Dust off the mat
I did it.
Something about hearing your stories about getting back in the swing of things lit a yoga fire under my booty, and I actually went to a class tonight.
I had my yoga mat propped up by the garage door all day as a visual reminder (and it “Om”-ed at me every time I looked it it), so after a little walk with Bell
I brought her back home, gave her a treat, and went to class.
It was an amazing practice, and just as this morning’s post suggested, I had to be extra patient with myself and understand that I can’t do the things I normally do. I spent a lot of time in child’s pose, or modifying certain poses, but still got a great class, flood of endorphins, and the noodly yoga feeling I love so dearly.
Yoga isn’t a performance, and it’s not about perfection, which is why I think it took me so long to embrace it back in the day. t took me a while to comprehend the fact that it’s a “practice” and something that you get better at over time, but you won’t be able to do everything the 1st, 2nd, or 1000th time.
Every time we go to class, there is a word of the day. Today’s work was “chance” and the yoga pep talk was about leaving things up to chance- sometimes it enables us to change, grow and embrace the unexpected, whereas other times, leaving things up to chance can set us up for monotony or stagnation. It’s up to us to take a chance to set our goals and desired results into action. Good food for thought.
And here’s some of today’s food for feasting:
Things were a little backwards over here because I had pizza for breakfast
[Brown rice tortilla, marinara, arugula, goat gouda, chicken and kalamata olives]
and eggs for lunch.
2 over hard eggs with toast and a baked (aka microwaved) apple with cinnamon
Now that I eat the yolks every time I have eggs –I used to have 1 yolk a day and whites the rest of the day- egg whites taste so bland to me. It’s all about the yolks.. folks 😉
The Pilot just got home so we’re going to enjoy a late night dinner and crash out.
Enjoy your evening!
xoxo
Gina
Do you like getting “pep talks” from yoga or other fitness instructors during class? I love that Chalene says little tidbits at the end of her TurboFire videos (“If your friends don’t support your healthy lifestyle, find new friends,” etc.) but sometimes when Dave Farmar yaks his face off during his yoga podcasts, I wish there would be silence instead [but that’s usually because I’m in pain and can’t wait to switch poses, while he’s chatting away].
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The yolks are totally where it’s at. 😉 Glad you went to yoga, your posts often remind me that I don’t regret when I do exercise, only when I don’t.
I do not like video pep talks, because when you do the video multiple times, it can drive you crazy after a while. But usually I just throw some music over the video to prevent that from being an issue.
I love egg yolks! Egg whites always taste so flavorless to me. Glad you enjoyed yoga!
5 minutes before I opened this I propped my mat up against my front door to encourage myself to go to hot yoga tomorrow. But also wanted to ask you about gym class ettiquette….. Not in a yoga class because I know its disruptive but what is the “rule” on wanting to try out a new class but when you get into it you hate it…..is it rude to walk out? Or should you just stick it out and not go back again?
ehhh that’s a toughie. anyone know about this one?
i’ve walked out of gym yoga classes quite a few times, but never studio yoga classes. i’ve been too scared.
If you’re really worried, you could always warn the instructor before the class starts with something like, “I am injured and I just want to see if this doesn’t hurt too much blah blah blah” so then if you leave, it’s nothing personal! (At least, it doesn’t seem like it’s anything personal…)
that’s a great idea
I think you can leave even yoga if you hate it. It’s not like you’re in and out of the room taking phone calls or something. You can disrupt hot yoga (and people do all the time) if you feel sick or nauseous or have to pee or something. It’s just a matter of not abusing it, I think. Hating class is not abusing the right to leave, if you ask me!
I do think forewarning the instructor is polite. Then they also will probably not ask you as you’re leaving if you’re ok, which points out that you’re leaving to everyone and adds just a tiny bit more disruption.
thank you all for the advice
I have never walked out on yoga
Mainly because my regular instructor locked the door 😉
And hot yoga I just want to push myself and if need be just get in child’s pose.
I was referring more to : when I took spin and HATED every last second of it but didn’t have the nerve to leave so I was miserable for an hour and looking into trying some ab attack and kickbox, cardio type classes just worried I won’t like it and don’t want to be miserable again for an hour!!!
Congrats on getting back into yoga. 🙂 I struggle with yoga – every time I go practice a session, I end up beating myself up for not being able to hold a pose properly or for as long as I’m supposed to hold. For instance, when I was in better shape, I could hold a perfect tree pose (with my feet on the inside of my thigh) for minutes at a time. Now, I can do that on one side, but on the other I have to modify by putting my feet on the inside of my calf. I keep trying to tell myself that yoga is a constant practice, but it’s hard. Sometimes I find myself not thinking it’s a workout unless I do something perfectly without having to stop to go into child’s pose, and that’s no bueno.
Egg yolks are SO much better than just whites. If I’m having more than 2 eggs at a time, I’ll throw in 1-2 egg whites for more protein without too much cholesterol or fat, but I never do solely egg whites anymore.
Oh and Dave Farmar drives me CRAZY. I have to turn his podcasts off because after 20 minutes I’m yelling at him to shut up and it’s so hard for me to relax when he’s cackling like a hyena. I like the ladies from Yoga Download, they have such soothing voices (especially Dawnelle) and relax me.
Egg yolks are the best. Glad your yoga class went well. I’m all about the silence at the end. There’s so much chatter and talking in my life that I crave silence.
I’ve tried yoga quite a few times, but I have a hard time with it,,,my feet are weak from heel spurs and neuroma pain, so balance is difficult (even down dog is tough on my feet). I also strained my rotator cuff last time I tried yoga (trying to do too much). I’ve been thinking about it again, though. Your advice makes good sense,..easy does it. Thanks.
I really enjoy doing yoga at home and in the studio, but I could never really stick to it and make it part of my life. Every time I do it, I think, why am I not doing it everyday? And I hate hate when yoga teachers talk the whole time through the session. They are telling me to focus on my breath and do this and that, and in reality I become a lot more distracted. I like concise clear directions and then quite. I took a lot of different yoga classes and it seems for some instructors it is okay to give me a rundown of their day, it is soooo unprofessional. Once during a corpse pose, when we were supposed to really focus on relaxation, my instructor gave a graphic description of her root-canal. I wanted to scream at her!!! Was not relaxing by any means, hahahah. I think less talking during the practice is the best, and then a small pep talk at the end.
good job going to yoga, the hardest part is to actually go 🙂
Overly chatty yoga teachers are not enjoyable to me. Silence is a beautiful thing. Especially during yoga class. Some chatter is cool but there is a balance of finding some stillness in the moment and quiet times. When I teach I remember that people are paying money to be there and are also spending their precious free time or workout time to be there and I don’t want to disturb their zen!
Glad you got some yoga in…bravo to you for going!
I agree with Averie about the overly chatty yoga teachers. Looking back throughout my years of practice, my favorite teachers were the ones who didn’t give pep talks and calmly instructed us to the next pose. 🙂 Now, I love the chatty pep talks during other types of fitness classes like spinning or weight lifting. 🙂
Great job getting to yoga! I couldnt give up egg yolks. It’s a big reason why I love eggs so much!
I guess it depends on my mood. Sometimes I want my instructor boosting my ego, or yelling in my face, and other times I want to slap them : )
I love the quotes or little inspiring thoughts in yoga. In my bikram class, they always share a thought from Yoga Nanda’s book “Inner Peace” during the transition from the standing to the floor series. It’s so nice.
And I agree, it’s all about the yolks! Except I like mine i little runny. 🙂
Yoga Oasis is the best place ever. ESPECIALLY there word of the day. But I love chanting with everyone at the beginning of the class too. I was actually at 8pm yoga hour during my first big tucson monsoon. She turned out the lights for savasana and we just breathed while listening to the sound of the rain in a room lit up by flashes of thunder. I swear, it was magical!
Maybe sometime I will run into you at a class!
ugh their* can’t deal with that typo.
I haven’t taken a yoga class in a while. I need to get back into it!
My favorite instructor always begins the class with a story and something to think about during our practice. It could be a theme like “letting go” or “taking a breath before reacting”. I love that aspect of her classes and leave feeling so much more at peace, physically and mentally.
I love the yolks too! Last week I made scrambled eggs with 2 whole eggs (instead of 1 egg + 3 egg whites as usual) and they tasted so much better!
I like what your instructor said about taking a chance and taking action. I feel like I’ve been really wishy-washy about decisions lately, so I needed that bit of inspiration. Thanks! 😀
YOLK POWER! Love the yolks!
A word of the day in class? Brilliant…I don’t teach yoga, but it could work for Bootcamps, Step and Water just as well!
I love what you said- yoga isn’t about performance.. so true. Good job getting back at it, girl! And you’re right, btw- I totally find egg whites blah now after getting back to eating yolks.
Glad you have fun at yoga! I recently got back in the studio also, it felt amazing!
Hi, Gina.
Quick question: how do you feel about corn tortillas? I’m trying to expand my sandwich wrap horizons and just want your opinion :p.
they’re great! what have you been using in the past?
ooookay i have a question. in Fire 55, at the end, during the first finale, WHAT is that word/move that Chalene says? i’m talking the first move AFTER the jab, jab, jump, jump, syncopated jabs. then the one i don’t understand is sort of like, grab over here, throw over to the other side, with wide legs. know what i’m talking about??? i LOVE Fire 55 and most especially those two finales, but i cannot for my life figure out what she calls that move. help!!
capoeira!!
it’s a brazilian art form that contains elements of martial arts, sports training and dance. that’s where she got the move from 🙂
oooh interesting. thank you so much!
I’m 100% with you on the yolks..yum! Congrats on making it to yoga. Everyone tells me to give it a try, especially since I’ve started running, but it seems so daunting.
I had pizza for breakfast this morning too!! Except I put eggs on my pizza! And some hot sauce to get my morning Kicken’! Pizza is good ANYTIME! (:
egg and hot sauce pizza sounds AMAZING
I can’t eat plain egg whites. If I need protein without fat, I’d rather have protein powder. Whole eggs are GOOD for you! They’ve revised opinions on them. Yes, the yolks are caloric but we need fats in our diets, too.
oooo that pizza looks amazing!!! I have that same yoga bag, love it!!! I need to get my butt to yoga! Thanks for the motivation chica 🙂
I do like pep talks – but not when they overly praise the class as a whole for some reason.
I do like the pep talks in yoga. My teacher usually reads a poem or excerpt from yoga sutra books and uses that as a theme for the class, reinforcing it as she goes. I really like it – it gives me something to strive for and focus on through the class. But yes, too much talk would annoy me too. I love the silent parts of the class too.
Gina – I just LOVE your blog. I love the workouts you post, your healthy lifestyle tips/pointers, and your overall enthusiasm about living a healthy life!
Wanted to let you know that I did your SCHWEATY November Workout 🙂 All in the comfort of my bedroom. For my cardio, I turned on your Zumba video that you did at the high school and worked through that twice… got my blood pumping! Then did the workout. I don’t have a stability ball, but I used a chair and mimicked as best as I could what you were going for with the Alphabet Abs.
Have to say – I’m SCHWEATY! 🙂 You’re fabulous. I LOVE trying your workouts because they’re diverse! So many different moves in each one. Keep it up!
thank you so much, kristen!
i’m so glad you enjoyed the workout- great job modifying it, too!
Kudos to you for getting back into yoga. It may be more challenging right now but at least your trying, and thats all the matters.
Do you think your mat fits well in that bag? I have the same mat and I’ve been looking at a gaiam mat bag, but i wasn’t sure if the bulky manduka mat would fit well?
Yep! I have to roll it tight, but it works
Awesome, thank you!!! I ordered one this morning 🙂
we are trying hard to get back into yoga. it is funny we will do real good for awhile and then weeks go by without doing any
That is exactly what I appreciate about yoga. Trying your best on you can on that particular day is all anyone can ask for 🙂
Way to go Sistah! I recently got my butt back to class as well and it is SO awesome. Totally worth it every time.
Just found your blog and I really enjoy it! Yoga is the only workout where if I go too ong (maybe 10 days) I start to really crave it and am not happy until I’ve finished a class. I do a lot of Tracy Anderson videos that have a music only option or an option to have her talk you through it – which gets really helpful when you are playing the DVD frequently!
Lilly
pancakesandbeetjuice.blogspot.com
It is often the start and getting back to the routine that is difficult. But just when you start choosing health and fitness again, you get addicted to it. Glad to hear you have finally decided to dust off the mat and get back to Yoga.
Wow! that bread looks interesting…very dark. There is a yoga studio literally next door to my house but I still can’t motivate myself to go to a class there…I know I always enjoy working out with other people more but it is so much easier to just do it at home 🙂
Dust of the mat, eat healthy, live well and love every moment of it. I have been at it for years now and it is working well for me (as expected). Choosing a healthy lifestyle is one of the best decisions I have made in my life. Loving it!