60 Day Challenge – complete!

Did 60 classes in 60 days!WOW!
It feels so good to accomplish something like this!

When I started practicing 2 years ago if you would have told me that I would be doing a 60 day challenge in the future, I would have laughed. I almost fainted in my first class, and I had been running regularly at that point. Even when we started I wasn’t totally confident in my ability both physically and mentally to complete it. I have always had a hard time sticking to a regular 5-6 day a week workout, which is what I would like to be doing. I lack discipline to follow a steady workout routine and eat well. So doing this challenge, like for others, was more than just about doing 60 days of yoga.

Before the 60 day challenge I had been trying to deal with depression, anxiety, non-diabetic Neuropathy, and not being fit. In the past I had doctors prescribe medications for these conditions but I never took them because I just don’t believe in them for several reasons and I was stubborn about finding a healthy way to manage. Doing yoga everyday has improved ALL of the above. I want to go to class now, that is a big difference. I feel fit and people have mentioned that I look toned, this makes me feel good.

The following is a list of everything that changed for me during the 60 days:
– I WANT to go to class now
– I have less anxiety and am able to deal things in a calmer way
– I feel more positive especially after finishing the 60 days
– I have had less pain due to neuropathy
– I went from the back row in the studio to the front row
– I can now hold half moon without my shoulders and arms being in major pain
– Because of awkward pose I can now wear many of the heels that had been
collecting dust in my closet
– I am consistently holding standing head to knee for the whole time
– I no longer skip camel pose
– I catch myself correcting my posture when i am sitting and standing
– I sleep better and have more energy throughout the day
– I am also a better listener, practicing has helped me focus better
– Overall my health has improved, my skin looks better

My main goal was to develop discipline and get healthy, now that I have accomplished my Bikram yoga 60 days I can set other goals and feel more confident about being successful. I plan to continue my practice going 5-6 days a week and I also want to reduce my intake of sugar, meat, and dairy. I want to continue to improve my health both mentally and physically so I am also going to begin practicing meditation.

After watching my father go through radiation treatment for cancer and my sister go through both chemo and radiation treatment for breast cancer, it makes me even more appreciative of my health and the importance of taking care of my body. This Bikram is truly something unlike anything else I have done before, and when Val and other teachers talk about the health benefits, to experience them is amazing. I don’t know exactly how this is happening but I know, I can feel it doing so much good for me. I was also inspired by my sister Graciela and my brother in law Marco, who through Bikram yoga got super healthy and improved their health.

Once again I have to thank All the teachers for their patience and encouragement (especially Erin, Jeff, Val, Valerie, Nafisa) and fellow yogis (especially Karen, Jen, Ching, Megan, Nancy, Roger, Regina) for helping to create such a positive and supportive environment in which to practice. Without the camaraderie I don’t think I would have finished and had such a great time along the way.

60 Day Challenge – Day 57, 58, 59, and 60!!!

Congratulations to all my fellow CHALLENGERS!

It feels sooo good to have completed this challenge! Did my last class with Jeff at 10am and it was great because he is one of the main people that encouraged me to take on this challenge. I felt good throughout class and tried to finish strong. It has only been in the last two classes that I was finally able to hold my hands in prayer for “standing separate leg head to knee”. Thanks also to Karen who was my challenge buddy throughout the 60 days, you’re a great example to have next to me.

Thanks to ALL the teachers at BYP!
Thanks to ALL the fellow yogi’s that didn’t do the challenge but I got to know and were so supportive and encouraging.
Thanks to ALL the fellow challengers for the smiles, chats, advice, and sharing.

60 Day Challenge – Day 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, & 56!

Day 54 I did my 2nd double and had two fellow challengers there with me for the journey. I felt better that day even after two classes than I do after just one class some days. It feels so good to be in the last week of the challenge and be able to look at ALL the stars on my calendar!

Day 56 had a very stressful work meeting regarding being laid off at the end of this school year, so I had to catch up with my yoga at the 8:15 class.

60 Day Challenge – Day 46, 47, 48, 49, 50!

Let the count down begin! I have been waiting anxiously for these last 10 days, they came a lot sooner than I expected. The first 2 weeks seemed to be an eternity but after that the time has just seemed to fly by and now here we are. This week has been good I can really feel and see improvements in my practice and my body. One of the things that keeps me excited about practicing Bikram yoga is reading and talking with people about their experiences while practicing, I never stop being surprised by people’s stories. It is just unbelievable how much good this particular exercise is both mentally and physically. When I go to class lately I have been very stressed with work and I get there feeling exhausted both physically and mentally but I walk out feeling re-energized and relaxed, and this is what keeps me coming back. No matter how I feel when I go in I always come out feeling better.

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strength. When you go through hardship and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”

60 Day Challenge – Day 41 – 45!

Day 44 and 45, a bit of a change up. I was going to Palm Springs for work so I got up super early to get to the 6:30am class, my first one. I always enjoy a morning class because it just sets you up for the day, it gives me energy and you feel like you’ve already accomplished something good so early in the day. The only thing that threw me off a bit was the fact that so many people leave even before the floor series and during.

Then on Friday I did another early one (7am) but this time in Palm Desert, I arrived 5 minutes before class flustered because I got lost trying to find the studio even though I gave myself 45 minutes to get there and it was only about 20 minutes away. The teacher was very nice and gave me a chance to get into class. The building is big and the bathrooms are great with several showers, sinks, and other nice amenities. The studio has two rooms and a large lobby area. The teacher was nice and gave the Spanish name for many of the postures it was cool to hear the names in a different language. The class was not too full and it felt weird to be in a different studio after so much time at BYP. But at the same time it was nice to be in a different environment but still know what to expect in terms of the class.

Doing this challenge got me to get up so early these two mornings because before I would have just skipped class with the excuse of my travel. So glad to be building some healthy discipline.

60 Day Challenge – Day 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40!

Couple of bumps on the road to 60 days. The past 9 days I hit a few snags. I pulled my left calf and thigh muscle, can you blame me for trying so hard? We have two of the top teachers in the country and the best in California, don’t know about anyone else but I find it a bit intimidating, mostly motivating to do really well in class. I learned that even in effort there needs to be balance, I pulled too hard and hurt myself. Then when I was getting over this pain I hurt my back, probably from not using proper form and pulling farther than my body was ready for. Everyday you learn.

Had to miss day 40 because of plans I made before the 60 day challenge but I will get that double in before we are done.

Staying motivated and positive is still a challenge for me, but it has gone more from a physical struggle to a mental practice in that I have to train my mind to think differently, and not allow my thinking to be negative. I am more conscious of my negative thoughts and have been better at changing my train of thought onto a positive path. I have noticed that I have been more relaxed and learning to “not sweat the small stuff”. One of the best ways for me to stay motivated is by reading everyone’s blogs. Sharing this experience with fellow yogi’s has really helped me stick with it. I have also noticed improvement with postures which continues to fuel my motivation. I am still working hard at focusing and being in the moment in class, just listening to directions. I know I balance better the more focused I am.

So here are some fun yoga images I’ve found – enjoy…

60 Day Challenge – Day 27, 28, 29, 30!, 31

We DID IT! 30 days the half way point! I was looking at my calendar and I can’t believe it, it’s gone by faster than I expected. Looking ahead to the next 30 days doesn’t seem as difficult as the first 30.

This week has been better. I’ve been tired and sleepy in a good way. I’ve been trying to eat better and sleep better. I look forward to the weekends even more now because lately that is the only time i have to socialize.

60 Day Challenge – Day 23, 24, 25, 26

Some days I go to bed and fall asleep right away, but other days my mind is just racing with thoughts.

Day by day getting my self to class goes from a chore to something I just do. In the past I could not have seen myself doing a 60 days in a row. Now as the days pass it gets easier to go to class but doing the class is not easy, nor do I want it to be, it wouldn’t be nearly as rewarding at the end of the day.

Being at the studio has become a whole different experience, before I would just be there anonymously greeting strangers politely as I came and went. Now everyday I look forward to greeting new friends and fellow yogis and really feeling like I’m a part of something, someplace. I have a gym membership, which I haven’t used in a while, and I used to run at the Rose Bowl, but these were all solitary – reminders of what used to be my workout. I did enjoy these workouts but now I feel like I am getting what was missing just a little something different or maybe a lot. I’ve gotten past just wanting to “get this done and over with” like a visit to the dentist. To wanting to make specific improvements with each day, like a musician practicing trying to get it just right but getting satisfaction out of every try.

60 Day Challenge – Day 21, 22,

Day 21 & 22 – Class with Jeff 4:30.

We are all working on improving our practice, specifically a few of the postures I have noticed improvement on since the start of the challenge are:

Awkward pose – I have been working on going lower with more control

Eagle Pose – I am now able to wrap my foot behind my calf and working on moving it farther around and sitting lower, the hands are my biggest challenge in this pose

Standing Head to Knee – still trying to hold the knee locked the WHOLE time but improving(I think)

Standing Bow Pulling Pose – I’m able to hold this longer, trying to work on leaning forward and balancing

Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose – I am now able to touch my forehead to my knee (it’s bent)

Camel Pose – now doing it regularly – this is one of the poses I would avoid in the past

60 Day Challenge – Day 17, 18, 19, 20

Trying to catch up on my posts, it’s been a few days since I’ve had time to write.

Day 17 Took my usual 4:30 class with Nafisa.

Day 18 Took the 10 am class with Jeff.

Day 19 Took the 5pm class with Jeff.

Over the past few days I have noticed that I am more aware of my posture outside of class. I notice more now when I am hunching over while sitting and also notice small things that make a difference like standing with my ankles straight instead of leaning more on the outsides of my feet which is reflected in how my shoes have worn out unevenly (on the outer edges).

Day 20 Did my first DOUBLE!! at the 9am & 11am with Erin. It went a lot better than I expected even though I got a bad cramp in my calf during the floor series in my 2nd class. I felt better than I expected at the end of the 2nd class. It feels great to know that I can do this! It was only a few weeks ago I was struggling to get through 1 class. I also got home and cooked myself a nice steak dinner and went to get a massage as a treat for my achievement. I got really tired later on in the day.