Today is a BIG one.  Today (and everyday) I’m thankful for BIKRAM YOGA! I finished my 60 in 60 today. Sixty classes in sixty days.  It was amazing and I had my best class yet.

Yesterday I went out and bought my “reward” which is a new (and my first) Lululemon outfit.  I got groove shorts and a pink top:

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I also got a new fittoes pink towel

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It was really fun to indulge and reward myself for my hard work .

I started class by going in early to meditate in the room.  I wanted to make sure my mind was calm so that I could have a really good class. At first, I was so excited that my mind wouldn’t calm down but eventually it did.

Class started and I was extremely focused and getting really deep into postures.  I think my back bend was the deepest I’ve ever done!

Every posture was going well and I was so happy.  Yesterday, during Standing Bow Pulling Pose I got a really bad cramp in my right calf and it didn’t go away until late last night.  I was unable to do some of my favorite postures yesterday because of the cramp so I was really worried that it would happen again today.  I made sure to hydrate and when I would feel my right calf start to tense up, I would imagine that I was breathing right to that area.  It worked! I even briefly touched my head to my knee in Standing Head to Knee (my ability NOT to is all in my head-I can totally do this but I always fall out the minute I think “I CAN’T do this”).

We get to the floor series and I’m just so happy.  During the last belly down savasana, Courtney, the teacher asked me if I had gotten a new costume.  I answered “yes.” She asked if it was a reward for something. I said, “yes”. She then told the class that I had completed my 60 in 60 and everyone clapped.  It made me smile and reminded me why I love Bikram Yoga Boise SO MUCH. One of my teachers was practicing next to me and she gave me a little floor clap to let me know she was proud of me.

During Paschimotthanasana (Stretching Pose) I had my forehead touching my thumbs and Courtney asked me if I could do that at that beginning of my 60 day challenge and I answered “No.” Jamie, the owner of the studio, was also practicing and she said, “Chelsea has great proportions.” To which I replied, “That is the FIRST time anyone has ever said that about me.”

It’s true, my legs have always been a “hindrance.” They are incredibly short which makes cycling, running, and even swimming just a little bit harder.  With a 27 inch inseam, by body and head is longer than my legs by 4 inches.  I’ve always hated my legs but I’ve been consciously working on LOVING my legs through this journey and I was almost there.  After that comment and after thinking about it some more, I’m there.  I LOVE my legs.  Who knew? Yoga is something where my legs don’t limit me!

During our final savasana the class cheered for me again and Courtney asked what the 60 day challenge had meant to me.  I got choked up but answered: “I started the challenge with the goal of getting my pre-baby body back. Very quickly, I realized that it wasn’t about that.  It was about the peace and acceptance it brought me.” Which got some applause

Courtney then said some fabulously nice things about me including how my body has changed (it has!) and how it will continue to change.  She then dropped off a shirt, note, and a pen and I got to sign the Challenge Wall!

(Crappy phone photo warning!)

It says: What will be, will be. Remember…YOU are beautiful! ~Chelsea Titus 3.3.11

This saying came to me about 2 weeks into my 60 day challenge.  I was in the shower thinking about how skinny I could get doing Bikram.  I stopped myself and said that.  It’s been my mantra ever since.

So yes, I’m very thankful for Bikram, it has changed my life.  I love my studio and all the friends I’ve made. The instructors and all the people who take classes are so encouraging and make me happy that I’m part of such an amazing community.  I can’t wait to go to class tomorrow.

Front:
Bikram Yoga Boise
I did the Bikram Yoga Challenge
and all I got was…

Back:
A Better Body
Peace of Mind
Lower Blood Pressure
Stronger Core
6 Pack Abs
Reduced Stress
A Coconut Butt
Increased Flexibility
More Stamina
Increased Balance
Mental Clarity
…and a lot more!

60
in sixty days

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I took my 30th bikram class in 30 days today!  GO ME!  The past 30 days has been amazing for me.  I’m much more accepting, I love myself more, and I’m able to let the little stuff just roll off my back a little better.  I look forward to bikram every day.  My feeling of empowerment in there is awesome and it spills out to the rest of my life.  I’m just happier!

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Here’s to the next 30 days.  Yes, that’s right, I’ve committed to 60 in 60 and I’m SO going to do it-no doubt!  If I do 60 in 60 I get to sign the challenge wall in the studio and I can already see my name up there.  It WILL happen.

Shaun has made me promise that I won’t then go for 90 in 90 or 120 in 120 and I promised.  He has nothing to worry about.  I think once my 60 in 60 is up, I’m going to aim for 4-5 times a week.  I don’t really enjoy going on the weekends-it’s too crowded and I’d rather see Lu and Shaun.  I do think going almost everyday during the week is do-able and recommended!  I think Shaun would agree!

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Today is also Heather’s 1 year Yogaversary.  Her post sums up my feelings about yoga pretty well!  Congrats Heather!

I recently got an email asking me to give a review of bikram:

Trying to find a measured, non-sensationalist review of Bikram is damn near impossible….As a sane person whom I trust, I’ll have to rely on you.  :-)  I’m interested in learning more about what you perceive to be the superficial body mechanics benefits — putting aside for the moment any kind of spiritual stillness, endocrine cleansing, emotional uplift, yadda yadda stuff.  What’s your take on the upshot for muscles, joints, range of motion, flexibility, strength, etc.?  Maybe in contrast to traditional yoga, or traditional stretching?  The heat certainly would make a difference in terms of helping warm up your muscles, but other than that?
Sorry if I sound at all grumpy about the topic.  I seriously just spent an hour trying to find stuff online…There are a few people who speak in a very straightforward, intelligent way about it, but most of them don’t delve at all into what it does for their body.  They’re much more focused on how it makes them feel, how their skin looks, how it makes them sleep better, etc.  That’s all awesome… but I want the exercise science geeky goods!!!
I suppose I’ll know more when I try it, but I doubt one time will tell me as much as you’ve learned through regular practice.

I had been planning on doing a review of Bikram and this email gave me a kick in the pants.

I want to start by saying that I am still really new to Bikram and I am by NO MEANS an expert.  I know very little but I can tell you what I think.  Bikram teachers go to 9 week intensive training to teach and learn this stuff so trust them more than you trust me.

Here’s a regular persons take on Bikram:

Muscles-if you do the postures correctly you WILL strengthen your muscles. After doing it for 17 days, my biceps are defined for the first time in 3 years.  My arm strength has improved tremendously and I’m working on my leg strength.  My spine strength is through the roof.  Since I started my spine is SO MUCH stronger.

Joints-It actually helps your joints because it uses compression so you stop blood flow to certain areas for a period of time and then go into savasana where the blood rushes to those areas and flushes out that area. My joints feel MUCH better. If you follow what the teacher says, your joints should get better and should be protected.  They are big on joints!

Range of motion will increase-the 26 posture series works all ways.

Flexibility-I’ve always been flexible but now I’m like OMG flexible.  I can now bend from my waist, put my hands beneath my heals, fingertips forward, bring my stomach to my thighs and my head to my calves with no gap at all and then I can straighten my legs until my knees are locked.  I can almost now with my legs in front of me sitting with straight engaged legs and a straight spine touch my head to my toes. I am naturally flexible but I’ve never been this flexible.

Some people will be really strong and need to work on their flexibility and others will be really flexible and will need to work on their strength (that’s me).  Everyone gets to work on their balance

I’m really concentrating on my leg strength, most specifically my inner thighs!  My middle spin is not flexible yet but I’m working on it 🙂

I haven’t had a sore neck or back from tension since starting my challenge.  My lower spine was sore after one class where I pushed it too much.  You get cardio too.  My heart rate and cardiovascular system does more in a Bikram class than I used to do in a spin class-hands down, no joke. And just to throw it out there-my digestion has been amazing and I’m sleeping better-for real 🙂

All that being said, the beginning and ending breathing exercises are freaky and weird and some of the stuff they say at first struck me as silly and kind of bogus but if you can recognize that for what it is then it’s no biggie. I will say though that more I have practiced that they stuff they say is actually happening so maybe it’s not silly or bogus-I try to keep an open mind.  I do think you can most of the benefits of a Bikram practice without buying into all the claims though.

Breathing-Breathing during class (not during the beginning and ending exercises) is really important.  Bikram says that if you can come into the room and just breath for 90 minutes then you are already gaining benefits.  You should breath normally throughout the postures (that’s your goal) with your mouth closed.  The deep, audible breaths that they encourage in other yoga practices is not encouraged in Bikram.  Your goal is to breath deeply but quietly and “normally”.

Other Tips-You’re not really supposed to talk during class, you can’t leave class (unless you are going to puke), you have to be 5 minutes early (at least), you can’t really talk in the studio, and you can’t drink water until the first three postures are done.  After that you can only drink in between postures so that you don’t distract other people in class.  You have to save your questions for afterward. 

The teacher DOES NOT do the postures with you.  They walk around and talk you through the class.  As a beginner, you should never set up at the front of  the room because you’ll need to watch the people in front of you for some of the grips and postures. A girl did this weekend (it was packed) and I offered to switch with her and she totally blew me off and told me that she had done yoga before and that she’d be fine.  She was so lost and disrupted class because she was so clueless and didn’t have anyone in front of her to watch. The poses are very specific and doing other types of yoga before is helpful but you’ll still need to watch.

The standing postures (at the beginning) work to warm you and that’s where you will really notice where the strength stuff comes in.  However, all of the postures really do use strength (if you are doing them correctly).  If you don’t feel anything in a posture then you’re probably not doing it right.  I know that in Eagle, other than focusing on balance, I didn’t really feel much.  After the clinic this weekend, I feel TOO much almost

I hope that helps.  I am seriously addicted to this type of yoga.  My mind is in a much better place ever since I started and everyone around me can tell.  I’m very happy and grounded.  I’m working harder in all areas of my life because of Bikram.  That being said, I think it’s a very polarizing type of yoga.  You either love it or hate it.  I can definitely understand why people don’t like it.  It’s intense, it pushes you, it’s very repetitive, it’s hot, you sound like a barking seal at the end of class, the teacher yells at you, you’re not allowed to close your eyes, etc., etc., etc. I’m one of those people that loves it.  I’m so thankful that I’ve found it and that it has become part of my life.

Two in a row! 1.10.11 and 1.11.11.  How cool is that?

1.10.11 was a wonderful day and today is shaping up to be just as good. Loving life!

Last time we met, we were trying to get Baby Loaf out. That night, Megan and Luke came over for burritos and Lucy implored Baby Loaf to come OUT!

It worked and Baby Loaf is here but I’m waiting to tell you any details until Megan has a chance to share her story.  It’s a good one and it’ll be worth the wait.  I will tell you that he’s a boy, he’s cute, his name is awesome, and I’ve cried happy tears many times over the last few days.

Lactation Cookies, Mac N’ Cheese, and Stuffing Bombs are on the horizon

I captured many cute videos this weekend, it was a great weekend.  Here’s Lu cooking Mommy some “rice and sauce”.

Her repertoire has broadened to include “meat” and “mac n’ cheese” but I didn’t get that on video . I think someone has been watching Mom in the kitchen.

It really was a wonderful weekend, I noticed on Friday night that I was talking very sternly to Lu a lot.  I decided to shift my frame of mind and to approach things differently with her.  I’m a control freak and sometimes I just need to let go.  She needs to behave and listen but there are ways to get her to do that without me talking sternly or getting upset. I tend to push, push, push to get her to do things my way even when there are other ways to do things.  If I just sit back and let her figure it out, she’s happier and I’m happier.  Ever since making the decision to approach things differently, I’ve only spoken sternly to her once and it was completely appropriate for the situation. 

Last night she completely shocked my by saying “L-U-C-Y. Lucy!” Clear as can be.  We’ve been spelling her name with her every night before bed with the letters on her wall since she was 6 months old.  She’s never tried to spell it out but then yesterday busted out with it perfectly.  As part of our bedtime routine, after we spell her name she lists out other people in her life and we spell those.  Tessa is always spelled right after Lucy.  Apparently, according to my sister, Lucy has taught Tessa that her name starts with “T”.  I had no clue!  She’s a smarty pants, that one

Today was day 9 of yoga. If anything, it’s shifting my frame of mind and I’m much happier and peaceful.  I’m loving this challenge!

I went to my very first Bikram Yoga class this morning.  Ummm…I’m in love.  I’ve heard people talk about finding their “kind” of yoga and I think this is it for me.  I loved the heat of the room, I loved how excited the instructor was, I loved the sweating, I loved that it brought my heart rate up by stretching not by jumping around.  I loved that I didn’t have to do 1,000 chaturangas (or any for that matter).  I have issues with my shoulders and usually too much yoga can really bother them, I don’t think this will.  The only part that SUCKED was this pose:

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Salabhasana or Locust Pose. O.M.G. My legs where about 2 inches off the ground and my elbows and arms were screaming.  Apparently someone in last night’s class was able to do the  full Scorpion Pose:

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Holy Ow.

I will definitely be going back and SOON!

I woke up at 5 am this morning to take the class.  It was windy outside and it continues to be windy.  I’m really glad I took these pictures on Sunday:

I don’t think there will be any more leaves left on the trees after today.  How amazing is it to live somewhere where there are 4 seasons?  I LOVE it!  The Bay Area had 2 seasons-Sunny and Rainy.  That was it.  All the trees here are so beautiful, they sky has been amazing every morning, the crisp cold air-LOVE!

I’m in a good mood, can you tell?

Today I also wrote in my last page of my journal.

I’ve been trying to write 3 pages every morning since June 21st as part of The Artist’s Way.  For the most part, I’ve written everyday.  I’ve had a few lapses but I really see the benefit of this and try my hardest to write every morning.

With that, I’m going to enjoy this bowl of oats. YOM.