Last Session for a Little While...

I'm a bit sad this week. Tomorrow may be my last bik.ram session for a little while.

I'm having fibroid surgery this Friday. Thursday is prep day with liquid diet and all the fun stuff that you do pre-surgery on a liquid diet :)

I had to take a little break earlier this year when I miscarried and have been back about 2 months now, in a really great groove with it, so I'm sad to leave at this point.

It will likely only be for a month - but then I know that it will likely take me a month to get back to doing bik.ram half-decently well! Oh well. That's just the way it goes!

I'm looking forward to my session tonight. With a teacher who she, herself took a break and is recently re-joined our studio. I love her. And I need this. I need it to help me with mentally preparing for this surgery.

Bik.ram yoga has helped me so much in crucial times, whether it be a stressful day or getting through the grief of a miscarriage. So, it's fitting that it brings me comfort during my pre-surgery week too.

Be back in a little while...

Why Did I Eat after 4pm for 6pm Class??

You know you've done it. You have evening class. You didn't eat enough lunch. And by 4pm you're starving. What do you do??

You know if you eat, your stomach will feel too full for class. You'll be burping every time you take a sip of water. You will feel fat and not be able to breathe as you do the forward bend in half moon.

But if you don't eat, you feel like you'll starve and not be able to make it through class.

Darn me for not pre-planning very well. Yes, I was the one feeling all of those things in the 6pm class for eating after 4pm. I promise, I'll learn... I always do. Until I'm starving again!

At least I made it to class. A feeling-too-full practice is better than no practice!

What's your trick for making sure you don't succumb to needing to eat too close to classtime?

I'm back with a 3 Month Pass!

My hiatus took a little while. I actually did get pregnant & held off on intense exercise... and then I miscarried. It was early on but was still heart-wrenching. Second time for me.

So, it's taken me a little while to recover. But as always, I am so grateful to have my bik.ram yoga to carry me through. And carry me through it has.

I joined up a few weeks ago with a 3 month unlimited pass and am back to going about 4x/week.

I love the sign outside our studio:

Change your body. Change your life.

It's so true for me. I put on a few pounds with the fertility treatments and non-exercise, and I know my body can get back to where it was... and better. And the spiritual/mental aspects of it helps me recover from traumatic incidents like the one I just endured.

I also thought this was interesting from our studio's face.book page:

Camel pose: Is it your nemesis, your best friend or your break time?

It used to be my nemesis... and my break time. But now, camel pose, bring it on. I am ready for you!

Tuesday's Double Header

My double header is running & bikram yoga. And I did just that yesterday. I do it sometimes but yesterday was special.

I'm hoping yesterday was my last time in the studio for at least a little while.

You see, tomorrow, I'm doing a fertility treatment. It's been a long road and I'm hoping this one will be the one that gets me pregnant. And I want to make sure I take care of myself and therefore will abstain from my beloved bikram yoga either until I have a baby or... just for 2 weeks while I wait for my tests.

I hope it will mean that I need to stay away from bikram yoga for a little while. I want to do whatever I need to to make sure I can keep a pregnancy.

But I LOVE bikram yoga. And it will be hard. And I won't know what to post about (I did get the pre-natal DVD version of bikram yoga to do at home).

So, slight hiatus for me. I'll give an update in a couple of weeks!

Practicing in Chicago

I was excited to go to the 8am class this Saturday morning in Chicago's City Center! Visiting a new studio is always fun.

I've been here before on my last work trip 6 months ago. When I came last time I registered online for a 6am weekday class... and the teacher never showed. It was their first time ever doing that. They said they'd give me credit. I had forgotten about it.

Well, when I signed in today they said I didn't have to pay! Nice surprise!!

I didn't do a great job of getting the right nutrients ahead of time and should have brought a Gato.rade or coconut water or something in the room. I was starting to fade at some point too early on. I made it all the way to the floor though and only took breaks at the usual suspects like camel.

Great class and best of all - they serve popsicles after every class!  (I guess environmental-impact wise that isn't great though).

Yay for going to a different studio!

In Chicago & In a Slump

Why can't I get more motivated about yoga?

I had GREAT practices on Mon & Tues night. But somehow couldn't find anything meaningful to write about them.

Sunday I ran 10 miles to prepare for my 1/2 marathon in 2 weeks... maybe that's what's happening. I'm focused equally/a bit more on running right now.

Anyway, as it relates to yoga, for 2 Sundays in a row now I've ran 10 miles and gone to yoga on Monday nights thinking it was going to be hard. Surprisingly, though, those have been my best practices. Go figure! I thought I'd be tighter but I've been more flexible!!

I'm in Chicago for work for the rest of this week. Six months ago I was here and visited the studio on West Chicago Avenue and liked it. I'm hoping to do the same on this trip. Waking up at 6am is slightly better when you've got an hour of time change in your favor! ;)

Monday Night Back Row... Not at All!

The cute teacher was teaching last night. I saw him on the schedule last week and have been looking forward to it since then. I blogged about him a couple of weeks ago here when I had him for the first time. Specifically, this is what I said about him:

Upon arriving at the studio, I learned that someone other than the instructor I thought was teaching was going to teach. I'd never had him before (it's still shocking to me that as much as I go, there are some teachers I still haven't had).



He was AWESOME. So energetic! And gave us good direction. And was funny. And... was cute. I could have fallen in love right then. But I'm married. And happily so. And it's a yoga fantasy anyway.

So, when my husband saw this posting, he said 'You can never go to class with that teacher again'. If you know my husband, he's so not the jealous type, so this was all fun and games.
 
Well, I told him I was having this teacher again and he said "please make it a back row Monday night!"
 
I was in... the front row. Yes, I know. BUT, I also realized that I couldn't see him as well in the front row... which is probably best because this is supposed to be about yoga and not a yoga man crush.
 
It's not just that I think he's cute but he really is so incredibly energetic and funny. And I think it's endearing that he's kinda jock-ish and doesn't fit the typical yoga mold.
 
It really is just a fantasy. I promise.
 
I had a great practice yesterday. Was afraid of what it'd be like. I ran 9 miles on Sunday to get ready for a 1/2 marathon in 3 weeks. But I was more flexible than I thought.
 
One of my other favorite teachers is tonight but much as I don't have a 'crush' on her, I still strive to get to her Tues night class. Except tonight I think I need a break.
 
I plan to run 6 miles again tomorrow and then get back in the room on Friday. Not as much this week but I have to make room for running if I'm going to feel good for this 1/2 marathon!