Yoga in Phuket

Day 30!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Goal Accomplished!!!!

2009-05-15T05:11:00.000-07:00

I just got back from my 30th class of yoga in 30 days! Wow.

I feel great. I am so happy.

Louie is taking me out to dinner tonight for vegetarian sushi!!!

Day 29 - Vanishing Pains

2009-05-14T05:08:00.000-07:00

I was just reading back at mt Day 2 post. In it I list EVERYTHING that was "wrong" with me back then. It's amazing how much my body has improved in just a month.

That pain in my inner left thigh completely vanished.

My abs are strong and I have wonderful body control now.

The pain in my left toes is completely gone.

My coughing vanished.

My mind and emotions have calmed down immensely.

I have one more day to go...

Will I make it?

Day 28 - Healing Around My Knees

2009-05-13T04:57:00.000-07:00

Govert, my teacher at Kata Hot Yoga, pulled me aside after class today. He said that He noticed that I have started to drift away in class. He said he could tell that I was on auto pilot.

He was right. With just 2 days left I am in a space of "being done" with going to yoga every day.

Despite all this "mindlessness," I did have a great class today. I did great in the fixed-firm pose. This was the first day that I was able to have my knees be together in the posture. Usually I have to keep my knees apart to deal with the pain in my knees. But obviously my knees have healed. Yay!

Day 27 - Flexible

2009-05-12T05:26:00.000-07:00

I did great today in class. I was able to do all the postures with ease.

My upper thighs and pelvis are this not so flexible, but I did very well.

Day 26 - My First "Sick" Day

2009-05-11T05:03:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day that I actually got dizzy and had difficulty breathing during class. It's funny with all these days of physical exertion and no discomfort until today.

Despite the discomfort it was a great class, I moved through the postures with ease.

Day 25 - Final Stretch

2009-05-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

I went to the 8AM class today. My body was all stiff. I usually go to the 5PM class and so my body has had time to warm up.

I only have 5 more classes to go. Wow.

The pain in my inner thigh has completely gone away. I rarely cough anymore.

Lots of improvements in just 25 days.

Day 24 - Tired Girl

2009-05-09T03:05:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to feel sluggish again and not wanting to go to class. But I go and then I make it through.

I'm just really tired today.

But all in all, I'm glad I did this challenge.

Day 23 - Only A Week To Go...

2009-05-09T03:03:00.000-07:00

I found that my left side was very weak during yoga. I was having trouble keeping my balance.

All in all it was a good class. I can't believe I only have a week to go. Amazing.

Day 22 - Yoga is Nourishment

2009-05-07T07:12:00.000-07:00

I really can't believe that it is Day 22 of my yoga challenge. I have gotten myself in such a groove that it doesn't even feel difficult to go anymore.

If anything it feels like nourishment.

Day 21 - Healing From Yoga

2009-05-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

Doing yoga for the past 21 days has been a healing journey.

Things that used to upset me no longer upset me. It's amazing.

My mind is calm. My emotions are calm. I am more focused and steady mentally and emotionally.

I feel like I am being healed from within.

Day 20 - Still Truckin'

2009-05-05T08:26:00.001-07:00

Not much to say. Still truckin' along. 2/3 of the way through.

Day 19 - Proud of Myself

2009-05-04T05:17:00.000-07:00

I just have to say that I am so proud of myself. I can't believe I have come this far.

I love doing yoga every day. It feels great.

I was experiencing a lot of numbness in my left leg today. I'm still not sure why I am experiencing that.

Day 18 - Sleeping More Than Usual

2009-05-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

I've been sleeping a lot more than I usually do.

These are very intense workouts, maybe I just need the extra rest.

I'm going through another one of those, "I just want to take a day off" kind of days.

But you know what? Once I go, all the resistance falls away, and I feel amazing afterward.

Day 17 - Forgiving

2009-05-02T04:54:00.000-07:00

There is still a lot of tightness in my upper thighs and my hips.

Doing all this yoga is helping me to be more forgiving. With myself and others.

Day 16 - Strong Legs and Abdomen

2009-05-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

My legs are getting so strong. When I first started this challenge my legs were so weak and mushy. They are getting so firm and toned.

My abdominal area is getting so strong too. Yay!

My left knee is still giving me a trouble during the class, but I just do the best I can without pushing it.

Louie came with me today. We finished class with fresh coconut juice. Yummy.

Day 15 - I'm Half Way Done

2009-04-30T03:01:00.000-07:00

I did it! I'm half way through my 30 day challenge!

I'm feeling great. It feels like my lungs have doubled in size since I started. I can take the deepest breaths I have ever taken in my life. It's amazing.

Oh, and on a very personal note...this may be a little TMI, but all the problems I have had with constipation have virtually disappeared. I am soooooooo regular. Ahhhhhhh....

Day 14 - Early AM Class

2009-04-29T18:11:00.001-07:00

I went to the AM class today.

Now that I have not been pushing myself so hard I am feeling a lot better physically.

My knees are feeling better and so is my left inner thigh.

I think my body is now adjusting to the daily yoga schedule.

I find that that I am feeling stronger physically, but emotionally as well. I am much more in control of my emotions. Before starting the yoga I had a tendency to overreact emotionally to certain situations. But lately I find that I am much more in control.

Day 13 - I'm Not A Pretzel - And I'm Ok With That

2009-04-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling much better today.

I think my struggle was that I was just pushing myself in the postures too hard. I was trying to be a yoga superstar. But, hey, I've just been doing this yoga for two weeks! I can't expect to turn myself into a pretzel overnight. Geez.

So I've been taking it easier in class and it feels much better. My knees are a lot happier. I need to be easy on them.

Day 12 - CRANKY as HELL

2009-04-27T07:30:00.000-07:00

Arg. Day 12. It's not bliss anymore. I'm sore all over. The parts of my body that were bugging me before yoga (my inner left thigh, middle back, and knees) hurt like CRAZY. It's like there is a magnifying glass focused on my pain. Or is it maybe I just have heightened awareness. Either way...ARG!

I really want to push through whatever this is. But my mind and my body are yelling at me, "ARE YOU CRAZY!"

Yoga can't hurt me. I don't know what all of this is about. But I will continue on. Hopefully I will not die. :)

Day 11 - Starting to Experience Resistance

2009-04-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

All along my body was feeling great, but ow I have started to experience pains and aches in my body. Maybe I am pushing myself to hard in class. I don't think I am. Whenever I feel any discomfort in class I do not push it.

The pain in my left leg started to increase. This is the same pain that I started the class with. It feels like a pinched nerve or some sort of pulled ligament. Not sure. But it is uncomfortable.

I'm feeling quite tired lately.

My mental clarity is increasing and my ability to forgive is astounding.

If I didn't commit to this 30 day challenge, I would not want to go to yoga today. There is an urge just to stay in bed.

This 30 challenge is NOT easy.

The teachers keep saying, "Mind over matter", as part of out class instruction.

That is what this challenge is teaching me...Mind Over Matter.

Day 10 - One Third Complete with Challenge

2009-04-25T05:17:00.000-07:00

Gosh. I can't believe that I made it ten days already. 10 days of yoga in Thailand! Today was the first day that I actually didn't want to go. I wanted to stay home and relax. Thank God I'm in the habit now. The habit of going made me go.

My left knee is bothering me a bit so I have to take it easy with postures that affect it.

I ended a class with fresh coconut juice. Mmmmmmmm.

Day 9 - Cobra Pose Success

2009-04-24T05:18:00.000-07:00

I had a great yoga class today. I was able to use my back strength to pull myself up in the cobra pose! Amazing. Wow. My flexibility is really improving.

My posture is improving.

I smile more!

Day 8 - Squeezing Away Emotions

2009-04-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

I had two emotional releases in yoga class for the past two days. Tears welled up in my eyes. I was a little embarrassed that I cried a little. I've heard that it is normal to have emotional releases sometimes in yoga. It's like all old feelings that have been stored in my body are being squeezed away.

Day 7 - One Full Week of Yoga

2009-04-22T05:11:00.000-07:00

I made it! One full week of Hot Yoga. Ahhhhh....oh....just 23 more days to go.

I actually did really well in class today. It flew by really fast and I didn't sweat so much like I normally do.

My left leg is still weak and I still have that slight pain in my inner left thigh.

My core muscles are getting stronger.

Day 6 - Having Yoga Success with the Triangle Pose

2009-04-21T05:48:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning very sore. I working so many new muscles! If we want to get mathematical I have completed 1/5 of my 30 day yoga challenge.

Even though my left leg is still very weak I was able to do many of the poses with ease and grace today. I have been struggling with the Triangle Pose, but today I was able to do it easily. A couple of days ago Rich told me to move my legs in closer and ever since he told me to do that I have been able to do it without grimacing!

I find that my mind is still VERY restless in class. I think about everything in my life. I would like my mind to calm down.

Day 5 of my "yoga retreat"

2009-04-20T00:50:00.000-07:00

I went to the morning class at Kata Hot Yoga. I can't believe it's day five already of my yoga challenge.

I can see that my left leg is much more weak than my right leg. I fall out of some postures when I have to balance on my left leg. But then I just get back into the posture.

The range of motion in my neck is improving. I have been sleeping better at night.

Day 4 - Beautiful Yoga in Thailand

2009-04-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

I went to the evening class at Kata Hot Yoga. The instructor named Rich taught the class. Govert has taught all my other classes. They are both GREAT instructors.

I was in my head a lot during the class today. I couldn't stop thinking. At one point Rich said, "This side of the room needs to start listening." I was on THAT side of the room!

So far have a lot of energy from the classes. I find that I am eating a little more than usual. But I find that I am attracted to only healthy foods.

Day 4 - I did TWO yoga classes yesterday!

2009-04-19T00:29:00.000-07:00

OMG. I did two hot yoga classes yesterday. I don't think I will do that again for a while. By the end of the second session I felt like my arms weighed 400 pounds each.

But I made it out alive. No one ever dies in yoga class.

I woke up this morning feeling kind of sore.

Kata beach had beautiful waves today. Ahhhhh...sunshine.

Day 3 - Yoga Class in the Morning

2009-04-17T20:16:00.001-07:00

I went to the morning yoga class at 8AM. My flexibility is already improving. I sweat like crazy! But it feels so good.

I noticed more things about my body today. One thing that I failed to mention in my last post was that I have been very sick for the last month with lung problems. I have a weird pain in the bottom part of my left lung. I have also had a strange tightness in my throat that makes me choke and cough. Since doing the yoga for the past three days I have noticed an improvement in my throat area.

My left inner thigh still has that weird sensation. My left side is definitely weaker than my right side when I do all the positions. I'm doing all the poses, but I'm being careful with my left thigh.

Phuket is beautiful today. Nice and sunny.

Day 2 - Noticing What Is "Off"

2009-04-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

The session today at Kata Hot Yoga was great. I really got in tune with my body. I got to notice all the things that are "off."

I'm going to document all of this so that I can see if I notice any improvement in my physical, mental and emotional parts of myself by doing the yoga.

First off, I have a very strange pain in my left inside thigh. It feels like a pinched nerve or something. I causes numbness down my leg sometimes.

Second, my abs are sooooo weak. I have a mini "muffin top" that hangs over my pants. Some may call it a "pooch." Some may call it tummy fat. In any case, my stomach definitely needs some strengthening and toning.

Third, my mind is going a mile a minute, thinking about everything under the sun. Arg. Yesterday, on my first day of the yoga challenge, my mind was even more agitated.

Fourth, I have a pain in my left big toe. It has been there for over a month now. Now sure what it is.

Fifth, the muscles in my arms and legs are non-existent. My arms are very "mushy." My upper thighs are not toned like they used to be when I would bicycle everyday. I find them to be "squishy."

Sixth, lately I have been an emotional mess! Living in a new country far away from home has caused me to have some culture shock. I cry a lot. I have also been getting angry a lot lately too.

Ok. So these are the things I have presently noticed about myself. Let's see if the yoga will transform any of this stuff.

My plan is to do this yoga for 30 days everyday. This is a goal that I have wanted to accomplish for over a year now. Wish me luck!

Day 1 - Starting My Yoga Challenge

2009-04-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

It was great. I went to the Kata Hot Yoga which is right next door to my apartment here in Kata. I’ve done Bikram style yoga before so I knew what it was going to be like…..difficult and sweaty! The class went great.

I really want to see if I can do one class of yoga every day for the next 30 days. I think I can…I think I can…I think I can…