I am so happy to hear that you guys found the Foam Rolling 101 tutorials helpful. I was excited to receive comments from many of you that you are already getting to work on the foam roller. Awesome!
It was also funny to see how many of you commented on my accent. I was born and raised in a small town in central Georgia and have lived in the South my whole life. I just have to embrace my Southern accent! And would you believe that it’s actually gotten so much better over the years?
The video seemed to be a great way to share information with y’all so please let me know if there are any other topics that you think are video-worthy. Maybe we can make it a monthly thing?
Changing the subject…let’s talk workouts. I’ve had two interesting yoga experiences since I last updated you. First, Brandon agreed to go to a 90-minute hot class with me Sunday afternoon at Y2. This is notable because we never practice together. He actually practices a couple times a week but we have different schedules, teacher preferences and styles.
The hot class was slammed and extremely hot (hotter than usual…most likely due to a rainy day and humidity). Brandon and I both experienced a little bit of dizziness at points during the class but it felt amazing to sweat that much. I refueled with a green smoothie as soon as we got home. (spinach, crushed ice cubes, 1% milk, frozen blueberries, half of a banana, scoop of vanilla protein powder)
Although I had a pretty rough practice yesterday that just didn’t feel great, I loved having Brandon by my side. Hopefully we can compromise and practice together more often. 😛 Do any of you have guys who practice? I love that Brandon is into it too!
My second interesting yoga experience came this evening. Sarah and I were catching up on our weekends and trying to plan a time to get together this week. She suggested meeting up for a yoga class tonight and we all know that I can never say no to that, even after teaching BodyPump this morning.
I was surprised when Sarah suggested checking out Yoga Oasis for a Bikram class. Neither of us had ever practiced Bikram before and I was up for a new challenge as long as I had a friend to do it with. Bikram yoga is a series of 26 postures that are practiced twice in the same order in a 105 degree room. According to the website…
“It has been proved and experienced by millions that these 26 postures systematically work every part of the body, to give all the internal organs, all the veins, all the ligaments, and all the muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function. Each component takes care of something different in the body, and yet they all work together synergistically, contributing to the success of every other one, and extending its benefits.”
Soooo…it was different. Music, down dogs and chatarangas are non-existent and drinking water is frowned upon. All Bikram studios are carpeted and the instructors follow a strict script. Bikram is very alignment-focused and I can totally see that it is a safe practice that is very appropriate for a wide audience. Also, it stresses spinal health so I think it’s a great practice for those who struggle with back pain.
Despite going into it with a very open mind, I don’t think Bikram is for me. I can appreciate a regimented yoga practice (I mean, I am a devout ashtangi and it doesn’t get more structured than that) but I missed the athleticism that my ashtanga practice requires. One of the things I love the most about yoga is how there is a practice for everyone – there are so many styles of yoga!
Regardless, it was great to experience something new and spend time with Sarah.
Now, let’s talk food. Brandon has been a total rock star and taken care of dinner on the grill the last two nights.
Sunday night he grilled skewers. Chicken for him (far right) and tempeh for me (second from the right). Mushrooms, onions and peppers for our veggies.
He came up with this side dish with no help from me! Grilled yukon gold potatoes rubbed in kosher salt and topped with cheese and green onions. They kind of reminded me of a healthier version of potato skins. Yum! I also had an unpictured bowl of ice cream after dinner.
Breakfast today was banana oats with blueberries and I came home for lunch.
I made a sandwich with the leftover grilled tempeh, avocados, spinach, sprouts and mozzarella cheese.
Our Bikram class was from 6:45 – 8:15 tonight so I knew I’d need an afternoon snack to get me through class and to dinner.
I tried a new (to me) variety of Clif bar and it was not my favorite. It was okay and it did have 10 grams of protein but it just wasn’t something that I’d buy again. I had an orange slice snagged from a co-worker as a palette cleanser.
Dinner tonight courtesy of my husband, the grill master.
Not a great shot but tasty Adobo Grilled Pork Tacos. Mixed greens with black beans, corn, carrots, celery and colby-jack cheese on the side.
I hope your week is off to a great start. I’m heading to bed so I can get up to practice ashtanga before work tomorrow.
LISTEN UP!
My friend Lelia is in Haiti this week with her husband and a group of young adults from their church. She is blogging about her experiences. Check it out and send good wishes and prayers there way.
