Pilates Faux-Pas?

I LOVE yoga and pilates.  I get way into the "zen" thing and work on my breathing and relaxation in class.  I especially love it after a stressful day or week at work.  Yoga makes me feel calm and helps clear my  head.  Last week, I worked four 12's in a row and could not WAIT to go to class.  Well, yoga sure failed me this week.

I really appreciate and admire the men who come to class and put in the effort.  Yoga is hard for men as they are less flexible and not used to contorting their bodies into certain positions.  Some men, certainly are not made for yoga.  It never fails that there is some "big burly guy" in class who cannot even get his hands down to his shins let alone touch the floor.  Again, I admire that man in class because at least he is trying.  HOWEVER, when I have had a long week of work and want to relax and stretch in my yoga class I do not admire or appreciate "the big burly man" who cannot touch his toes because inevitably some gas will be passed by said man.

For example, last week, I'm in class slowly reaching a "zen like" mentality.  We're about halfway through class and about to move into downward facing dog from the cobra pose.  Quickly, cobra is lying on your belly and lifting your upper half and arching back.  You then lower and put your ass up in the air for downward facing dog (please google the poses if you want a visual. It's good).  Anyway, I'm facedown after coming out of cobra and pushing up to downward facing dog when the "big burly man" two people down FARTS!  Now, people fart sort of frequently in yoga.  But usally it's a little pff...  This guy, however, truly farted out loud for at least the back half of the room to hear.  Not only does he fart, but he also goes "ope, sorry!" My immaturity does not allow me to not laugh. In fact, I laugh so hard I have to come down out of the pose because my arms are giving out on me.  I don't know if it was the stress of the week that made me crack a little or the the impeccable timing of farting while forcing your ass up into the air that got me.  Either way, it was a good 2 minutes before I could control myself.  Laughing in yoga is like laughing in church.  You're not supposed to do it, so it makes it harder to stop.  My "zen like state" was ruined but it still makes me laugh when I think about it.  The embarrassment of that man must of been tremendous.

NOW ONTO THE GOOD ONE:

I'm in the pilates/yoga fusion class because it's the only one I can make it to after work.  I'd rather go to only straight yoga but I have to make compromises due to my schedule.  Yoga/pilates is usually all women and that day it was as well.  I pick up my mat and choose to sit next to two women who appear to have been here before because they are stretching and their flexibility looks good.  They are both probably in their thirties.  Again, we are moving through class and I'm happily thinking that the class was just what I needed after the hellish day at work.  I'm also getting excited because we are moving onto crow pose and I have not been able to balance in it yet.  Crow pose is where you place your calves on your elbows and balance on your wrists and arms in somewhat of a tripod.  Previously, I have not been able to hold it.  Today, however, I get in crow pose and am able to hold it.  As I am silently congratulating myself in my head, I notice that the woman one person away from me is also doing great in the pose (it's quite natural to check out other peoples moves in yoga and pilates.  It's one big competition between females if you ask me).  Anyway, her friend who is next to me, states something like, "I'm so impressed you can do that so easily. I'm not even close..."  AND THEN the women in crow pose tips forward a little bit and HER FAKE BOOB FALLS OUT OF HER WORKOUT TOPS AND ROLLS AWAY FROM HER!!!  The women, shocked, says "oh shit" and gets out of the pose and has to crawl a little to retrieve the fake boob and then hides it under her towel!  Thank god we were in the first row or it would have rolled into the row in front of us.  Naturally, I about die laughing.  This is even better than the fart.  I can't even attempt to move into any pose because I can't calm myself down.  The two women friends are also laughing uncontrollably but silently.  The three of us up there look like we were having some kind of convulsions because laughing really hard but silently makes your whole body shake.  It was absolutely top-notch the funniest thing.  I had tears running down my face so hard that my nose also started to run.  While this is all very funny, and I am super excited I got to witness it, I can't help but wonder.....  who in their right mind wears fake boob cutlets in their sports bra to work out?!  I cannot imagine having silicone and rubber up against me while working out.  No wonder it slipped out!  I'm sure the things start a slippin' and sliden' once you get sweaty.  I wonder if she's ever looked up in the mirror to see her "boobs" have shifted around and no longer make sense?  She must have a major insecurity when it comes to her chest so in a way I do feel bad, but in no way to do I feel bad enough that I didn't tell everyone who would listen about it and am writing it on here.  Oops...  Good times at the glamour gym.

Bar Method

I started The Bar Method this week in Boulder.  Bar Method is a mix of ballet moves and pilates.  All the movements are tiny.  For example, it's always raise your arm "an inch" or pulse your legs "one inch".  So, these small isometric movements, are supposed to produce big results.  Honestly, it is THE HARDEST work out class I have gone to.  Afterwards, I LOVE IT.  During, I cuss myself out for having signed up for some allowable form of torture.  Nothing has made my legs and arms burn that badly since I was doing hardcore gymnastics conditioning.  Literally, during the leg and thigh segment, your legs either shake so bad, or burn so badly that I get goosebumps all up and down my arms and feel like I'm going to poop myself.  It's wonderful and horrible at the same time.  I keep going back though.  I've gone to three classes, three days in a row, and tomorrow will be my fourth in as many days.  I'm so glad I signed up to do it.  It keeps me busy and it's a new way to get in a good calorie burn without plugging away on cardio equipment.  Plus, it does not irritate my foot as the instructors are great about getting to know you.  I have had all three instructors that work there and they all know that I had foot surgery so they give me modifications in class without me having to ask.  I still can't hold the leg or arm segments for the entire time so I look forward to improving.  I'm excited to go back tomorrow morning even though I am going to be in class wondering why the hell I signed up to come in and work out at 8 am on a Saturday. 

My energy and annoyingly positive outlook on life are also improving as my workouts and fitness levels improve.  It's so funny how the two are directly connected.  It makes no sense that exertion in a work out gives you energy later on but it truly does.  I bop around the ER all day and don't really get tired like I used to.  I can also stay in a good mood even when we are extremely busy and I hardly have time to breathe.  I also make sure I eat though.  I am trying to be conscious of what and how much I consume but also how often I eat.  I don't want to tank my metabolism.  It's certainly an effort but it's an effort that is well worth it.  Confidence for me comes with how I look and feel about myself.  Continuing to work out and shape up is doing great things for my mental health and confidence.  I know it's only been three weeks but I feel an improvement.  I may even strut a little more.  haha  Regardless, working out and improving myself not just physically but mentally as well makes me happy.

I also found a really great peanut butter and banana shake.  Here is the recipe:

1 banana sliced up
1 cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk. Less calories and almost no fat)
1/2 cup non fat plain greek yogurt
2 tbsp all natural peanut butter

I blend the milk and banana first and then add the yogurt and peanut butter.  It's really easy, really tasty, and keeps you full for awhile.  Oh yea, I also had a little squirt of agave nectar to sweeten it just a touch.  I could drink like four or five of these but really even 8 ounces is too much, so I drink about 4 ounces which is a solid 320-ish calories which is great for a breakfast.

I had a bad day last week.  It was a "hungry day" where I just could not seem to get full off of anything I ate.  This is embarrassing but I literally ate two weight watchers ice cream treats, some skittles and starburst left over from halloween (yes! Halloween from 6 months ago! ugh!) I also ate skittles at work.  OH yea, I also ate premade cookie dough.  It was a BAD day.  I've been really good since that day but I sort of exploding with wanting sweets.  I blame it on my period.  Anyway, I've recouped nicely and try not to be too hard on myself about it.  I'm at 134.2.  Almost 8 pounds down.  I bought shorts that are a size 6 from American Eagle that are actually a little bit too big.  The 4's were too tight on my thighs though (no shocker there).  Anyway, it makes me quite happy because I have not work a size 6 from AE since I was in high school!

Let the improving continue!  I'm on my way to the gym to try out a few new workouts that should help strengthen back up my weak leg and foot.