Sunday, April 27, 2008

Day 22: How's that body? Part 2.

Hello again! Sunday - ah, the day of rest has never had quite this level of meaning to me. I started off at the spa right as it opened at 8 a.m. - I was super tired this morning and had a headache, wanted a bath but was too lazy to run one. So, I have me a spa punch-card that allows me to use the spa 10 days (non-consecutive) for $150, so $15 a pop. Every weekend now I go, hang out in the sauna, steam room, hot tub and then study dialogue in the (delightfully serene) lounge while eating cookies and drinking berry tea, wearing a fluffy bathrobe and being attended to if I need anything. Had brunch with the posse, and then sat by the pool studying more dialogue, working on my tan, swimming and drinking up my virgin pina colada. (Which, by the way, initially showed up with alcohol in it! I sent it right back. I am a good little trainee. No rule breakin' here).

Did you know that we do have rules? No alcohol, no drugs, no sex (apparently, pregnancies have occurred at training in the past). And I added, "no sugar during the week." It's ok though, I think I would die if I were drinking any alcohol while doing this. Good lord.

So, here's my second rundown on the body and how it's holding up. I have a theory, as it seems the men and super skinny girls are the ones struggling. I wonder if those who've been blessed (as I see it) with a banner metabolism just are working too hard, sweating too much, etc. for their bodies to keep up with them. I don't know, but I'm wondering if my pokey metabolism is for once better than that of the blessed skinny people. I've lost no weight, as of weighing in this morning, though I have lost a few inches (!!!) mainly around my shoulders/chest, sadly, my boobs, and a tiny bit here and there throughout my body. Of course, none off the waist or hips, of course not. ;)

I'm not unhappy though. I've let go of weight loss as a big goal here, because really, everything I'm doing is working. My little sacs of pills are taken like religion (electrolytes, calcium, multi-vit, B, tumeric, potassium and glucosine); I've found food combos that work for me - I have enough energy to keep up, and the ...er...elimination systems are on a clock that shockingly resembles a train schedule in Europe - like, nearly to the minute. Good stuff, my body is giving me, so I'm just going to let it be and do what it wants.

What is true is I feel strong, a little bit Mighty Mouse, little bit Tough Girl. Seriously, the strength difference in my legs, upper body and core (I guess that's the whole thing, huh?) is pretty cool and amazing how in some postures, I can just come up now because I have some power! I used to stumble out of Triangle and Standing Separate Head to Knee Stretching, now I just (bloop!) come up! It's so cool. I can't complain, and I'm being positive and believing I will stay strong, healthy and (relatively speaking) happy. Fine, silly pounds, stay on my hips - whatever you need to do for me. I do think I lost inches and gained some muscle, which would explain no change in weight. What'ev. I'm doing good!

Here's the rest of my rundown by posture, at the 1/3 mark:

Savasana: Boy, I am sooooooooooooo amazing at this posture! ;) You should see it!
Wind-Removing: I am super consciously putting my elbows lower around my legs when both legs are up and it feels really different; my back feels super flat in comparison to before. I'm continuing to focus on this.
Cobra: Coming up pretty well, I can feel my lower back strength in this one. Still working on ditching pressure in the hands, which c'mon, everyone has a bit of, and I don't feel like I'm using my hands really too much, still, I'd like to get all pressure out!
Locust: Oh man, I had one day where I came up and nearly crapped myself (but didn't, because it wasn't time, as my system is on a tight schedule people!). My legs were off my hips in a way I have not experienced before. Now, I'm chasing that high.
Full Locust: I'm feeling much more open in this, but my boobs still look so close to the floor. Continued effort.
Floor Bow: Just fine, working on bringing knees closer together so I can be that 2 wheels in one well.
Fixed Firm: Fine, always has been.
Half-Tortoise: Good, now, my forehead always touches with the floor before my hands, it's so much easier than it once was, when that was a rarity. Just working to keep my arms/shoulders super engaged in this one, because it's so easy to relax :)
Camel: My gawd, do I love Camel! It's going great, I love it so much - I am working super hard to really keep an honest grip, and push push push those hips more forward. My eyes are really low now, and often I see my own mat! This one (especially) is really never done, so I'm going to just keep going and going and going...
Rabbit: I see so much more...light! I recommited to this posture a bit before I left to come here, and am super focused on my middle back rounding up...or, perhaps the fact that it is not rounding up. I struggle with the grip due to wide hips and hyper-extending elbows, so I'm also working to keep an honest grip here too.
Separate-Leg Head-to-Knee Stretching: I mostly need to work on being inspired in this one, I'm so pooped at this point. Still, trying to get my elbows on the floor while my forehead is on the knee, and it's like playing whack-a-mole at the county fair. Fix one, the other is wrong, fix that, then the first one slips. Oy. And with two legs, flat back flat back flat back...knees are locked, but working on (again) flat back and knees locked and elbows down and not grimacing due to the searing pain behind my thighs!!!
Spine Twist: Oh, I heart thee. I really love this posture and it's a good one for me. Just working to always be true to form, but overall, it's nice to me :)
Final Breathing: Love it, keeping up and happy with this.

p.s. Just as I finished this post, we had a little earthquake - looked it up, 5.8. Whoa!!! :)

Pix for today:
Studying dialogue by the pool (above); Todd, Jennifer & Christian by the pool; my view at the pool; Skyping with my honey Jill and my old-lady cat, Headbutt (Headbutt's been nicer to Jill since we started Skyping and I say hi to her :)




3 comments:

Julia said...

Love the progress on each posture. Sounds like you are into a pattern now (which is a good thing). Enjoy the week! xoxo hoolie who

Steph said...

Hi Jenn

Wanted to say how much I love your blog!

You have a great writing style and I can fully appreciate your comments about how you are feeling and how your classes are going etc - in particular your thoughts about how we let our fear of not being perfect hold us back. Oh yeah, SO understand where that comes from!

Still, it sounds like you are growing so much and not letting those limiting boundaries we so often put on ourselves hold you back.

Wish you all the best for the rest of your training journey and look forward to reading about it in the days to come.

Stay bendy!
Namaste
Stephanie

Meg said...

Yea! You are doing marvelous. Thanks for the update on the body as I was wondering if you were experiencing what others had talked about in their blogs. Glad to see that you are pretty unscathed. I am also glad to see your focus move toward the yoga and what it is doing for you regardless of weight loss or not :)

Keep it up.

Enjoy week 4.

Love

megs