28 Day TransFORMation Challenge

A couple of weeks ago, I went to a nutrition workshop at the yoga studio I'm a member of. My co-worker mentioned it to me, and it was the little push I needed to go. I have often struggled with lots of stomach issues, and have suspected numerous food allergies, but anyone who knows me, knows I will avoid the doctor at all costs.

The reset plan is loosely based on Whole 30 for those who are familiar for that, except this isn't meant to be long term plan, but more of a reset for your body. I've often wanted to try to remove the various "triggers" that I suspected were making me feel like crap and reintroduce them to see how it makes me feel, but let's face it, I have zero will power with food. I'm hoping that with the community of folks that are doing this (plus Kyle being on board!) I'll be able to stick with it and get some answers about what is causing my stomach to revolt.

So starting today, I'm saying goodbye to dairy (insert open sobs here), grains, sugar, and artificial sweeteners for the next 28 days. The first three weeks will be without legumes, as lesser folks have issues and sensitivities with these, the first two weeks without alcohol, only adding in clear alcohol with soda after that (good bye delicious beers), and caffeine for the first week. At each re-introduction of a food group back in the diet, we're advised to journal how it makes us feel.

It's going to be incredibly hard. Apparently must people want to commit murder by day three. But after that it gets easier.

Wish me luck! And if you bring sweet treats into the breakroom over the next month, I might unfriend you! :) jk... kinda.

Aramco Houston Half Marathon Training Week 9

This was another week where yoga and the yoga challenge progress took precedence over running. Oops. jk, I won't apologize, it's way more fun lately.

Monday I went to a gentle vinyasa class.

Tuesday I doubled up and went to a power vinyasa class at 5:30am, worked, and then went to a hot yoga class at night.

I hydrated like a champ all day so I didn't faint in hot yoga. Win.

On Friday, I got up at 4:45am on my birthday to go to yoga sculpt (my least favorite class, aka the one that's probably the best for me). The instructor wished me a happy birthday and then announced to everyone during class that they could thank me for the birthday burpees. Update: I'm still sore from this class 48+ hours later. Woof. I also hit my 15th class of the yoga challenge. Wahoo!

I didn't sleep well the night of my birthday, and was still SO SORE on Saturday that I didn't go to my favorite power vinyasa class. :(Sunday I met Emily for hot yoga in the morning. After two classes, I feel like I can say that hot yoga is not my cup of tea. Luckily I only had to attend two to complete the yoga challenge. Check and check.

I went to my final yoga sculpt class for the challenge later in the afternoon. Even though it corresponded with the Packers game. They must've flexed the game time, because my calendar said noon. Grumble grumble. I watched it on delay and it saved me from going to a 5:30am Monday morning class, so it was totally worth it. And it finally loosened up some of my extreme soreness from Friday's yoga sculpt class. Woof. 

Aramco Houston Half Marathon Training Week 8

Monday started with gentle vinyasa yoga, where we focused on tree and airplane poses.

I worked late for a co-worker on Tuesday night, so I got to sneak in another morning power vinyasa class. This was the first class that I had pruney fingers after I sweat so much.

Wednesday I took a rest day to celebrate Kyle and my 3 year anniversary. And Thursday I got out of bed at 5am to head to another power vinyasa class. I was able to get side crow for milliseconds on each side. Yayzies.

Saturday I went to yet another power vinyasa class (can you tell which yoga class is my favorite??) and the Christmas music in savasana inspired me to find this sweet elf on the shelf yoga pic.

Yesssssssss.

Sunday I went to yet another power vinyasa yoga class and met my co-worker/friend Emily there. Which is great, because it means I had a witness to view me doing crow successfully! Wahoo!!

So yet another week with zero miles ran, and houston half is in four weeks? three weeks? Should be fun... :/ 

Yoga Studio Challenge

I was finally thinking that I needed to get to work on half marathon training as the Houston half is just next month. (eeps!) And then the yoga studio I go to announced a challenge. And I was all over it! So I guess I'll just run when I have time, or something. 

The challenge is to attend 15 yoga classes throughout the month to be entered into a drawing for a $200 gift card, or a free two month membership. Um... yes please! You have to attend two vinyasa classes, two sculpt classes, two hot classes, and one restorative class. Sculpt kills me dead and hot usually makes me faint, so those will be a challenge, but I'm excited to try some new things. (I've also started attending a barre class on Tuesday nights, and I really enjoy that, so I hope to keep that in the rotation!)

This past week was a crazy weird work week so I couldn't go to my normal classes, so I didn't get the first star on my tree until Saturday! Luckily I have 17 classes on the agenda for the rest of the month, and opportunities to get in an additional 5:30am class on days that have restorative or gentle vinyasa if I'm crazy enough to double up on a week day. We'll see.

What's your favorite yoga style?

I'd go to a power vinyasa class everyday if I could fit it in my schedule!

Aramco Houston Half Marathon Training Weeks 3 and 4

Monday morning started the way I prefer, with gentle vinyasa yoga. This is my favorite class each week, because the instructor is amazing and I learn so much. She goes through many common vinyasa poses and preaches form corrections and common errors throughout. I always learning something new, and I love that.

Tuesday I had the day off due to Veteran's Day so I treated myself to an ass kicking Power Vinyasa class. I won the sweatiest yogi award, per usual.

I had a really rough week stress wise, so despite my best efforts, I did nothing Wednesday through Saturday. My sleep schedule was all messed up, and I've been having some serious stomach issues, probably due to stress. Blech.

I jumped on the treadmill for a run on Sunday and made it one mile before I called it quits.

I went to a restorative yoga class later in the evening, and that worked to hit my reset button a little bit.

Monday morning I went to my beloved gentle vinyasa class and learned a lot about twists. It was amazing.

Tuesday I opted to forgo Power Vinyasa to work on my NaNoWriMo novel. I got caught up on my word count, but I missed going to class. 

Wednesday night Kyle magically got a night off from work, so a date night was far more important than working out, obvs. 

Thursday and Friday were super cold and no classes fit my schedule so I was lazy.

But Saturday, yay Saturday! After much convincing I got Kyle to come with me to a power vinyasa yoga class and he did awesome. I told him he couldn't look at any other fab yogi booties, and I'm sure he listened. :P

Later in the day I headed downtown for the 605 Running Co. group Beer run. It was a blast and go figure, I ended up winning a gift card for the store after I had purchased two new shirts before the group run. I guess I'll have to wait for some new Oiselle stuff to come in to splurge. :)

So despite this saying weeks 3 and 4 of half marathon training, clearly I'm still focusing more on strengthening and stretching muscles that have caused me to have injury issues. I am feeling stronger and able to maintain good form for longer, but I feel like my endurance is starting to suffer. Hopefully it won't take too long to get back on track!