July 1st - Day One of my 30 Day Challenge

Day One - 136 pounds

   And so it begins.  I leave the house in short shorts and a tight workout shirt...hating the view of my muffin-top but knowing that I will be burning about 700 calories...I do what must be done.

The owner puts me in good position to see the instructors who are actually taking the class, as today's class has a student teacher.  Luckily, I'm right beside the thermostat so I can keep my curious eye on the temp for the entire 90 minute class.  We start at 105 degrees with 40% humidity.  Position 1 - Pranayama / Standing Deep Breathing.  Breathing?!  I can do this!  Easy-peasey!  Position 6 - Dandayamana-Janushirasana / Standing Head to Knee Pose.  Um...maybe a picture would explain why this is where I started getting wobbly:

Not to mention by this point the temp was already up to 108 with 42% humidity and I'm sweating out of pores that I'm pretty sure spontaneously popped up today.  700 calories...700 calories...this became my mantra!  And, lucky for me, the instructor who was participating in class had a kickass body and I kept telling myself that by the end of my 30 days I would look like her (shut up...it got me through the class, okay?!).


Position 13 Padangustasana / Toe Stand Pose...half way there!  Shit!  What the hell is this position?  I'm supposed to balance on my toes while squatting in what is now 110 degree heat with 44% humidity?  Really?  Needless to say...one hand remained on the floor at all times for this pose.

Pose 14 gets us to the floor at least...no more balancing acts...unless you count balancing on your neck.  And so it goes, one position after the next, repeated twice; until we come to the end where there are a few more breathing exercises that I did NOT understand how to do.  All in all it wasn't so bad.  The highest temp I saw was 110; I didn't check the clock until 70 minutes into it (those last 20 minutes were pretty brutal); although there was a LOT of sweat dripping I did not smell any farts (something I was warned about).  And I only sat out 2 poses...1 repetition of each so I DID do all 26 poses...I just needed to catch my breath because I started to feel a little faint from the heat.


Things Learned on Day One of Bikram Yoga:
1.  Take more water
2.  It's difficult to do certain yoga poses when you're covered in sweat...must figure this one out
3.  It's freakin' hot
4.  I'm actually quite limber and flexible!
5.  I have no balance!  (okay...I've always known this...as have my friends!)
6.  Take more water
7.  I was starving afterwards
8.  I am completely drained and exhausted now.  No soreness...but wiped out for sure.


So, that's it.  1 day down and 29 to go!  Now I must go take a nap!
(yoga photos courtesy of  www.yogadallas.com)

Update:  Went to take a nap at 2:00...something I very rarely do...and was just woken from a deep sleep by Cyrus barking at 6:45!  I'm still zapped!