Rose Coloured Glasses

DAY 30!!!! 1 September 2009//

Wow! So I made it to the end of my challenge. It seems to have crept up pretty fast. My dad asked me, do I feel like I have accomplished something great now? My answer? You honestly walk out of every single bikram class feeling like you have achieved greatness. To get through 1 class is a challenge in itself, and to those of you who practice regularly, I commend you. I am going to make a concious effort to continue practicing bikram yoga, the good feeling and high energy you are left with is too much to pass up.

So why don’t you challenge yourself? Do something today that you find difficult, or tough, whether it be physically or mentally. Challenge yourself to sit still, relax, and think about nothing but the beautiful day outside for 20 minutes. It may be hard, you may be busy, but why not take a few minutes for yourself, make yourself a cup of tea and relax. Because sometimes that is just the thing we find hardest to do – but by consciously doing it we enrich our lives and make them so much better in the long run.

Day 29, 31 August 2009//

I have always been a slight cynic when it comes to Bikram yoga. Having a ‘real’ yoga teacher for a mother may somewhat sway my opinion I guess, but I have always been in the ‘Bikram is not “real” yoga’ camp. During my 30-day challenge I must admit, I have somewhat changed my beliefs, as I have definitely noticed huge physical and mental benefits and developments in my practice, but last night my previous ideas on Bikram came back loud and clear. Let me explain…

There was a man next to me, who it became blindingly clear was in extreme pain. He had to sit out a few of the standing postures, then when it came to the floor series I noticed he must have problems with his hips. It looked like his legs kept cramping up (which obviously the teacher can’t help him with), but as well as this, each time we did the ’sit-up’ – which is a LOT – he would wince and cringe in pain, gripping his hip and rolling fanatically onto his side, clutching himself in pain. The teacher remained completely oblivious to this, not going over to help him or even check he was okay. This really shook me. If I was a teacher of any kind, and one of the students in my class looked like he may be DYING, there is no way I could just ignore this!! I think it is for this reason the rest of the world of yoga does not believe Bikram is ‘real’ yoga. I don’t want to sound hypocritical, because I will keep going, but the way I see it, Bikram is a physical workout, it is great for making you sweat and push yourself both physically and mentally. But when I want to practice yoga, I will go to a studio that practices a more spiritual, relaxing type of yoga – and where the teachers look after each student individually.

Day 28, 30 August 2009//

How exactly are you supposed to ‘detach’ and relax while a teacher talks the whole way through a class? Not only talks – I don’t mean instructs, tells you where you are going wrong or reminds you to breath and relax – I mean full on talking smack. Stories about their childhood, in between postures, where all you want to do is die, but you can’t because this teacher is blabbing on, thoroughly destroying the peace. Really grinds my gears. To top it off, turns out the class ran 15 minutes over time, and relaxation was ruined by the bright lights being left on, and then kindly switched off by a student leaving the room – who unknowingly plunged the rest of us into blackness, leaving us to trip over each other as we blindly stumbled out of the room.

Not the best yoga class of my challenge, I’ll tell you.

Day 26+27, 29 August 2009//

Last night was my 26th class. Another great Friday night class. Friday night after work classes are so awesome, the teacher is great and he knows how to get you energised for your evening ahead. This morning – not so much. First of all – nobody should have to wake up to an alarm on a Saturday morning. But me? I have other things I need to attend to this afternoon (my Nana’s 88th birthday party, nonetheless), so my only option was a morning yoga class. The class was a toughie too. I don’t know where my sweat reserves are, but boy, this morning they released themselves in full force.

This teacher has a certain method – she likes to keep the room hot, minimal use of the fan, while telling you to ‘detach’ from what you are feeling, and rather then feel your frustration, just observe it. Easier said than done. I tried successfully to ‘detach’ for about 5 minutes, until she teased us with the fan for apporximately 12 seconds, only to turn it off and start the torture all over again. I made it through though, barely – ready to eat scones and drink tea with Nana this afternoon!

Day 25, 27 August 2009//

So I must admit, I’ll be a bit relieved once my challenge is over. I’m getting a bit sick of being a perpetual bag lady, making sure I take with me everywhere I go clothes for yoa, 2 towels per yoga class, clean clothes for after yoga, and possible work clothes. It is becoming a bit of a drag. Also, speaking of drags, is having to organise my time around going to yoga. It was fine for a while – now I’m a bit over it really. The yoga itself is great, I do really enjoy the majority of the classes – it’s all the parapheanalia that goes with it. Clean underwear, bra, clothes, towels, toiletries, hair straightner – these things come with me wherever I go. I look like I live in my car. Only 5 days to go though.

Day 24, 26 August 2009//

Once again, this morning like a crazy person, my alarm went off at 5.45am and I was up and out of the house by 6am, ready to stretch my heart out at 6.15am yoga. Crazy. I tell you. I almost switched my alarm off and rolled back over to go to sleep, but then rationalised with myself, telling myself I had to go to either this class or one later on after work, there was no way around it – so I chose the morning. Promised myself a Tank smoothie as a reward.

Class itself was pretty good, I felt extra stiff this morning but got into my yoga rhythm quickly. I can’t believe I have less than a week left! It seems like only yesterday I was being chided that I had 26 days to go, how would I ever make it? Well suckers, look at me now. Only 6 days left. And thin. It’s great!

Days 22+23, 25 August 2009//

Jesus Christ. Last night’s class was actually the hardest thing I have ever put myself through in my life. I cried sweaty tears which stung my eyes and wanted to run away and lie on a cold tile floor. Instead, I struggled through my 26 postures, really not trying to be any good at them. I rained as much as humanly possible, within the first 4 minutes my light grey singlet had turned a suspicious shade of what can only be called ’sweat’.

Today I decided to do an early morning class. Why? I hear you asking that. Why would I pull myself out of bed at 5.45am to sweat it out at yoga? Because. It is somehow easier than going after class. Sometimes. And apart from the pulling myself out of a warm snuggly cocoon part. That bit is pretty much hideous. Worse even than the class itself. Which today wasn’t bad at all. It was great. Last night I really doubted my Mojo had returned, thought perhaps it was a fluke, but this morning he was back in full swing.

Only 7 classes left of my challenge! Miriam, my devoted yoga buddy, said this morning she was feeling perhaps a bit too thin – too much yoga? I have noticed in one particular posture I can feel my hip bones a lot more prominently than I used to be able to. Hard work is paying off

Day 21, 23 August 2009//

Word to the wise: if you are going to be attending a bikram yoga class, DON’T shave your legs the hour before you go. Freshly shaved legs + intense heat and sweat = itchy!!!!

That was me today in class. Mojo was around, somewhere, I managed to make it through the class but felt a bit blah during it and at the end. One of those classes where the energy didn’t radiate, but I had enough of it to make it through. The highlight of my class was when I was leaving, and a man I have seen regularly in class told me he thought I would make a great yoga teacher. He told me he is an energy reader and I have good energy to be a great yoga teacher. YESSSS. That fits into my plan just nicely. Quite snugly in fact. I can live on my self-sustainable farm, write and teach yoga. Perfect.

Days 19 + 20, 21  August 2009//

YESSSSSSS. My bikram mojo is back!!!! I found him, somewhere, and the last 2 classes I have been to have been GREAT. Friday, I went after work – the best way to start a weekend I tell you. It was hot, and I had eaten a too big lunch too late in the day, (thought I was going to puke in the first forward bend) – but I got through it and came out buzzing. Saturday, I had planned to go in the afternoon, but woke up energetic and refreshed so went to the 10am class. This class was SO awesome, it was quite small and this meant the teacher could focus on every person and give us personal adjustments where we needed them. To be honest, I hadn’t been a fan of her teaching style previously, but this  class made me a convert. I have definitely begun to feel that I am getting better at this style of yoga, I can push myself harder in the poses and I can feel where I need to adjust in postures and adjust accordingly.

I am actually quite sad that I’m in my last 10 days of my challenge – not sad that I won’t HAVE to go everyday, but that I can’t if I want to. I kind of wish I didn’t have a gym membership so I could purchasea  yoga membership instead. I think I’ll have to buy myself a concession card at the end of this.

Day 18, 20 August 2009//

So this morning, like a crazy person, I toddled off at 6am to my 6.15am yoga class. Great class today. Fabulous even. I breezed through it without hardly breaking a sweat. Strange? Yes. Okay I definitely broke a sweat, but let’s put it this way – Rain Man was nowhere to be found! For some reason the teacher did not have the heat on maximum capacity – and I must admit, while enjoying not dying, I actually came out and complained that I didn’t sweat enough, and that my muscles never got quite warm enough! How’s that for an attitude change?

I know, as soon as I walk into my next hot and moist class and almost black out from the heat, I’ll be wishing for another cool class like today – but hey, that’s the fickle wants of a 30-day challenger. Okay? Okay.

I’m not sure if the mojo is back, as today’s class is not one to go by. I’ll let you know tomorrow. I definitely lost him early last week, somewhere.

Day 16+17, 19 August 2009//

So this post is about 2 days; 16 and 17. Day 16 was last night – day 17 was this MORNING. 6.15AM!!! Crazy of me? I think not. I’ll be back for another dose at 6.15am tomorrow too.

Last night’s class was pretty hard. Not as bad as the night before, but still tough. I have decided that bikram yoga is like childbirth (not that I have experience in this field, but from what I have heard). You forget the hideousness of the actual event (in this case, the torture of pushing yourself through a 26 posture series in a sauna) and only remember the endorphin rush you get at the end. This morning, funnily enough, I actually found the class to be, on the most part, rather enjoyable. It wasn’t too hot (not the same humid heat that you walk into when a class has just finished) and before I could really register that I was AT YOGA at 6.15am, I was already about a third of the way through the class!

So yes, I’m not quite a morning-only convert, but I’ll definitely be going back for more. I do still enjoy a lie-in, and I’m very much looking forward to the weekend. (oh, the joys of snoozing on a saturday morning…..)

Day 15, 17 August 2009//

Gone was the feeling of pro-ness last night. Oh god. Last night was a crying sweat-tears night. What do I mean by this? I mean the class was so bloody hard I cried quiet tears of frustration, which were hidden by my immense sweatiness. Hot. I know. Something was not right last night. It must’ve been one of those classes, where my body was just not physically capable of handling the heat and the physical activity I was asking of it. I sweated like Rain Man, and seethed with the frustration of a child who wants lollies, only to be told no (without the temper tantrum though!) It was tough. Physically, mentally and emotionally. I was SO glad when it was finished. Ugh, I hope tonight is better!

Days 13+14, 16 August 2009//

So yesterday I felt like a complete bikram pro. Whenever there is a new person in the class, the teacher makes sure they are placed in the back row somewhere so they can copy the people in the front. Yesterday, I had arrived early and secured myself an optimum spot (my fave corner – has a cheeky cool breeze that slips under the door sometimes, somehow) – and then the teacher asked if someone would swap with a first timer who had put herself in the front row. Nobody offered, so I did! The spot I moved to was jammed in-between a teacher and a girl who is really good, so I really had to lift my game! It was a fabulous class though. I have started taking this supplement called Cell Food, it replenishes your body of lost nutrients etc, and really works at raising your energy levels. So yesterday’s class was great.

Today: not so much. I wasn’t motivated to go, I had spent the day lounging in front of the fire, and as soon as I had to get up to leave the heavens opened up and I got drenched on my way to my car. I arrived at the class, had a great snooze in the warm room, until I got woken up by a girl asking me to shift along so she could fit in. Relaxation – over. Then, infront of me was a women who had both the physical attributes and the ferociousness in her practice of a pitbull. So un-yogi. She was rather entertaining to watch I must admit. So the class started off hard, but as I got into it I loosened up and it became easier. I’m really noticing my strength and flexibility are both improving, and my boyfriend keeps telling me how streamlined I’m looking, which is obviously great!

Tomorrow = half way through the challenge!

Day 12, 14 August 2009//

Why do men at yoga think wearing baggy, non-absorbent shorts is a good idea? They end up like Rain Man. Dripping sweat (of which there is so much, they could get away with peeing themselves!!) and squelching around in it for the entire duration of the class! So gross. I experienced this again last night. Thank goodness a couple of people away from me, so no drizzle. My own experience with class was great – I left feeling energised and fabulous. And all the ‘look how much weight you’ve lost’ compliments are definitely making me feel like all this hard work is definitely worthwhile!!

Day 11, 13 August 2009//

Once again, class was super hot. And hard. Heartburn came back to bite me (I ate more chocolate slice…. bad choice, I know). But I struggled through, to lie on my mat, exhausted, at the end of class. Utterley exhausted and somewhat defeated. Defeated in the sense that the heat had overcome me and all I want was someone to pick me up and carry me home. Instead I had to pick myself up and have a shower. The most difficult shower of my life. Miriam bounced out of class, refreshed – she has her bikram mojo back. Me? Not yet. Hopefully it comes back tonight! Mojo, mojo – where have you gone? Come back to me! Granted I slept really badly the night before this hideous class, and last night I had an awesome sleep – so here’s hoping for a great class today!

It doesn’t matter how awful or great the class is – the feeling at the end is always the same. One of great accomplishment, like YES I made it through another one. But also a great physical feeling – like, wow I just did the hardest, most extreme workout and I feel physically fantastic.

Day 10, 12 August 2009//

Ohhh yeaaaa. This morning my dad told me I’m “fading away”. I’m sure he was exaggerating a BIT, but it’s good to know my hard work is paying off! Class last night: only one word to describe it. Hot. Incredibly hot. At points felt like I was in a furnace. They say heat rises, so why was I almost burning when I was lying on the floor? I was particularly happy when the class was over.

I also ate a piece of the most delectable, amazing, heavenly chocolate slice (thanks Lucie), waaaay to close to yoga time. It totally came back to haunt me. They tell you not to eat for 2 hours before you practice, but I always like to have a piece of fruit for some energy. I guess I looked at the sugary chocolate slice in the same light as a banana. Not so much. Banana = easily digestible, releases slow burning energy for me to use through the class. Chocolate slice = foreign object to my temple of a body, hard to digest, instead of energy – I got heartburn.

Day 9, 11 August 2009//

Day 9! 9 classes in 9 days! Wow! I’m really feeling good! Sleeping very well, trying to eat really well, and basically I think I am glowing with health! Last night’s class was good. Hard but good. The teacher was awesome, a Dutch lady I have never had before. But she said some good things. Obviously now I have come to write them down I can’t remember them. Last night I was lying on my mat thinking ‘oh yes, got to remember that and put it in my blog’.. but now they’re gone!

It’s true though, the teachers tell you, it doesn’t get easier but it does get better. And I definitely think that’s true. The classes are still damn hard, and I have to use so much energy during them, but somehow I find that energy and push myself through. And now I’m on the waters in preparation for tonight’s class….

Day 8, 10 August 2009//

Last night was my 8th class. After complaining that class number 7 was far too easy and not hot at all, last night I definitely walked into a hot, moist, sauna. And to top it off – there was a man who was actually RAINING next to me. Really nice. Especially yum when you get a little flick of his drizzle. The class was hard, my muscles are TIRED. But I struggled through, and survived to tell the tale. My muscles are seriously tired though. I woke up in the middle of the night and my thighs were still sore, and felt like they couldn’t relax. Apparently this muscle fatigue comes and goes throughout the challenge – as my experienced yoga buddy Miriam tells me. Lets hope it goes for a long while now. Only one more day – then on to double digits!!

Day 7, 9 August 2009//

So, after talking up how intense and hard bikram yoga is, with the help of my new recruit Julian, last night – I made a new convert, Anna. Yet for some reason today, the class she came to with me, was surprisingly easy. Like, so easy I didn’t even sweat that much. She came out and said, “my stretch yoga is way harder than that!” What the hell???

I don’t know why the class was way easier tonight than normal, I have a feeling the teacher (he who shall not be named) was feeling a bit ‘under the weather’, so we had the fans going for the majority of the class. Anna is coming again on Tuesday, so I can only hope that class is as hard as normal. Anyway, I got a ‘doesn’t she look skinny’ comment today, from my mother (YUSSSS), and I am feeling myself toning up very quickly. My muscles are really tired though, and I think I need to start drinking electrolytes or something. Off to bed now, I’m exhausted. But feeling trim and taught, so it’s totally worth it.

Day 6, 8 August 2009//

So right now I am about to report on 2 days worth of challenge; last night’s class (day 5) and tonight’s (day 6). Last night I recruited a friend to come with me, he who had never tried bikram before. Julian, a gym junkie, went way too hard in all the poses and found himself sweating and panting his way through the class. He loved it though and will definitely be back for more! I found the class harder than the day before, and suffered from a couple of dizzy spells.

Today, I managed to fall off a couch, into a door (yes you read that right) and banged my knee pretty hard. It was damn painful all day, and I was a bit worried about going to yoga. I went in thinking I probably wouldn’t be able to do most of the standing poses (the majority of the first half of the class), and to be honest I was a bit excited about not pushing myself too hard. I found, however, that I could do EVERYTHING, except camel pose right at the end. And the class was actually my best one so far! Apart from the very sweaty big guy in front of me, who’s feet were basically on my towel and to top things off, he was wearing nothing but a small pair of cotton boxers. Yuck. Definitely feeling good from almost a solid week of bikram. I end my days pretty exhausted, but I do manage to fit in a bit of socialising still! Like right now….

Day 5, 7 August 2009//

Yesssssss! Last night’s class was AWESOME!!! I’ve got my bikram mojo back!!!!!! First class of the challenge I did not struggle (too much) through, managed to do all the poses, no (major) head rushes, no feeling like I’m going to faint – ahhhh my faith is restored! I have quite sore calf muscles today, really starting to feel my body stretching! And starting to get that feeling that I can eat more of what I want, due to the intense physical excercise I’m doing everyday. Perhaps a slice of cheesecake PLUS a mini baked cheesecake was excessive last night. But I was at a dinner party – rude to say no.

Day 4, 6 August 2009//

I made it through another class! 3 in a row! Amazing! Once again, it was a toughie! But I ate some cereal an hour and a half before the class, so definitely had more energy and was able to hold the poses for longer. Only problem was dizzyness – not sure what brought this on. Combination of the heat and extreme physical excercise perhaps? Heaps of people seemed to be getting dizzy in last night’s class, so I wasn’t the only one. Some kind of wierd chain reaction was created I think. But yay, totally amped about tonight – my class is definitely what I look forward to during the day. And YES – had my first “you’ve lost weight” comment this morning. STOKED.

Day 3, 5 August 2009//

So last night I actually thought I was going to die in my yoga class. I lay on my mat, defeated, asking myself why I am such an idiot to have signed up for a 30 day challenge and why won’t my muscles do what I tell them?? After much exasperation, and almost a couple of tears (well hidden under the sweat) I thought about what I had had for lunch the last few days. Tuna salad. And nothing since then, before yoga! Ah-hah! So, today I will try eating something a couple of hours before the class (carbs, high energy stuff) – and see if this makes any difference. Oh god I hope it does! Because seriously, I’m loving this challenge, like right now I am excited about tonight’s class. But I know as soon as we get to the first half-moon pose and then move rapidly on to awkward pose I am going to be asking myself: why the torture???

Day 2, 4 August 2009//

Okay so last night was my first class. WAY harder than I remembered it, for some reason, but still ready to go again today! I arrived at the class much earlier than normal, with my companion Miriam, and we managed to nab a GREAT spot – right under the fan. The fan is definitely not switched on the whole class, but when it was, ahhh – little slice of heaven. I managed to complete the whole class without having to take any breaks – not a minor thing. Desperate determination was involved. Anyway, next class is in an hour. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow!

Day 1, 3 August 2009//

I am officially starting my challenge today, Monday 3rd August 2009. My first class is in just over an hour. I’m as hydrated as I think is possible (about 8 bottles of 750ml pumps later!?) and ready to rock! I’m very excited about this challenge right now, hopefully my enthusiasm sustains throughout the entire 30 days.

Wednesday 22 July 2009//

Okay, so I did a bikram class last night, in preparation for my crazy month. Didn’t die, as I expected myself to. Found it reasonably easy actually. Let’s see how I feel on the weekend when I have to pull myself out of a warm cocoon to stretch myself into some hideous contortions.

I must admit, recently I have been getting much more exercise than normal. I’ve joined the gym, and living with a gym addict helps motivate me to get my butt there, so I am in better physical shape than normal. Not optimal physical shape, but better.  I’ll track my progress as the challenge progresses on here.

Watch this space.