Light-skinned-ed Girl

WoYoPracMo Comes to an End

The month-long yoga challenge ends tomorrow and I'm not able to touch my toes.  When I started the month I felt enthusiastic and thought I was dedicated to achieving my goal.  I did challenge myself--my comfort level, my ability to do new poses--in those first couple of weeks.  But the last two weeks, I've put in the minimum amount of time for yoga each day.  That has meant sitting and breathing for ten minutes each day.  The first days were a challenge: the sitting still.  The last few days the challenge has been getting to the sitting.  How hard could it be to schedule ten minutes of breathing each day?  For me, very difficult.  I've learned a lot of about my own resistance.  I've learned that sitting and breathing actually feels good once I'm done.  I think I may even have strengthened the muscles in my lower back--just a little.  I'd like to get on track with some more power yoga sessions, but no pronouncements here.  But if there are results -- I promise to report back.  How did the challenge go for you?

Sparkpeople.com

I need a spark to get this fitness thing going.  So I went back to my nutritionist today and got a shock.  How did I get to weigh so much?  And I've been working out and been "good."  But now I am going to have to keep track.  So I joined Sparkpeople.  It's free --and it's a weight, food, fitness tracker.  Anybody want to join me?

WoYoPracMo: The Longest Challenge Ever

"Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured." ~B.K.S. Iyengar

I thought I would get to touch my toes by month's end by doing this challenge.  Instead, I am learning a lesson in how to be still, and how to slow down.  I don't like still and I don't like slow.  But I guess these ways of being are sometimes necessary.  I have been doing a ten-minute seated meditation for the last several days--not the power yoga I imagined I would.  Still, I feel like I am working new muscles, and maybe changing a little bit--my back doesn't ache as much and my legs flop open just a little more.  And then there is my mind--which has, at some miraculous moments, felt connected to my breath.  So connected that I felt like my body was a kite and if a strong wind came I could sail through the air.

WoYoPracMo Update

I am still doing the challenge, but not with the gusto of the first days.  For the last few days, the practice has been 10-15 minutes of poses OR breathing.  I noticed that I don't breathe very much while I move.  Not good.  I feel a little disappointed with myself in that I haven't carved out more time for the practice.  Tomorrow, I plan to do some power yoga with a Brian Kest DVD.  Hold me to it. And why is January such a long month.  There are still 16 days to go!

WoYoPracMo: day 9

I'm learning a good lesson about the power of consistency.  My ideal yoga practice --what I would call "real" yoga -- is a sweaty, difficult class/DVD that tortures the practioner for at least an hour preferably more.  But real yoga is actually imperfect.  It is as much my ten-minute meditation practice as it is my Power Yoga DVD.  Yoga is about consistency.  So far so good . . .

Too Many Challenges for the New Year

Maybe but maybe not.  The challenges keep me focused.  If I do this and this and this, I will reach my goal.  I like those kinds of challenges.  So I will do my best to keep showing up --yoga Day 5 check; pushups Week 3, Day 1, check; situps initial test (not so good) check; still sticking to the cardio/lifting plan and the good eating regime too.  And it's taking a lot of time, but it all feels worth it.  (I get to watch Party of 5 DVDs while on treadmill!  What could be better?)

A Year of Challenges

I am motivated by these challenges.  Maybe you are too.  So far so good on my WoYoPracMo--I've practiced yoga four days in a row.  I am on Week 3 of the Hundred Pushup Challenge again.  It's going pretty well.  I'm back up to 35 pushups in a row--and that's after a good workout.  But now, guys, I'm about to start another challenge that I just learned about: Two Hundred Sit-Ups Challenge.  Yes!  I'm going to get my four-pack back by 40!  Will anyone join me for this one?

Yoga Scares Me

It's Day 2 of WoYoPracMo and I'm wondering how I'm ever going to make it through the month.  I put in my Brian Kest Power Yoga DVD this morning thinking it was a 30-minute segment I was following.  Lo and behold it was one hour.  And although I thought I was going to die at minute 17, I did not die.  I continued to breath in and out--sometimes I gasped for air.  But I finished the darn DVD.  More tomorrow--that is, if I can move.

A New Year Challenge: WoYoPracMo

Happy New Year!  After bringing in the new year last night with amazing food (highlights of the tapas menu include: pumpkin soup, tuna sashimi, pan-seared chili lime shrimp, polenta with roasted tomato sauce and duck confit--all made by husband--who is now getting comfortable being called Chef), incredible wine, good friends and a rousing game of Apples to Apples, it's time to get back to work. 

One of my resolutions for this year--really the next six months--is to develop some flexibility.  Specifically, I want to be able to touch my toes.  I know.  It's sad that I can't.  Years of running and wearing those cute high heels while walking too far have taken a toll: intensely tight hamstrings and calves.

Yoga is going to change all that.  In order to get a consistent practice going, I've decided to do the WoYoPracMo Challenge: do yoga every day for the month of January!  This is what you need to know to do it too:

"The 'rules' are simple: practice yoga every day in January. Your practice can be as short as 10 minutes! If you accomplish this goal, you will be in the running for prizes. We are also looking into a way to add a practice dedication or charity pledge aspect to the endeavor, and will keep you posted."

Okay, everybody: downward dog!

I'm Unhappy with my Mii

It's not possible that over the course of two days my Mii (meaning me) has gained 4.2 pounds.  Especially when I have been working out and eating well on aforementioned two days.  So, I am mad at my Mii for letting herself go.  Me, on the other hand, is on the good foot now.  Back to my workouts and my Hundred Pushup challenge--no, I can't let it go until I achieve the goal.  I'm keeping my eye on the prize.  I've gone back to Week 1 (new version) even though at one point late summer I was up to 60 pushups (boy pushups) at a time.  Anyone want to join me in the challenge?  And there's January's challenge too.  Yoga every day for a month!  Everyone downward dog!  Maybe then, I'll be able to touch my toes.  And I will keep working out with my jiggly Mii on the Wii Fit--there is progress: got a high score on the hula hoop today.  Whoo-hoo.