Aim True

January 18, 2016
Popular vinyasa yoga teacher Budig (The Women’s Health Big Book of Yoga) openly admits she does not have a “typical yoga body.” At a “curvy” five-foot-two, she defies the tall, thin image favored by fitness magazines. Her zest and gratitude for life, however, is quintessentially yoga; Budig’s text will inspire readers to love themselves exactly as they are. Taking inspiration from the goddess Artemis, Budig outlines a four-pronged approach in four chapters: “Love Your Body,” “Eat Without Fear” (including a five-day purification program and more than 50 recipes), “Nourish Your Spirit,” and “Discover True Balance.” She encourages readers to “aim true” by pursuing their passions (which for her include skydiving and martial arts, in addition to yoga). This workbook-style volume presents writing exercises, yoga sequences, and affirmations, among other self-help tools. Having faced her own body-image demons and challenges (her belly once lost her a DVD contract), Budig is unafraid to publish a picture of herself that reveals cellulite. In an age that increasingly commercializes the ancient practice of yoga, Budig’s wholesome, down-to-earth outlook is welcome, sure to aid readers of all shapes and sizes in establishing healthy food and exercise patterns while practicing self-love and acceptance.