TODAY IN YOGA I DID THE BACKBEND!!!

I DID A BACKBEND! I DID A BACKBEND! OMG! TODAY IN YOGA I DID THE BACKBEND!!!

So yea, that happened about 6:45 or so this morning! I did this:

We do them from standing and are supported by our instructor Diana.  She comes to each person and puts her arms around their waists to support them as they arch back and over.  Here is my progression (I am in a 3-week yoga boot camp, btw):

• Week 1 - Day 1 - She came to me FIRST and I said "I can't" immediately and in my mind was all like, no, no way, I am too big, too out of shape, this isn't gonna happen, etc. She said "trust me" and put her arms around my waist, told me to stand with my feet wide, inhale, lift up my ribs, arms overhead, and start to bend backward.  I did and I went back some, I am not sure how far, it felt like 3 inches... HA.  The weird thing was that when I came back forward I just felt this immense sadness and burst into big ugly sobs. Thankfully we go straight to child's pose after backbending so I could just cry into my sweat towel...  (I later learned from talking to more experienced yogis that backbends are heart openers and can release all kinds of pent up/repressed/stifled emotions - it was really good that I released something. I know what it was and may blog on that at another time).
• Subsequent days last week I would try the backbend, but was not over my mind hurdle, and Diana said to me on Friday "You are going to have to start trusting me." I decided to let things go for the following weeks and my goal was to get to the full backbend by the end of the boot camp.
• Week 2 - Day 1 - I was excited to try the bend! I was ready to go and when Diana came to me I went for it and pushed back and stretched and when I felt like I couldn't do anymore I started to resist the bend and she said "Do you have any idea how close you are to the floor?!?"  I said, "no" as I flailed my arms and flung myself awkwardly upright and got into child's pose. After class a friend came up and said "you know, you almost had it! Good Job!"
• TODAY - I wasn't thinking too much about it. I was hoping to go as far as I did yesterday. And I lifted and bent back and let one arm go and then I let my mind go and the next thing I knew I hear Diana saying "THERE IT IS" and I felt my hands hit the mat and I hear myself saying "WOW! Oh WOW! and I was in a full bridge backbend!!!  I heard clapping and wooo-ing! And Diana said "ok, release down and go into child's pose." And I couldn't believe it!!! I DID IT!  And as I sat up on the mat I burst into tears, but they were good ones.  I enjoyed my minute or two of rest before we moved on.  

After we finished the class Diana said to everyone "Let's give Mylynka a hand for that back bend!" and everyone cheered and clapped and I felt overwhelmed and AWESOME!  A few people came up to me after class and hugged and congratulated me!  One lady said, "It looked so effortless, like you do them all the time." Wow! I wish I could have seen it! LOL

I am learning on this journey to let go of my Jr. High self, the one who can't, the one who thinks she isn't good enough, is too fat, and isn't able.  I am finding that I CAN if I just let go and if I listen to my body and just try. 

 

 

Getting Ready for Yoga Boot Camp

As I sit here typing I am having a cup of decaf... in the morning!  I have been weaning off of coffee because it is not allowed as part of the 21-day Yoga Boot Camp I am starting tomorrow.  *cries*  We have our first meeting, yoga session, and orientation tomorrow morning AT SIX A.M.  *cries more*  to get our notebooks and all of the information on what we will be eating, drinking, doing over the next three weeks.

I am excited, nervous, and a bit scared to fail, but I think this is a great time for me to take on this challenge.  According to Diana, the owner of the yoga studio I go to, this boot camp is a 21-day detox for the mind, body, and spirit.  It is a cleanse and a resetting of the self.  I need all of that.

It comes at a perfect time, too!  I will be achieving my 21st day in a row of exercise on Sunday and when this boot camp is over I will be at 40 consecutive days of exercise!!  When this is all over I am going to treat myself to a facial and a session of Thai Massage.  After all the detox I am sure my body will need it! :D

As for the boot camp, I will write a detailed blog about it tomorrow after I receive all my instructions and, of course, will blog during the experience.  For now here is what I know:

• Yoga M-F 6-7am
• Week 1 - cut out all processed foods 
• Week 2 - cut out all animal products
• Week 3 - there will be a 48hr fast at some point then we'll eat kitchari which is supposed to be pretty tasty.
• Journaling
• Breath work
• Sweat therapy

Here is what I am hoping to get from it:  A restart.  I need to defog my body and my brain, pop loose whatever it blocking my mind and keeping me stuck in this same spot in my dissertation process.  I think it is going to be a challenge, but I am up for it.

Mylynka

Not every day is a great day.

I didn't drink enough water today and could really tell. It is amazing the difference it makes.  I also did not eat a single proper meal today and felt like crap. I didn't want to exercise at all but made myself do 20 minutes of yoga poses just to MOVE MY BODY. I can honestly say I felt better for doing it and had a spinach, strawberry, acai, & Greek yogurt smoothie after.

Day 18 is done!

Tomorrow is another day and will be a better day!

Mylynka

TWO WEEKS!

STOP THE PRESSES!!  IT HAS BEEN 14 DAYS IN A ROW!!

I cannot believe I have exercised for 2 solid weeks and am already wanting to do tomorrow's work out! I need to strengthen my weak core. My lower back aches a lot and I think that is because of 3 things:

1. My belly is big and the muscles are weak causing my back to overcompensate.
2. I am not keeping my core engaged enough during some yoga poses and my back is having to overcompensate.
3. I have TERRIBLE posture, especially seated at my desk.

So, I looked around for specific exercises to do and found this:

Gaiam's Strong Core & Back Kit

According to the descriptions on Gaiam's site this kit will: 

• Stretch and strengthen your spine
• Alleviate back pain
• Improve your overall midsection
• Strengthen core muscles to prevent injury
• Unique peanut-shape supports the spine and lower legs
• Increase range of motion
• Correct posture and form

YES, PLEASE!

It comes with:

• Anti-Burst CoreFit Ab Ball; free of the most harmful phthalates
• Strong Core & Back Workout DVD
• Bonus Downloadable Back Pain Relief Workout

The two 10-minute workouts include:

• “Core Focus” targets those hard-to-reach places helping you build strength throughout your midsection
• “Strong Core and More” adds more challenge with standing moves requiring greater control and concentration

The Bonus “Back Pain Relief,” delivers a 10-minute stretch routine. (YAY!)

So, I ordered it (on Amazon) and it has already arrived.  I think I will attempt all 30mins tomorrow and see how it goes! I'll let you know!

DAY 15 - CORE & BACK HERE WE COME!! I am 2/3 the way to forming a habit!!!

Gone Streaking

Hello Blogger, my Old Friend
I've come to post on you again
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of the Interwebz....

(apologies to Simon & Garfunkel)

So first things first:  HELLO!! *waves*

So, about this streaking...  yea, I've been doing it! And I love it!!

Oh, um, sorry, this isn't the naked, run out on a baseball field/basketball court/down the office hall kind that was so prevalent in the 1970s... Oh, the Seventies... *wistful sigh*  It IS, however, exercising in an unbroken streak for, like, always!  I first heard of the idea from my friend Christie, she applies it to running - in fact I think it is a runner's "thing" - and then I co-opted it for myself.

The concept is simple: Run every day at least one mile.

That is it. Every day. One mile and from what I hear, once you get suited up and go, you don't just run your mile and stop, you run your mile and keep going. It sounded cool and easy, you know, if I was a runner... but I am not a runner. I am a 265lb 41.33 yr old obese women who has been exercise adverse My. Entire. Life... what to do, what to do?  Oooh, Oooh! I know! I know!

YOGA!

So, I thought about it for a few weeks, probably a month, or three... *ahem* Then one day, I don't know why, I got a Groupon to a yoga studio a few minutes from my house.  Then a few weeks later I sucked up all my insidious Jr. High School doubt and went to yoga... And I loved it! I found a groovy studio with an awesome vibe and cool people and, and, and I just wanted to go back and keep going back.

And then it happened... I became a streaker.  As of this moment I have been to the yoga studio (or done yoga with a DVD at home (once)) for the past 10 days.  TEN DAYS!! I have EXERCISED for 10 days CONSECUTIVELY!  Woooo! And get this, I LIKE IT!

I mean I TRULY LIKE IT! I like the classes (I've been to a variety of classes at the studio... that is another blog post) and I like exercising everyday.  I am feeling pretty awesome and the weirdest thing is happening, something that I do not think has happened in all of my 41.33 years...

I WANT TO EXERCISE! I LOOK FORWARD TO EXERCISE! I SCHEDULE TIME TO EXERCISE AND STICK TO IT!

I can't explain it and I don't want to.  What I want to do is to keep streaking! 

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

For more info on streak running go to the United States Running Streak Association.

To find a yoga studio in your area check out this directory from Yoga Journal.

And lastly, because the song is stuck in my head and probably yours, too: 

My Quarterly Post

So, as I am wont to do, I have let the blog languish for approximately 3 months. I am apparently really good at quarterly posts! HA

Today's post is pretty much a cut and paste of a FB discussion a friend, and fellow fit-at-40 struggler, and I had this morning.

It all stemmed from my sharing of this article from the awesome site MindBodyGreen. If you haven't been there you should go.  Go there now and read the article. It is short. I'll wait. :D

Ok, so "relaxing about food" was the topic that led to the following:

Me: [about the article post] This. Exactly! YES!! (for me anyway)

Friend: I am the same way. I need to do this as well. One of my friends mentioned how she changed her relationship with food and she was able to lose weight. I have become obsessed with this comment. What does this mean? I asked her a million questions and still no insight into what this means.

Me: You know, just yesterday I was thinking on this very thing. Last year I lost 20lb "without even trying" and I was revisiting HOW that was even managed. I did 1 key thing... "gave up" meat - which really just forced me to not eat fast food and to eat LOTS more fruit, veg, and legumes. I was "veggie" for about 8months total. I realize it wasn't that I was giving up meat, it was that I gave up FAST FOOD, and I mean all types... processed food in general. I felt better, I looked better (skin-wise), and I really didn't miss fast food.

Me: I went back to eating meat, because, well, meat is delicious... but unfortunately I fell back into my bad habits of waiting too long to eat, snarfing food in my car (from a bag), and then being guilty for "being bad" - of course that slippery slope led to "well I am already "off track" now I'll have this (insert "bad food" here)." I have to get back to a healthy relationship with ALL food. I have tried WW, I have tried restrictive diets, Slim-Fast, Phen-Fen (remember those pills?), all crap crap crap. And when the only thing I was cutting out was meat (read: fast food) I was at peace with food. I was trying more things on menus, I was NOT eating in my car!!! I was shedding pounds WITHOUT ACTIVELY TRYING. I need to revisit this. And this time keeping good quality lean meat and "giving up" fast food.

Me: And I also stopped "counting" - tracking calories, fat, carbs, sodium IS EXHAUSTING and emotionally draining. I did measure out fats & carbs until I got a grasp on REAL portion sizes, but let the veg & fruit fill half my plate. I think why I get so mad at myself is that I KNOW what I need to do, I just don't do it! WOW... this turned into what should be one of my blog posts! HA!   

  

Ok, so this was less a conversation and more me talking about my experiences/thought processes.  I think what it boils down to for me is that I am tired of food being BAD. I am tired of feeling guilty if I want French fries on occasion. I am tired of feeling shame for enjoying a delicious dessert with my husband (or on my own).  I am tired of hearing women (mostly) talk about "being bad" because they had a full-fat latte... and *gasp* a biscotti.  I am sad that I wasted so much of my life (20+ years!!!) fretting about a tablespoon of this and a 1/2c of that... 250calories of this and 12oz of that... meal replacements - shakes & bars.... instead of just ENJOYING MY LIFE.

When I took "meat" - really FAST FOOD - out of my life I was so much happier... and I wasn't obsessing. You know what I WAS doing? Eating well! Cooking at home. Packing healthy lunches. EATING VEGETABLES... and fruit... and legumes.   

So you know what? I am gonna do that again... I need to be FAST FOOD FREE and VEGGIE FULL!

Who's with me?