MetaChat - Going back to Bikram (a get your own blog post)

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21 June 2010

Going back to Bikram (a get your own blog post) →[More:]I haven't been to Bikram yoga since last year. I have thought about nearly every day and miss it so much. I missed a lot of classes with fall sports, and the holidays, and never renewed my monthly membership.

I hate how I give up on things. For once in my life I would like to stick to something for longer than 6 months. It's shallow but it pains me that I can't call myself anything athletic. I can't call myself a runner or a yogi (dislike that word, yogi, immensely).

I finally worked up the motivation to go today at 5pm. I have dinner in the oven for the family (Swiss steak -- it takes a long time to cook) and I have my yoga clothes on. I'm excited but scared. It's a 90 minutes class and pretty strenuous. I do love how it makes me feel. I feel strong and taller and fitter. Yoga rocks. I wish I would have never stopped. I would be so supple by now. ;-)

Post your GYB stories or accomplishments here.

post by: LoriFLA at: 15:06 | 13 comments

Wow. . .never done Bikram. I am sort of afraid of the heat. I know people who swear by it, though.

Good luck Lori. And don't forget the water.

posted by danf 21 June | 15:10

good luck. try focusing on the short term experience more than the macro view about how long you're gonna keep at it etc.

posted by Firas 21 June | 15:14

I hate how I give up on things. For once in my life I would like to stick to something for longer than 6 months.

Hey, give yourself more credit here. Many people don't stick with things at all, and many more don't try at all. Also, let go of the past and think of today. I know that sounds schlocky, but when I let all my past "failures" get in the way of doing something now, my quality of life plummets.

posted by Stewriffic 21 June | 15:20

Enjoy class, LoriFLA! I've done bikram 3 or 4 times and my comment is always the same whenever it comes up:

"I don't know how it's possible to take 3 things I enjoy so much (a good sweat, yoga, and half-naked women), combine them, and somehow make something I dislike so much."

I still think it's a neat thing, but gah the heat! Don't worry much about the time off... I'm sure the muscle memory will kick in by sixth breath.

posted by danostuporstar 21 June | 15:21

Thanks everybody. I won't forget the water. It's a must.

try focusing on the short term experience more than the macro view about how long you're gonna keep at it etc.

Great advice. I have been getting better at this.

At Bikram they say, "You never have to take your first class twice." Thank goodness for that. I'm pretty confident that I won't pass out. Before I quit I was doing Bikram daily for months on end and would become mildly agitated if I couldn't go. You have to be organized (and rich, which I am not) to do Bikram. It eats a big chunk of your day with the 90 minute classes and the cost is 120 bucks a month (or 14 bucks per class, yikes!). Thankfully the nearest studio is a mile away. I can ride my bike.

Thanks for the encouragement everybody. I'll let you know how it went.

posted by LoriFLA 21 June | 15:27

My gym offers "hot yoga" but it does not have the Bikram brand. It is also advertised as 85 degrees, which is cooler than Bikram, I understand.

posted by danf 21 June | 15:33

(dislike that word, yogi, immensely)

The female version is actually "yogini," which I like because it sounds so silly. Maybe that'll help? :-)

posted by occhiblu 21 June | 16:28

Oh! And my own accomplishments: I have remembered to moisturize and sunblock my face more days than not in the past month. That is a record for me. Also I just sorted then filed or threw out every single piece of unfiled paper in our study, which was a five-hour project and ended up with a giant lawn and garden trash bag 3/4 full of trash. Woo!

posted by occhiblu 21 June | 16:30

I hate how I give up on things.

I often feel this way about myself - it's good to know I'm not alone. I've let my gym membership lapse, and am working so much right now that I don't think I'd have time to use it if I renewed. Maybe in July...

Hopefully going tonight will help you get back into the swing of things!

posted by youngergirl44 21 June | 17:21

A family member of mine has gone so batshit insane around yoga that I fear she's ruined it, and any concept of it for me FOREVER. So, I shall tell you this instead:

Last week, I found my mindful mind again. It's so much better HERE.

posted by richat 21 June | 17:31

haha, richat. That made me laugh. I never want to be the person that gets overzealous. I have leaned that way toward certain things in the past and it is so exhausting for my loved ones.

Yes, occhiblu, yogini is slightly better! Awesome about the sunblock and moisturizer. Skincare is something I can be gung ho about or completely slack. Lately I have been using Estee Lauder's DayWear Plus tinted moisturizer with SPF 15 or Physician's Formula tinted moisturizer with SPF 50. They are both excellent and I can kill three birds with one stone -- coverage, moisture, and SPF.

Well, I did it! I'm proud. I only sat out a few moments on one part of a posture. I'm going back tomorrow. I saw an old yoga friend. It was fun. I was sweating like no tomorrow, but it was good.

I'm off to see the new Russel Brand movie. It's the first date I've had in months with my husband.

posted by LoriFLA 21 June | 18:21

And congrats richat for regaining mindfulness. That is an accomplishment.

posted by LoriFLA 21 June | 18:22

Thank Lori! It really is such a better place for me. Old habits, of course, die hard.

And, I'm CERTAIN there is only one zealot as zealout-y in all of North America as MY zealot.

posted by richat 21 June | 19:46

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