Day Nine

I woke up today to another stellar Laguna Beach day, a full moon hanging heavy over the ocean and Amy’s nine-o’clock class.

Today is day nine of yoga and day three of the six day fruit fast.  This detox program also includes a colon cleansing formula which has the effect of--let’s just say that as I stood in class for the first four standing postures, I wondered whether I’d have to bolt out of the room and straight to the bathroom.  But I made it through class and was able to post another gold star onto the 30 day challenge board.

One of the students, Dave, is in a race to finish.  When I saw him in class this morning I asked him how it was going and he said, “I’m just eager to get this thing over with.  It takes time away from golf,” which makes me wonder why he’s in the challenge, but I’m sure he has his reasons.

As I stood in class wondering why I was doing this, I had that same feeling that I often have in a workout:  Okay, this part of the workout may be hard but the results are always worth it.

A good example is the six day fast that I’m participating in along with my sister who lives in Florida. I really didn’t think I could eat just fruit for the past few days.  My daughter and her boyfriend called me from a wonderful restaurant right down the street from our house and said, “Join us for dinner.”  I thought, oh great, what am I supposed to eat?  But I packed up my avocado (avocados are considered fruits) with lemon juice and sea salt, my colon cleansing cocktail and Kerry and I walked down the street and had a lovely night out.  I didn’t even salivate over my daughter’s steak dinner.  Now that it’s the end of day three, I’m starting to see what people are talking about when they say they start to feel light and not at all hungry a few days into a fast.  And the energy!  I feel alive, awake and alert.  I think that workouts are like that too.  If we’re willing to get through the uncomfortable parts, the results are always worth it.

Day Eight

I thought I was doing great on day two of the Six Day Fruit Fast until I pulled into the parking lot of the yoga studio tonight and saw a sweet little old man walking towards his car from the supermarket. He had purchased an extra large bag of Kettle brand potato chips.  I almost tackled him to the ground and fought like it was his life or mine for those chips.

This morning I woke up full of energy and couldn’t resist going on a (short) trail hike because it was such a gorgeous day.  It’s January in Laguna Beach and the temperatures were in the 80’s, the sky was cerulean blue and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.  I hiked up a hill called “I think I can” in El Moro state park and was rewarded with a majestic ocean view with a clear outline of Catalina Island in the distance.  Hiking by myself has always been my favorite meditation.

I felt light and free all day, not weighed down with heavy food since the fast only includes six days of fruit.  “I think this is the way to get rid of food cravings,” I told my husband, “because I’m not starving anymore like I was yesterday.”

Then I saw that nice little old man in the parking lot.  But I didn’t tackle him.  Instead, I unrolled my purple yoga mat and did 90 minutes of hot yoga with Melissa, yoga teacher extraordinaire who entertained us with a story about a woman who has a social network hash tag called #yogaeverydamnday.  I’ll have to check it out.

One more gold star and another good nights sleep is in order.

See you tomorrow!

Day Seven

Today was not only day seven of the Bikram Yoga 30 day challenge, it was day one of the 6-day Cleanse that my lovely sister, Monica in Florida talked me into doing.  Starting the new year, I knew I wanted to do something to make those jeans of mine fit better.  Who am I kidding?  I don’t even own a pair of jeans anymore because last years new years resolution was to clean out my overflowing closet, which I finally did in December.  After all, why do in January what I could put off for eleven months?

“We’ll do it together,” said my fit, attractive, glowing skin, yoga teacher sister who lives all the way on the East Coast where she can’t really check up on me.  “I did this fast a few years back and felt fantastic!”

I agreed and was up this morning, skipping coffee and making my distilled water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and Aloe Vera juice cocktail.  Starbucks ain’t got nothing on this cocktail.  The first thing I learned is that I’m addicted to caffeine. As my husband sat on the sofa with me as the sun was rising drinking his coffee while I drank my health cocktail, I wanted to tell him, “Stop talking so much!”  Such is the power of caffeine on most of us.

Morning yoga class was delightful, not too crowded and I feel like I’m getting a rhythm going.  I felt energized after class, drank my next health cocktail in the parking lot of the yoga studio, went home and spent the whole day eating vast quantities of fruit, since this is part of the cleanse.  Dinner was two avocados which I savored.  I never knew how great avocados, lemon juice and sea salt could taste.

It’s good to give the body a rest from time to time.  But not from yoga!  I’ll be back in class tomorrow for my next gold star.

Day Six

It was hot!

Saturday class in January is bound to be overcrowded.  Everyone has got their new year resolutions of diet and exercise.  I got to Marna’s 8am class with only five minutes to spare which meant that instead of my usual secret spot next to the back door with the ocean view, the coolest spot in the room, I ended up in the warmest part of the room.  All those hot bodies made it extra warm, but then again, that’s why we go to hot yoga.  The workout was great and I left happy.  Happy to get home and hop in the shower.

One more gold star on the board.

Day Five

There are a couple of students in our 30 day challenge who are in a frenzy to see who can be the first to finish the 30 classes, that is, before 30 days are up.  As we were in triangle pose, I found myself wondering what I would have to do to catch up.  Maybe I can wait until they’re close to 30 classes, then do four classes in one day and beat them.  It’s been awhile since I’ve been involved in competition for monetary purposes as I used to be when I was in sales.  Then, I was a fierce competitor and enjoyed the financial rewards and friendly competition amongst the sales reps.  But in the yoga studio?  Yes, I suppose I’m still having these kinds of competitive thoughts.  I’m trying to decide if these thoughts are good, bad or indifferent.

As I thought about what I wanted to report for day number five, I logged into Facebook and one of my friends had posted this.  I think I’ll go to bed now and ponder these words:

Day Four

I pulled into the parking lot for nine-o’clock class just as Dave was getting out of his car.

“Man, is it really only day four?” he asked.  “I don’t remember it being this hard last year.  Did you think it was extra hot in class yesterday?”

Dave completed the 30 day challenge in about 20-some days last year by doubling up on classes to get the thing done early.  Trish was right behind him and the two were treating this challenge like a competition.  In fact, when Trish found out that I’d done three classes on the first day of the challenge, she was extra interested in how many classes I would be doing on day two.  “Only one,” I said.

Pacing is important.  Unless you have absolutely no life (which I’ve been accused of) and are able to spend the entire day in the yoga studio, it’s probably a good idea to stop and smell the roses and make the most out of 30 days of yoga, which is a pretty awesome accomplishment.  I personally felt like I’d overdone it yesterday with my eight mile hike and then the 90 minute hot yoga class.  And I’ve never overdone it before.  Yeah, right.

So, I decided that I’m going to enjoy this challenge and with that thought in mind, as I left the studio today, the owner said, “Hey Jen, for those interested, we’re extending the challenge to 60 days.”

No rest for the weary.

See you all tomorrow!

Day Three

When am I going to learn to not trust Rico?  Rico is my favorite training partner and we like to meet every Wednesday morning for a trail hike.  What I thought would be a nice easy hour and a half hike turned into a grueling three hours of steep uphill climbing followed by some pretty spectacular ocean views and steep downhill.  Would I ever complain to Rico?  No, I wait until I get home and then blog about it to the world.

After the hike, I rubbed my sore feet, then headed off to my fifth 90 minute hot yoga class in three days.  The room felt delightfully warm and soothing on more sore back and muscles even though had it not been for the challenge I probably would’ve been home relaxing.

When I came home, Surfer Boy had prepared a mouth watering salad made from local organic vegetables and grass-fed ground sirloin which he says we need to improve our hemoglobin or some such technicality.  I don't care what it does, I devoured every tasty morsel.

I think I’ll head off to bed now and dream of luscious hot fudge sundaes, something that is not on my 30 day yoga challenge diet.

See you tomorrow!

Authors Note:  The hike was pretty damn awesome.