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Yoga: Mind Body + Soul.

Now Yoga is no new innovative way to stay fit. I, personally, have been practising on and off for five years, but I wouldn’t call myself a fully-fledged yogi. What it does for me, however, is keep me centred. Together with meditation, practising yoga is a great way to stay positive during this period of uncertainly and anxiety. And of course, it’s an exceptional way to tone from the inside out.

Ximena Sabatini caught my attention on Instagram. Or, I should say, her perfectly shaped derrière did. Unlike a lot of girls you see on the social media platform, slated for its promotion of unhealthy body image and mental health problems, Xime works for her body. And works hard. Through talking to this Argentinian beauty, it’s clear to see that Yoga has become her way of staying safe and sane through isolation. Mind, body and soul.

Where are you isolating? At home in Dubai. Alone with my dog, which I would say is the best company I could have asked for during these times.

How long have you been practising yoga? I’ve been on the yoga journey for six years now. I used to be a CrossFit girl until I had some health issues, and yoga was the one possible exercise available to me at the time. I fell completely in love with it. It’s [amazing] what your body is capable of doing, how your mind reacts to it, and how you are able to control your body, your mind and emotions by simply just being in control of your breathing.

Has it had a positive effect on your life? The past year or so, it just hit me that as I grow older, I needed to make more adjustments to my daily life and routines to be able to maintain a healthy life in the long run. So slowly but surely, I started to make changes in my diet and how I would see and react to daily struggles. I have dealt with anxiety for over five years now, and yoga and the mindset around it, is what has slowly been helping me heal.

So, it’s keeping you sane right now? I have for the last six months or so, been practicing at home more and more. After every class I would come back home, get another coffee, and practice drills over and over till I was confident in a certain pose. Ever since we started isolation, I felt like I needed to continue the journey to deepen my practice, and the first ten days were terrible in terms of anxiety: levels were as high as ever and it was killing my energy. Practising my drills has been what kept me sane. I’m probably one of the few people that have barely touched Netflix or baked during this.

What three things do you miss the most? Friends, socialising, being out at the beach. Going to my yoga studio, and of course travelling to Bali, my second home. Definitely not missing the office but I miss being out there shooting and running around creating content.

For someone getting into yoga for the first time in isolation, what tips can you recommend? I’ve been getting so many friends asking me where to start… I would say start slow, feel where your body is at with your flexibility, learn how to breath, don’t push yourself to achieve what someone else is doing on Instagram. It’s your own journey. The best mantra of yoga is that there is no judgement, and you do it at your own pace.

The mentors that I’ve followed for years and that have helped me elevate my yoga to where I am now have great YouTube and Instagram Live classes to get you started: NEHA DUSEJA | AMELIA JANE | SHIMIS STUDIO

What other ways do you try to stay healthy? Diet is key to a healthy lifestyle. I started making little changes about one and half years ago, after I dropped red meat. Being Argentinian, that was super hard, but it felt right. Four months ago, I went about 95% plant based, [meaning] I eat seafood once a week only. I still have my treats – chocolates and wine – but I must say I am also naturally thin, although now I feel the difference: I have so much energy, my skin feels great and I am never bloated.

Staying creative and connected is super important: what does this look like for you? Yes, specially working in the creative fashion industry, so I’ve been trying to stay on top of trends, ideas to keep the fashion eye sharp, and been looking for photography styles and editorials for inspiration.

Can you highlight a short flow for people to try at home… Amelia’s flow is slow paced, full of energy and great quick workout to start the day: WATCH HERE.