Parade.com caught up with Rayburn to learn more about the key to living a more balanced life. Turns out living like a yogi isn’t as hard as you may have thought, so long as you have a supportive community behind you. “Being a part of the Peloton family reminds me of my youth when I played team sports,” Rayburn tells Parade. “It is such an incredible inspiration to be surrounded by so many people looking to live life to the fullest.” Support is crucial to committing to overall wellness and a healthier life in general. As Rayburn notes, a lot of it is balancing different factors. Living strong and healthy doesn’t mean one go-to tip. “There are so many factors that come into play when it comes to consistency and efficacy. Top of the list though is probably healthy eating,” Rayburn says. “Don’t get me wrong, I love comfort food, but finding a balance so that I feel healthy on the inside definitely energizes me.” Rayburn adds, “And from there the list is long: hydration, meditation, good music, and a curiosity around my own journey, meaning trying to see wellness as discovery rather than obligation.” Read on for more of Ross Rayburn’s top wellness secrets.
Peloton’s Ross Rayburn’s 5 wellness secrets
Wellness secret #1: Pack a morning punch with coffee or a smoothie.
“I typically don’t eat before my morning practice, but I will have ghee coffee—essentially an americano blended with a bit of ghee and coconut oil,” Rayburn explains. However, every once in a while when Rayburn feels the need for a morning burst of energy, he reaches for his favorite smoothie. “But if I do need to eat, my favorite smoothie is with oatmeal, spinach, blueberries, peanut butter, vegan protein powder, banana and chia seeds soaked in almond milk,” Rayburn adds.
Wellness Secret #2: Reap the benefits of a headstand practice.
Salamba Shirshasana—the Sanskrit term for headstand—is considered both an inversion and a restorative pose in yoga. While it requires practice and the aid of a professional to learn how to do it correctly, Rayburn can’t rave enough about the benefits of integrating a headstand practice into your routine. “This one is tricky because it takes a serious commitment to do it safely and in a healthy way. But for me, the single most potent part of my regimen is headstand,” Rayburn explains. “It’s imperative that people learn how to do it well for safety reasons, but the benefits are incredible.” According to Yoga Journal, headstands can help improve digestion, relieve stress and symptoms of depression, strengthen the lungs, arms, legs, and spine, and even mitigate symptoms of asthma, insomnia, and sinusitis. “In a good headstand, your pituitary and pineal gland, which sit beneath the brain are given relief and, the theory goes, refreshed, leading to healthier function,” Rayburn explains. “Additionally, when done properly, the deep spinal muscles of the neck are strengthened which is important for a number of reasons. Again, though I must stress how important it is to learn how to do it from a professional.”
Wellness Secret #3: Meditation is key to better sleep.
If you struggle with insomnia, falling asleep, or staying asleep, Rayburn suggests meditation as a remedy. “As someone who struggled mildly with meditation when I began, I now can’t imagine my life without it,” he says.
Wellness Secret #4: Give yourself permission.
Whatever that looks like, for whatever it is you need in the moment. “I’m not against goals; I don’t think they hurt, however, my practice is to try and be in the moment,” Rayburn says. “If it’s a motivated day or I find myself in the groove, I try to recognize that and push the envelope.” But not every day is going to be a give-it-your-all-10-out-of-10 kind of day. And that’s okay. “If it’s a down day, I first give myself permission to go with it and rest or give myself permission to have a shorter workout or practice,” Rayburn says.
Wellness Secret #5: Breathe and stretch to feel grounded.
It doesn’t take much breathwork to make a difference—maybe a few minutes out of each day. “Two minutes of just deep breaths (five, if you can swing it) can do wonders for resetting and grounding,” Rayburn says. “It’s almost magical really. Just breathe. Try to have zero agenda but breath. Accept everything you’re feeling with zero judgment.” Combine that calming breathwork with some stretching exercises to really feel as grounded as possible. “One of my favorite tips is to anchor the thigh bones,” Rayburn explains. “Our hip flexors are deeply connected to our fight/flight response and thus, if you bend your knees, put your hands on your knees, and push your thigh bones into the hamstrings and down toward the floor, it’s a great way to literally ground your mind and body.” If deep-breathing, meditation, or stretching feel harder than you thought, that’s okay, too. Just accept and meet your mind and your body for where they’re at right now. “There will be time to change and adjust if needed,” Rayburn says, “but to give yourself a few minutes of radical acceptance coupled with simple deep breathing is a life-changing practice.” Next up, catch up with Ally Love and learn her top wellness secrets.
