Fitness Update: Week 4

Number of Classes: three (two Beginner, one Bikram)

Money Spent on Yoga this Week: $14

 

       I bought a 30-day special at Bikram Yoga SLO this week before I went to my Friday Bikram class. This week has been especially tough on me. I have been working a lot with little sleep and lots of caffeine. I went straight from work to my Bikram class, without a decent meal in five hours and only one glass of water that day. I didn’t really think about how my hungry, dehydrated body would affect my performance in class, but I really wish I would have.

      I started feeling very dizzy halfway through the class and found myself taking multiple breaks, which was out of character for me. When the class was over, and my body started feeling how hard it had worked, I started to feel nauseous. And I mean really nauseous. I was shaky and dizzy the entire drive home – and it took me six glasses of water, four oranges, a waffle, and three cups of Trader Joe’s Shrimp Fried Rice to cure my sickness. When I woke up the next day, my body felt extra sore and weak. I kept drinking lots of water throughout the weekend, with hopes I would never feel that awful again.

       I learned a painful lesson after my horrible Bikram class.  After doing some quick research, I learned that a Bikram class requires 12 to 16 glasses of water prior to a class. That is basically twice the daily recommended amount of water (eight glasses). In other words, a hydrated body is a happy body.

       I can’t believe I am basically half-way done with my Yoga plan! It seems like time has been flying by and it has become easier to make a commitment to my classes. I can’t begin to tell you how much my new flexibility has been helping me in my everyday life. My back used to crack at least ten times a day, and now with the help of the spine-strengthening exercises most of my classes have been providing, my entire back feels much stronger. And a stronger back helps to build strong abs! I have lost an entire inch in my waist and I can already see such a better fit in my shirts without worry of my lower belly pudging out! I am a happier person on the inside, which is giving me confidence to show my outside!

       I am proud to say I bought my first string bikini in a long time, just because I thought the strings always highlighted my love handles. I felt so cute and confident when I tried it on, that I instantly bought it! I cannot wait to see what this next month has in store for me.

Namaste!