My Adventures in Moksha Yoga: Is It Hot in Here or is it Just Me??

Much to my extreme delight my work schedule has calmed down for the next few weeks as projects begin to wrap up and new ones don't kick off till the fall. Being somewhat of an opportunist, I decided that a miscellaneous vacation day was in order.

I mean, who doesn't love a long weekend for absolutely no reason right??

I started out my Friday with a trip to my favorite spin studio. This place is pricey and not exactly conveniently located, so the fact that I go there often is a testament to how much I love it!

Fifty sweaty but invigorating minutes later and I was ready for the next part of my day (Side note: don't you love getting your workout in early so you have the rest of the day to do anything you want!?)

Weeks and weeks ago I had purchased a WagJag for a 10-class package to hot yoga here in Toronto. Admittedly I had no clue what I was getting myself into, as I had never been before, but I'd heard so much about it and the price was too good to pass up ($40 for 10 is completely amazing right??)

Now because I had the rest of the morning and the whole afternoon free, and because "clean the apartment" has been lingering on the to-do list for a while, I decided to head to yoga and give it a try.

:Let's just say I was nervous. I am not a sauna/steam room kind of girl. In fact, a super hot shower can leave me nauseated and running for the exit. I made sure to hydrate (thanks to great advice on Twitter) and asked some questions beforehand to ease my uncertainties.

The instructor, who had been briefed that he had a newbie in his 12 o'clock class, was actually shocked that I was uneasy. His exact works were "What? You do all kinds of other things. You are in great shape. You'll be more then fine"

I'm in great shape says the yogi? Cool!

What, you don't practice in the change room before class? Weird....

Entering the studio , I thought "Hey, not too bad...warm but manageable" and proceeded to assume savasana and wait for class to begin.

Then the instructor came in and turned up the heat.

Uh oh.

Truthfully, I was more worried then I needed to be. It was a flow class so we moved through poses fairly quickly and while it was hot in there I actually felt pretty good. My muscles felt more limber and I felt like I was able to breathe deeper. (Yogis: Is this normal for hot yoga?)

Twenty minutes in and just as I had been warned, I was dripping with sweat. I was more soaked then I have ever been while running or spinning. It was dripping in my eyes, my towel was drenched and I was forming small puddles around the edge of the mat.

And I loved it.

If you know me, you know I love to sweat!

Class went on and while I new to this practice I felt like I got the hang of it. I felt strong and calm and could imagine the negative toxins dripping from my body. When I got a little dizzy (which I did twice) I just rested, drank water and resumed when I was ready. Not once did I feel the need to bolt from the room gasping for breath, as I had imagined I would.

And then before I knew it, the hour as up.

My thoughts post-class were: I love it, I want to do it again, boy am I thirsty, ow! my muscles are sore. In precisely that order.

I will most definitely be taking advantage of the other 9 classes and will probably incorporate it in my fitness routine after the package expires.

I love finding new ways to keep my body healthy and in this case, my mind as well. Hot yoga for the win!


So tell me, what's your favorite way to spend a day off work? Have you tried hot yoga? Did you love it too??

Need a Little More __________ In My Life

As I strive to live a more healthy and balanced life there are things I know I need to do more of.

Like......

Nourish my body with wholesome foods more of the time

Relax and decompress. I should really begin one of the many, many new books I am hoarding (or finally finish The Book Thief...I put it down and well, that was that)

Embrace marathon training for all the things I will enivatbly learn about myself along the way

Channel my inner peace

And most importantly, truly learn how to relax, unwind and enjoy myself as recognition and reward for my hard work and achievements


Namaste


So tell me, what do you need more of in your life?

When Good Runs Go Bad

Running; Some days its the most inspirational thing in the world. Other days it just plain sucks. Today, my friends, was of the sucky variety.

I did what I could to get motivated to run, knowing that I should since I had missed my final long run before the 1/2 due to a migraine and a busy schedule. I even tweeted that I should run, that I would run, that I "pinky swore" I'd run.

I also danced it up to my pre-run jam in the way of Miley Cyrus "Party in the USA"(...don't act like you haven't done it!)

 

That got my out the door, but barely. The run was not good from the get-go. I was tired and my legs even more so. I didn't do anything exercise related all weekend and still I felt like I was lugging along bricks. What is up with that??

I managed to make it 2 stinkin' miles before I called it a day and walked home, slightly defeated. You let me down Miley, you let me down.

I got back to the apartment, steered clear of the Chips Ahoy cookies left in plain sight on the coffee table (grr!)and threw on a yoga video. If they weren't going to be useful during a run the least I could do was try to stretch these dead legs out!

Why yes, I do use a blanket to block out the light so I can see my tv. Don't you?

Similar to the run, the yoga was also short lived. I was just not feeling Jillian today, what can I say?

On to foam rolling, my last attempt to at least equip myself better for my next run.

Alright, really? I had a bad day, my run totally flopped and now this torture? Hell to the no! (and I happen to think cleaning my apartment of the random dog toys, plastic bags and gym gear falls in the torture category ok???)

Enough was enough. The one thing I knew I would not despise was dinner because this girl and good food always get along juuuuust fine!

This guy snuck his way in there somehow. I didn't deny him, just in case he had a bad day like I did and couldn't really stand the rejection. I'm selfless like that.

It's just been that kind of a day.

So tell me, how to you cope when you are having a crappy-kinda day?