My yoga journey

So yesterday I realized that I first started practicing yoga about 10 years ago! I used a Denise Austin yoga DVD a couple times a week to try to get in shape after gaining weight at my first desk job. I remember how much I despised Denise and her super peppy personality asking me to do crazy hard things and acting like it was no big deal. I actually still have the DVD! Unfortunately I got bored with it after a while since it was the same thing every time. Over the years since then I took an occasional class here and there probably averaging once a month at best. And I wondered why I never got any better!

Then this past October I found myself with some extra time on my hands and a painful foot injury that wouldn't allow me to run or jump. I decided to try upping my yoga sessions to three times a week. Within a few sessions my foot got better (even though it hadn't improved after five weeks of rest) and I was hooked. I can't always take classes three times a week now but I've gotten to the point where I can pretty much make up my own class, which usually devolves into head/handstand practice.

Speaking of which, I think that was the other thing that really got me pumped on yoga. Once I discovered inversions and arm balances, yoga became fun! I had tried crow pose over the years and failed miserably every time, but that was the only arm balance I had ever been exposed to. Certainly no headstands or handstands!

I know you might be thinking "I'm not flexible enough for yoga." But I have news for you, you are the exact person who should do yoga! Yoga isn't for flexible people (well, they can do it too if they want to), it's for people who want to become flexible. Regular yoga practice will increase flexibility which is great for people who sit all day and/or do workouts that make them tight. In fact, it's my cheater way to get my stretching in after a run or CrossFit since I really don't like stretching. Somehow when you call it yoga it becomes more interesting and I tend to spend more time doing it.

Day 44
Breakfast:
oatmeal, strawberries, banana

Snack:
Feel Good Hearty Granola Bar

Lunch:
Spicy Lentil Wrap with Tahini Sauce from Trader Joe's

Snack:
Feel Good Hearty Granola Bar
baby carrots
almonds

Dinner:
Antioxidant Warm Quinoa Bowl
Raw Lasagna

Exercise:
1 mile run
yoga