Finally!

I am feeling SO fantastic today!!!

So, today I found out the results of my self imposed hot yoga challenge:

Last week's weight: 203lbs
This week's weight: 200.4
Loss: -2.6
Total loss: 26lbs

Yes!! I am just ecstatic looking at these numbers. Not only have I finally, finally, after weeks of lollygagging around the -20-23lb zone, hit the -25lb milestone. But moreover...I can't tell you how amazing it feels to see 200 (ok, 200.4 but still) on the scale. My heart is racing just thinking that next week; I WILL see a number under 200!

Yes, I WILL. Not I hope, I WILL.

So the hot yoga; I think it's a keeper. I'm planning to cancel my gym membership this weekend and join my yoga studio for good. There's so many things I love about this practice. I love that I actually find myself looking forward to my next class - I can't say that was ever something I experiences with cardio classes at the gym. It also forces me to take better care of myself. For example, I always struggle with drinking enough water. It shouldn't be hard, but I just never do; there would be days when I'd get out of work and realize the only thing I drank all day was my morning coffee. But now, knowing that I'll be spending an hour and a half contorting my body in a 105 degree room, I make SURE I drink enough water. Hot yoga is not something you want to do dehydrated - trust me, I did it once...not good times.

It also makes me think more about what I'm eating and how often - As you're supposed to go to hot yoga on an empty stomach to avoid nausea, I'm snacking less, and reaching for more wholesome foods when I do.

I love the way I feel during yoga. I feel graceful, long, lean....sexy. Yes, sexy, even though I'm literally soaking wet with sweat and red in the face. I'm not able to do every pose perfectly, but watching myself in the mirror, back straight, chest out, shoulders back, moving with the group into each pose, I feel amazing.

I love the way I feel after yoga. I feel strong, flexible...zen. It truly does have an amazing calming and rejuvenating affect.

I can already see and feel the effects that the practice is having on my body, I feel leaner, and my measurements prove it: after 4 classes I've lost a half inch on my bust and waist, and a half inch on my thighs, hips, and arms.

Anyway. I hope you all had a great week as well!

Quickly

Last week's weight: 203.6

This week: 203

loss: -.6lbs

Total loss: -23.4lb

It's always frustrating when I know I've been eating well and working out a lot, but don't lose the amount of weight that I'd like that week. On the upside, I did see a different in inches (I take my measurements every week as well), so hopefully that means I'm gaining muscle and getting leaner.

Last week I wrote about my experience with Hot Yoga and how much I loved it. Thanks to a newbie deal at a local hot yoga studio ($25 for a week of unlimited classes!), I've decided to try hot yoga as my main work out and see how it affects or doesn't affect my weight loss. Besides the lure of shedding pounds, there are other benefits of yoga that really appeal to me, and if I can get the same or better results just with yoga rather than my usual classes at the gym, I'm contemplating a change. We'll see come Friday!

I'm hoping for at least a 1.6lb loss this week - I really  want to hit the -25lb mark! Wish me luck :)

Yoga to the People

Have you ever tried Bikram Yoga?

According to Wikipedia, Bikram Yoga, or hot yoga, is an hour and half yoga session that consist of a series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. It's ideally practiced in a room heated to 105°F (≈40.6°C) with a humidity of 40%.

Now, I've taken Body Flow at my gym, which is a combo of Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi, and have done pretty well with it. But the idea of doing and hour and a half of traditional yoga in a room as hot as midsummer was quite daunting. Another issue? Price. In my area, hot yoga classes are usually around $20-25 per class; hard to justify when I already pay monthly for my gym membership.

But when my boyfriend told me about Yoga to the People, the opportunity arose.

With studios in Seattle, San Francisco, Berkeley, and multiple locations in NYC, Yoga to the People "is a unique yoga studio with the goal of recapturing what we consider to be the essence of yoga… simply put, yoga made available to everyone."

How do they do that? By making yoga an affordable and attainable practice for people of all budgets and levels. For their hour long Vinyasa classes, it is a suggested donation of $10. Meaning, there is a box at the door where you leave what you can. No questions asked.

Hot  yoga is a set price, but it's a mere $8, just a fraction of what other studios charge per class, and you can get an even better price by buying a package deal.

With that sort of deal, I had to ignore my misgivings and go for it. Saturday afternoon found me and the boyfriend in the Williamsburg YTTP studio, mats set and ready to go.

So how was it? HOT. Really hot. I'm pretty sure I sweat more than I ever sweat in my life. And by the end of the hour and a half, it was all I could do not to sprint out of that studio. I was out of breath, fatigued, and pretty sure I was melting. Would I do it again?

Absolutely.

Hot yoga is seriously of the the most intense workouts I've ever done. Not because it's cardio filled or chock full of weight lifting, but because you are moving your body deliberately in such a way that you work every single part of it. I've been sore in places I've never been sore before, places I didn't thing could be sore! Like, the muscles in my feet! But at the same time, I feel amazing. I feel strong, cleansed, peaceful.

I think what I loved most about this experience was the studio itself. Yoga to the People is not pretentious. It's not snobby. It's not full of 110lb yogi perfectionists decked out in the latest Lululemon gear looking down at your imperfect poses. It's real people of all shapes and sizes going after the same goals - health, and peace of mind.

If that's not enough to convince you...

Did you know one 90 minute session of Bikram yoga burns anywhere between 900-1300 calories??

Oh yea.

2/1 weigh in

Friday's update, a little late as usual!

I'm happy and proud to report that I am finally back to my pre-holiday weight - on the dot! 203.6lbs!

I really busted my ass in the gym last week and it paid off, and the results were even better than I hoped for. I worked out three times last week, two Body Combat (cardio kickboxing) classes and one Body Flow (yoga/pilates/tai chi) class. Plus, my eating was really good, I stayed with in my points for the majority of the week, and finally got back in the groove of making myself some delicious meals.

Pioneer Woman's balsamic brussels, minus the cranberries and using my misto instead of olive oil from the bottle.

Homemade veggie rolls!

Skinnytaste sauteed brussels and chicken with spinach and melted mozz.

Skinnytaste broccoli mac and cheese.

Yum! How was your week?