My Thoughtful Spot

30 day bikram challenge: day 26

I made it to the 6:00 am class today, as did about 46 other people. Woah.

Really good class today. Good energy in the room. Three new people. A little weak on toe stand, but did much better on standing bow pulling pose. We won't talk about triangle. I still hate triangle pose.

Four more to go.

30 day bikram challenge: day 25

Are we there yet? Seriously. Are we there?

We had a great dinner last night with lots of wine. Clearly, I didn't go to the morning class. I had an early day at work so I went to the 2:30 class. But I almost didn't. Earlier in the month, I did two doubles. I've got two classes in the bank. So I really had to fight with my mind to go.

I know that the doubles "count" towards the 30 days, but I feel like I'm cheating if I use them just because I don't feel like going. That's not the point of a 30 day challenge. The point is to go every day, if humanly possible. I was banking those doubles for things like illness, emergency surgery (not on my but performed by me), or some other unforseeable event. Not just cuz I don't WANNA! So I went. I put my mat down. And I had a pretty decent class.

My toe stand is progressing nicely, which was cool. Still having some balancing issues with the depth I achieve on standing bow pulling pose, but I try to jump right back into the pose. At least my alignment is good.

Homestretch. Four class times to choose from tomorrow, three of which I can go to, given our Thanksgiving plans. I can do this. I'm almost there.

30 day bikram challenge: day 24

Back to my morning routine. Gym bag packed last night, flip flops and mat on top.

I hand my keyring tag to the teacher, who checks us in. (Aside: I like that the teachers all do the checkin for their class so they can try to learn everyone's name.) "Are you having a birthday, Nichole?"

"Yes."

"Happy birthday."

"[shocked] Uh, thank you! How do you know?"

"There are balloons next to your name if it's your birthday week."

"Oh, cool!" I naively thought that was going to be the end of it. But in the beginning of the class, she welcomed all the challengers to their 24th day, said there were no new students this morning, but that we did have one birthday girl and it is Nichole. Everyone clapped, I turned bright red from embarrassment (not from heat), did a little curtsy to giggling, and the class began.

My struggles with breathing during the balancing series continue, but I did pretty well on the standing bow pulling pose, which made me happy. No more progress on getting my toes behind my leg on eagle pose; I decided to stop pushing the issue because my left knee was getting sore. It'll come when it comes. Don't want to hurt myself! (Although I've heard that until you get close to wrapping your foot, you're not ready to bear children. I'm not sure why, or that I even believe it. I can't believe it because I'm not even close. And at 34, there isn't much time left for me to master that pose!)

During the floor series, I swore I felt some cool air. Maybe I'm just delirious. Like when you have a really high fever and start seeing things. I'm inducing a fever of sorts by being a hot room, so maybe I'm hallucinating?

All in all it was a better than average practice. We're all in our final savasanas (resting pose), lights off, eyes closed. She thanks us for coming, sharing our energy. Please take these few minutes for ourselves. Leave quietly when you are through. And happy birthday to Nichole! More giggles, I say thank you.

More happy birthdays in the locker room.

I've never had so many birthday wishes before 8:00 am in my entire life!

30 day bikram challenge: day 23

After the weekend extravaganza of moving, which led to me not getting to bed until 11:00 pm Sunday night, there was no way I was going to make the class at 6:00 am. Let me revise that. No freaking way. My plan is to go in the afternoon, since I have a light day at work. I also have a bunch of stuff to do that I was supposed to get done over the weekend. Like cleaning the fish tank. But I digress.

Class was actually really, really good. Only about a dozen of us in there, so the teacher was really able to correct our form if we needed it. She also took a little time in between to show us certain things, which is really helpful.

And then, I thought I could feel a cool breeze through my sweat-soaked pants. I wonder how they control the temperature in there. Obviously, they have heaters. But what about when it gets too hot? Their only remedy can't be to open the door. Once I felt the cooler air without a change in ceiling fan speed, I thought that it must have been an air conditioner of some kind. Like in the operating room. For laparoscopic procedures, the abdomen needs to be insufflated to 15mm Hg of gas. If the detector sees less than that amount of pressure, it add more gas. If it gets significantly over that level, it will actually vent some gas.

Oh, and although I've been bitching up a storm about doing yoga and a move, I think the spine strengthening floor work has really helped prevent a lot of soreness that I would otherwise have. Normally, my back is much more sore after a move like that. This time, only a little. Like sleeping funny. There's another benefit to yoga.

If it weren't December and the holidays, and if I didn't need to get back to the weight room, I would actually consider extending my challenge to 60 days. Because I feel that good. I can tell you this much, though. I'm not going to skip class on December 1st.

30 day bikram challenge: day 22

Shoot me.

That was the thought that kept returning to my mind after I resolutely pushed it out.

Several factors from yesterday went into today's shit practice:

1. I didn't drink nearly enough water all day Saturday. I normally drink 3-4 liters of water per day. Yesterday I might have gotten in 2?
2. After moving, we went to an Irish pub where I had three beers, bangers, and mash.
3. I was sore. Not terribly so, but bad enough.
4. There were a lot of people in the 8:00 am class, making it extra hot. And the teacher was so absorbed in leading us through the practice that I think he didn't notice the ceiling fans weren't on until really advanced people had to sit out some poses. For the second half of the class he turned the fans on; I did much better during that part.

Despite the poor performance, I did manage to get my left leg completely straight briefly in standing separate leg head to knee pose. It looks easier in the picture than it is in real life because the main goal of the pose is to get your forehead to touch your knee. If you need, bend your need to meet your forehead. So you really have to curl your belly in and squish off your throat. In order for your knee to be straight, your spine has to be really flexible and your core really strong to help with the curling inwards. And for one brief second, I looked like that picture. On one side. Hey, it's a big deal to me!

Time to go finish moving. Cuz it's what big sisters do.

30 day bikram challenge: day 21

Call me crazy, but I actually got up to go to the 6:00 am class. But even crazier? Was that about 25 other people had decided to do the same thing. It was fuller than during the week, which is just nuts to me!

I had a great class today, and, for a brief second, turned my gaze inward during standing head to knee on the right side. When you're balancing like that, shifting your gaze even a few centimeters can throw you off and you fall right out. I did end up falling right out, but I had it. Briefly. And I think that's how these things go. A tiny advance every few days or so, not a huge breakthrough.

Must be off; have to help my brother move. I wonder how being sore will affect tomorrow's practice.

fashion fridays: skinny jeans

In the last couple of months, I've noticed that I post about something fashion related on Fridays. From beauty to fragrances to actual clothes, it's a theme that I've noticed in my writing. So let's make it official. Fridays at My Thoughtful Spot will now be Fashion Fridays.

Usually I try to be somewhat stylish. I like to go shopping, but can't blow tons of money on the latest trends. After working for several years in retail, I've developed a bit of a knack for seeing what is going to last just for one season, and what is likely to persist over several. I'm not always right, but at least I try.

One of the more disturbing developments in fashion that I've seen is the skinny jean. I wish it was just going to be here for a season but it will likely stick around for much longer. Here's the problem as I see it. It's something that is very popular and it's made popular by skinny models. See? The required body for these jeans is in it's very title. Skinny jeans.

As most of us know, Americans are fat. Even if you're not fat, you've likely got a few areas that shouldn't be broadcast to the world, as they will be in a pair of skinny jeans which can hide nothing. Because of the hormones in our bodies, most of the excess poundage in women is deposited in the butt and thigh areas. So put a pair of skinny jeans on someone who has a modestly generous behind/thighs and it's like a giant arrow pointing upwards, magnifying the generous butt into a "OMG, look at the size of her ass!" (I tried to find a picture of a normal sized person in skinny jeans to illustrate my point, but I couldn't find any. Which also proves my point. If people think they look hot, they usually take their picture and post it all over the internet.)

I've read things in magazines and online that claim that almost anyone can wear skinny jeans, you just need to find the right fit. After trying on many pairs myself and seeing even more pairs on average people who are out and about, I have determined that those people are wrong. After squeezing my muscular thighs and generous butt into a pair in the dressing room, I couldn't peel them off fast enough. And seeing girls walk around in them? Well, like I said. Arrow. Pointing to something that is magnified. That's not to say that some girls don't pull them off. There are plenty of skinny bitches in southern California who can. I applaud them and their boy-shaped bodies.

But I like my curves. I just wish fashion would cooperate with all of us. Skinny jeans for skinny people and another equally cooler alternative for the rest of us.

What are your thoughts on skinny jeans? Success? Scared? Don't give a crap?

30 day bikram challenge: day 20

Day 20!!

Two-thirds done!

Starting the single digit countdown!

At the end of class, we all clapped for each other for getting this far. At this point, the only people coming to the 6:00 am class are people who signed up for the challenge. And today most people were really tired. I mean, it's five days in a row of waking up super early without any chance to sleep in. And we were hurting today. Plenty of dark circles in the locker room getting ready for work.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The practice. Once again, I really struggled with breath control toward the beginning, especially with the balancing poses, which are three in a row. I'm starting to think that I'm sabotaging myself.

See, whenever I start to lose weight, like I am now, I get a little lax with my eating. "Sure, I can have a few pieces of candy, I've been so good." But being good was how I got to see progress in the first place. And then a few pieces slowly grows into something that I do every day. So maybe I'm struggling in class because I'm putting more crap into my body and my body then has to work harder each time to get the crap and toxins out, instead of letting me progress every day in the pose.

I'm not sure if I'm right, but I'm going to give it a go, get back on the wagon, and see if it helps me do a better standing head to knee or bow pulling pose. It surely can't hurt.

Despite my struggles in the class today, on my way out the teacher said "Good work, Nichole." I thanked her for the compliment, but wondered what it was she saw that was good. It certainly wasn't in the beginning. Or maybe she saw that I was struggling and was trying to give me words of encouragement and acknowledge that I pushed through it. Or maybe I had some really good poses in there between the crap.

Ugh. Thinking leads to over-thinking. I'll be better with food and just see what happens.

30 day bikram challenge: day 19

I made it.

Another day that I put my mat down and the rest sort of just happened. I tried. Tried hard in many of the poses. It was weird. I was really out of breath early on, like in the beginning of this challenge. The standing series, which is usually my favorite part, was really challenging today. But I got my breath back and jumped back in.

And sometimes that's all you can ask your body to do.

Tomorrow is a big day. I now know we won't be getting prizes tomorrow, but we will be getting prizes for completing tomorrow. After tomorrow, it's really all downhill. And remember, I've done two doubles. I've got two in the bank.

too damn easy

Over the last year, I've been up and down with my activity on blogs, mine as well as others. I've often resorted to my google reader, which I love. It automatically tells me when someone whom I follow makes a new post. I click on the title of the blog, and the new post magically pops up in another window on the same page. No extra open windows crowding my neat computer desktop.

But it makes it easy just to read and move on. Too easy. I've commented on people's blogs less and less because of the reader. Not because I don't like them anymore or I don't have anything to say, but because it's so easy just to move onto the next bold blog title in the list on the left hand side of the screen.

I'm going to change that. If I read a blog entry, I should click the link to open the blog's window. Most blogs have counters and me cheating like that really messes up those counters. They become inaccurate because they don't count that I've actually read the blog entry when I don't comment. And I really should try to comment more. I almost always have something to say or respond to when I read an entry. Who doesn't like getting comments on their blog? Right. No one.

So, thanks, Google reader, for helping to keep the blogs I follow organized. In the future, I'll be using you less like a pair of crutches. I'm advancing to a walker.

Love,
Nichole