i've finished seven days of "yoga month 2010: the en-sleek-ening." i'm really not sure what i think at this point. the classes themselves are great. the results? eh, mixed at best. i'm feeling a little stronger, and the poses are coming more easily, but i'm not sure it's translating to quantifiable weight loss (or qualitative toning/shaping/etc.). that's frustrating as hell, given all the work i've put in. but there are 23 more days to go, including today; there's time yet to improve.
physical improvement programs have always caused me angst and grief. first of all, it's annoying to be a girl-type person and lose weight. boys lose weight at a rate that's startling to me. my favorite sports blogger lost 50 pounds in 3 1/2 MONTHS. that is SO not fair. it took me damn near a year to lose the same amount of weight, doing largely the same sort of thing. grrr.
but biological gender difference aside, sigh, i think there's an inherent expectation among the high-achieving in the world that everything should come easily. i am SO guilty of this. i expect to be able to master anything i try quickly, largely because that's always been the way things have worked for me intellectually. (god, that sounds arrogant. but it's the truth.) but as much as i've achieved with my mind, i have struggled with sports, exercise regimens, etc. that kills me.
so this challenge is not only physical, it's attitude-related as well. i need to push to show myself that results can happen if i try hard enough. hell, i got into my dream grad program. i can sure as hell stick to an exercise regime. and i might even get something out of it as well. i hope, anyway.
Hello world!
8 months ago
Sounds like you're well on your way toward your goal. Never tried yoga, but I've heard good things.
ReplyDeletePersonal best weight loss: Call it 50 or so pounds in 13 weeks all while eating 5,000 calories a day. Of course I was at Parris Island at the time getting all kinds of good healthy exercise courtesy of the Marine Corps.
Good luck in the next 23 days!
GAAH. that's just way more exertion than i can wrap my brain around. i am officially impressed that you lived to tell the tale. this is why i think people who are a) willing and b) able to serve in the military are amazing beyond belief. i might hate war, but soldiers/sailors rock. :)
ReplyDeleteI am the same way. I have been able to master everything academic in record time, but physically, I may as well be a rock. I'm clumsy and weak and always short of breath...heh, I tip over if I look sideways on the treadmill!
ReplyDeleteI am on a weight loss quest myself - my husband lost 30 in 2.5 months. I lost... maybe 6 lbs in that same time? It really got to me but I had to relax into it. I know that as I improve my health and knowledge, I have more days that are healthier than not. And as that balance continues to tip, my weight is headed in the right direction. So step off the scale, get your head up, and rock on for 23 more days. 7 days is too short to notice anything. I'm a new follower, hope to read more soon!
ReplyDeletethanks for the encouragement! it's getting a little easier every day. having a brand new - and WAY more accurate - scale is helping too; the old one fluctuated wildly, which just made me insane. i knew intellectually that it was impossible to gain eight pounds in four hours, but that didn't help the "sticker shock" of seeing the numbers change!
ReplyDeleteglad you're a follower - thanks for that, too! :)
How am I just now seeing this?! You're doing a 30-day yoga challenge?! What kind of yoga? How are you feeling at this point??
ReplyDeleteAlso, this: "so this challenge is not only physical, it's attitude-related as well." Hate to say it, but looks like you're learning from the yoga already. :)
haha - learning is good, especially on day 16. :)
ReplyDeletethe classes are called "all level vinyasa flow," but they all seem to be ashtanga-based. i'm kind of a newbie, though, so don't quote me 100%. i am feeling pretty darn good, all things considered. i'm getting my old dancing flexibility back, which makes me VERY happy. i'm feeling stronger, which is fun. i'm actually seeing quantifiable scale results now, too, which only helps.
i'm so keeping this going after the 30 days, too. probably not every day, but as much as possible. this is fun!