Here is a sneak peek into some previous work with Scott:

Kickboxing motion captured

 

Featured In The German Magazine

I am very happy to announce that I am featured in the German lifestyle magazine Bild der Frau in the August edition, showing a few yoga postures, which should help to get a leaner body.

There is more coming in the next few months, I don’t want to give away too much. Stay tuned..

Namaste, Zeynep

Posing in California, Like The Stars Do

Sometimes dreams come true, right?

This summer I had the pleasure of flying to Los Angeles for a photoshoot. As I have never been to the West Coast before, this was super exciting for me and I got to work with the amazing Asana Rebel team again.

One of the highlights was the live stream on Facebook, which showed me in action, teaching the local yogis! It was so much fun!

Teaching for the first time in LA, what a dream!

Some days we had to wake up really really early to catch the sunrise. But as you can see, it was  worth it.

Another morning shoot took place at Manhattan beach. It was so early, that the air was still cool and even the sand.

One day we walked along Abbot Kinney Boulevard and could not believe our eyes. This street is full of beautiful street art to enjoy.

I will upload more pictures from my amazing photoshoot in California on my Instagram and Facebook. Stay tuned to see more inspirational pictures.

Love,
Zeynep

Zeynep’s Secrets – Filled Vine Leaves Recipe

Today I would like to share with you my mum’s filled vine leaves recipe, which is one of my most favourite Turkish vegetarian dishes.

You need following ingredients:

– 500g rice
– 500g vines leaves (pickled, fresh or stored)
– 3 small onions
– Parsley
– 2 teaspoon mint
– 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
– 1 glas olive oil
– Salt
– Pine nuts
– Dried Corinth raisins/dried berries
– Lemon
– Pomegranate syrup
– Cinnamon

First, we cut the onions very thinly, add the onions into a pan with olive oil and start simmering. Now we add the washed rice into the pan and stir constantly for 5-10 minutes. Next, we add all the other ingredients, starting with the pine nuts, dried mint, dried Corinth raisins, pepper, cinnamon, salt, pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, chopped parsley and water. Give it another mix and cook on medium heat for 15-20min, until all the liquid is absorbed by the rice.
Once cooked, we let it cool.

Now we will start putting the vines leaves in boiling water and let it soak for a few minutes.

Now comes the fun part. Take the soft vines leaves and open them nicely, they are fine so be careful they break easily. You should chop up the ends of the leaves too. You take one teaspoon of the cooled rice mix and start rolling the vines leaves, fold the sides inwards and then roll the leaf like a cylinder.
Put every rolled vine leave into a pan, side by side, very tightly.
Once you are done, add some lemon slices and olive oil on top of the vines leaves. Put a plate upside down on top of the whole filled vines leaves so they can’t separate, add boiling water, cover the top of the pan and cook on medium heat for about 45-60min until all the water is absorbed.

Once it is cooled down and enjoy, it also tastes very good with yoghurt!

Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions. I hope it goes well!