30 days for $39

On May 14, I signed up for 30 days of Bikram Yoga for $39 at a studio near (2 miles) my house. I've been on the mailing list since before the studio was built, thinking that one day I would start going. The thing with me is, intentions are wispy things, half formed and only rarely acted on. There is always tomorrow. "Oh I'd like to do that one day" means that the likelihood of me taking action to do that thing is remote.  "One day" is impossibly in the future. Never happening. But boy those intentions sound good but are as realistic as me saying that I'd like to be an astronaut one day.

So two weeks ago, looking at the website once again, noticing that they had 8PM classes twice a week, I decided at about 7PM to just do it. I coerced my husband into going with me and off we went. As of last night I have been 5 times and my husband has been 4. For those who don't know, Bikram Yoga is a 90 minute series of 26 moves, all done twice, conducted in a 105 degree room. For me, the first class, was simply about not passing out. I was not hydrated enough and almost keeled over a few times. On the up-side, 90 minutes of thinking of nothing but simply putting my body where the instructor asked was simply bliss. There was no chatter in my head. Worth every penny.

Since I ran the Boulder Backroads Marathon last fall, I have really slacked off any sort of training regimen. Habits are easy for me to lose and I really lost this one quickly. Sure I could blame the craziness of my work schedule or all sorts of other external things (Total Beverage with their outstanding extensive wine selection for example), but really, I just stopped. I just didn't make time for it. I stopped keeping the promise I made to myself. And, for me, two or three days a week of half-hearted workouts just isn't enough. I tried to make some new plans, enter some new "challenges" but I was not really committed. The intention was there but the action was not. Sure, from a "health" perspective I'm fine. My heart is in good shape, I'm at a "healthy" average body weight and body fat percentage for my height (5 feet 6.5 inches, 136.2 pounds, 24.0% body fat). If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was fine. But I know that I can be healthier and feel better at about 128 and 19% body fat. I also know that it is not all that hard for me to get there. I just need to do it.

One reason I signed up for the 30 days of  Bikram Yoga was that I knew it would make me more aware of my body again, to help me to notice the fat and to start using the scale again. Some people, women especially, hide the scale because of the day to day fluctuations that can be so discouraging. I do my best when I face the scale every day and write down what I eat, tracking all of the macros. It makes me feel somewhat OCD which is why I stopped doing it and tried to act like a normal person. But, I have to be honest with myself. I succeed when I am gung-ho and fully committed. I can't take a moderate approach, at least not yet, and succeed. I have to strive the whole time. I have to monitor relentlessly or I will coast and lose the progress and momentum I had. I envy those people who do not need to do this. I need SMART Goals, with deadlines, and daily tracking. Most importantly, I need new goals once I get to where I am going. 

So, I've added a new category "Fitness" to help with this. I have not been following a strict Body for Life program for a long time but used that category for all of my fitness related posts up until now. Now it's time for some goal setting. I will post weekly updates here and keep a more detailed diary over on my muscle tank profile ( I still have an invite code if anyone needs one).

Comments

[Kyra]

LOL we're both on about yoga today. :) I'm re-evaluating everything about my fitness and goals too. Isn't it funny that you are at a healthy weight and everything but know you can be healthier and that makes this seem less acceptable? I remember wishing I was this way, the whole "if only" thing, and now I know it should be so much better and why aren't I there?

[Irene]

I'm looking forward to hearing about your yoga class. I've been thinking about going that route as well.