Day 2..Class 2

7am..Jennifer Boushy

I have never had Jennifer as a teacher before. I believe she just went through the teacher training and just started at our studio. She is great, I really like her class! I was starting to get sad about all the original teachers moving away to teach in different states, and even different countries. Brandy is in India, Heather and Brooklynne are in Washington, Dray has his own studio on the West Side now(all VERY good opportunities for them, but I'm being selfish;).. There's only a few more who have been there since the beginning. Michelle, you better not go anywhere:)..

Today my back and obliques are sore, but in a good way. This yoga works your core so well! I felt good..I didn't need to take a knee in the standing series. I did however, come out of Chair a lil early a couple of times, and in Eagle my knee hurt on the left(which it usually does) so i came out of that early too.. Triangle, of course, was a challenge. I made sure I didn't sit, but I couldn't hold both sets. Camel was great today, I could feel my upper back bending and my hips moving forward.. Rabbit, UGH... I feel like I don't do it right, but I think it's because my spine is learning to stretch in that way. Toe Stand was great today.. Second set, balancing on the right heel.. Jennifer said to come up off my heel(which I was able to do), then meet my gaze in the front mirror(did that too!)..Then tipped over;)
All in all, a good day!

Writing a food journal actually helps.. I never thought writing my food down would make me pick better food choices. It's actually crazy. I wanted cookies the other night, and I said "Hell no, I'm not writing that down yet!" Ha!! I'm not saying I'm going to deprive myself of such yummy indulgences.. Just not going to do it if I don't really want it. Everything is o.k in moderation:)

Day 1..Class 1

7:00a.m.-Oleg

I wrote my name on the 30 day challenge board at the studio and stepped into the room for my 7am class! The first one of my challenge! The class was SO busy.. I'm not used to going on Saturdays, and I know a lot of people are all signed up for the challenge(and still more to come) and it IS the start of the New Year. People have their resolutions to start or continue with their yoga practice. There was someone around me who smelled like fried tortillas, but other than that the class had a good vibe, the teacher was very motivating today. I just moved with his words.

I felt really good today.. I got farther in Standing Head to Knee than i've ever gotten! It was 2nd set.. I had my right leg locked, left leg lifted up straight and elbows coming down. Usually I don't get to the point where my elbows are coming down. I did fall out after that and the posture ended. My ten finger grip was stronger than normal, my balance was there, and my flexibility was better. Good day for that posture and for toe stand.. When we lift the left leg up and balance on the right heel is always my better side with toe stand. However, today both sides were very good, I could keep my balance and back fairly straight as I brought both hands to the center the chest. I even was able to lift up off the heel and stay still today.

There are some postures I would like to make my bitch.. :)
Standing Head to Knee is one.. I want to eventually have an awesome Standing Bow and Floor Bow. My backbends for sure(I'm really happy with where Camel is headed, I'm pretty  good at that one usually)..I LOVE the way Standing Seperate Leg Stretching looks when people can get fully into that one!..And the ever so challenging Triangle! Ugh...Not my favorite, and hard for me to do both sets. Hopefully that will improve. Rabbit is another hard one for me. My upper back isn't that flexible yet. I can't wait for that to improve, I've noticed in my backbends my upper back is able to stretch a little more lately, that's a good sign.

Some postures I love are:
Camel, Fixed Firm(probably my favorite), Seperate Leg Stretching and Standing Seperate Leg Stretching, Half Tortoise, Cobra, Tree... And who doesn't love Savasana:)

Postures I got complimented on today:
Standing Backbend, Standing Head to Knee, Chair pose(on the tip toes), Toe stand

Corrections:
Balancing Stick(left leg raised too high)

Why?...

A lot of people ask "Why a 30 Day Challenge?".."Why Bikram Yoga?".. "What's in it for you to complete the challenge?"...

Hmm, let's start with the "What's in it for you??"..
I would say the t-shirt, bag, or water bottle they sometimes choose to give you;).. But REALLY? That's nice and all, however I would think it would be the satisfaction of knowing you completed it..the amazing way you feel after taking your body apart and putting it back together in that hot room 90 min a day for 30 days..the accomplishment of setting yet another goal in life, working towards it, and achieving it..the way you detox and how much energy you have at the end..and maybe even during, who knows? I've obviously never done this before.. But all of that would be much more satisfying to me than a material item.. Although I'd rock one of those Bikram bags or shirts anyday;)

So, as for the "Why a 30 Day Challenge" and "Why Bikram?"...
I have NEVER felt this good in my life.. Any other exercise I've done, I've never had results so fast, always felt tight and sore, and you just don't see an improvement in your workout and your body and mind like you get to experience with Yoga! *I'm definitely not knocking any other workouts or other yoga, I'm just saying, it works for ME*..I have never naturally been a flexible person, before I started I couldn't touch my toes! With Bikram Yoga, you detox, the heat is there to help you go deeper into the postures.. It's amazing what you can do in that "torture chamber" as Bikram himself calls it.. You work your muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, even organs, as well as your mind! Aches and pains go away! This yoga has healed people, literally. If you need to lose any weight, it drops like crazy, you see muscle tone fast, you make healthier food choices, your skin glows from the detoxing, you live a completely different, fulfilled life. The more days you go in a row, the better you feel and the more acclimated you get to the heat and the more results you see. Right now, I go an average of 4 times a week I'd say..This is going to be a major challenge for me.. I've only gone 6 consecutive days before I felt like I've needed a break and I've only averaged about 16 days in one month.. I've been practicing for a little over a year now. So for me to go 30 days in a row will be a big accomplishment..It leaves me excited, yet anxious and nervous all at once. But I intend to take it one day at a time, one class at a time, one breath at a time.. I'm not going to expect anything or anticipate how I'm going to feel or what I'll be able to do. So, WHY the challenge? I feel like I'm ready for a new step, a new challenge with my practice. I want to advance in the postures and I want to do this for ME:)

As one of my many "mentors" told me.. This one happens to be a "Hair Mentor"(at work).. My good friend Stephanie once said to me, "To really feel alive, you must do one thing a day that makes you uncomfortable!".. Makes SO much sense. After it's over you feel alive right?! Whether it's a challenging client or customer, an uncomfortable confrontation with someone, OR even a 90 min sweat fest while you work your ass off... Makes complete and total sense:)..

Focus..Sweat..Breathe..

Smart Water...Check!
Emergen-C...Check!
Coconut Water...Check!
Epsom salts...Check!
Determination and readiness....Check!
Confident yet anxious and slightly terrified...Check:)

My first Bikram 30-Day Challenge to commence in less than a week..Bring it!