Day 54: Early Start

On days like today, I am forced to get up extremely early and get my Yoga in for fear of missing it, and yet, I am fairly confident that I will be able to work it into my overall routine.

Of late, I have been able to work on my physical fitness more. I have been pushing myself and entering the "yoga zone." The place between fluid movements and breathing and a terrible desire to stop. Power Yoga: Stamina allows me to push but not be afraid that it will never end. The result is that I reach the end of each session feeling satisfied, but also excited that I will keep moving forward.

Regardless, I am confident that I can keep up this pace.

More importantly, how are you doing? Have you been able to maintain a consistent pace in your goals? Have you found you have been struggling? For those of you who've kept going with your goals, have you noticed any discernable gains?

While my weight is relatively consistent, I have found that I've taken an inch or so off my waist. I know this not because I am getting a measuring tape out, but because I see that my clothes are fitting better. I'd like to get rid of all of my fat, but I know that is a chore that will take quite some time


Regardless, I am excited to continue moving forwards!

Day 53: Later is better?

I'm definitely commented on this before, but it seems that the later I do yoga the more energy I am able to exert. By pushing myself in the morning I have to face morning fatigue so my downward facings dogs look more like downward facing poop.

Regardless, I have consistently been pushing the last week or so. I am confident that I will not be missing any more days in the foreseeable future and limit my fitness risk to just one yoga a day. I would like to work in some more Yoga Now, but it just takes so much time.

Especially in this time of nose-to-the-grindstone work, it is important to keep moving forward.

Onwards and upwards!

Day 52: Getting close

Well, I'm definitely making progress towards my overall goal. Soon I will be at my 60 days of yoga. With only 2 or 3 breaks I will have done yoga every single day for a period of 63 days! That is really exciting.

And yet, I worry that I need to continue pushing my physical fitness to I reach a level that is commensurate with my desired body type.

Yoga is a great activity because it is focused, incorporates stretching, and pushes me to work on flexibility. But it does not have a strong cardio component. Additionally, the resistance training it provides is less than ideal for someone of my body type.

I need to keep finding ways to increase my physical fitness in a way that fits in with my overall goals and time constraints. Maybe the 100 Pushup Challenge?

Day 51: The routinization of a chore

Similar to getting better at this, I'm always surprised that something hard has become relatively easy to do. It's a relief to know that by doing yoga everyday, I am able to do more in my regular life.

When I look back to just two months ago when this all started, it is amazing to think that I couldn't do even the most basic things. Bending and stretching were hard. The rolls of fat prevented me from tying my shoes. They were a physical block to doing much of anything at all.

I know I still have a way to go. While my initial goal called for 60 days of yoga, it has become so much a part of my regular routine, and it makes me feel so good, that I think I want to continue doing it through the 60 days. I may continue it indefinitely.

Day 50: 14% of the way and counting

There you have it, 50 days out of the year is 14% down.

Only 86% to go! That's no sweat!

I hope your Sunday was excellent. Although I've had to shift to doing yoga in the evenings, I've found that most of the this is better for me because it allows me to actually be awake while doing it so that I push each pose so that they are actually good instead of my sleep yoga which is very poor indeed.

Anyway, I'm excited that I've been doing yoga for fifty days already. That is 50 days longer than I have done any other activity in my life.

I hope you are having as much success with your goals!

Day 49: Revising the system

As you may have noticed, something screwy happened with how I was numbering days? All of the sudden, the posts with the days were all out of order. I decided that the best way to keep track of the number of days that I have done is to keep a running tally of the number of days that I have been successful so that at the end of the year I can just see, did I make it to day 320? If so, I will have met my goal. Thus, when I miss a day, if I decide to post about it, it will be an unnumbered post.

Yesterday, I did not do yoga. I don't know what it was but I just did not have the energy. I decided against posting about it because I realized this blog had begun to yoyo. One day good, two days bad, one day extremely positive, ech. It was boring. I was bored, you must be bored reading it. Nobody wanted that and ain't no body got time for that. Instead, I decided to just keep you notified of the days that I am successful.

So, despite missing Friday, I am pleased to report that I am ready and reporting for yoga duty today. I left it until the end of the day, but I did it. This is a huge breakthrough for me. Usually when I do something, when I have a day off (like a diet for example), I just end up dropping it all together. But since this is a lifestyle change, I can't afford to do anything like that. And so, I was back at it tonight before heading out.

So for all you still keeping track of your goals, be proud of what you've accomplished and know you are not alone. I know how difficult it is to keep up with it, but don't let your failures define you. Instead, realize that you will have missed days and that is okay. The point is to get back on the proverbial horse and get back to work.

And with that, I shall post again tomorrow! 

Day 48: Chugging along

Yoga on Thursday was the same-old. I got up, did it, and was on my way.

I liked that it was so much a part of my routine that it just felt normal. And yet, fatigued yoga, is no way to do it at all. I started taking shortcuts which were not good for my form, my back, or my motivation in the coming weeks.

And yet, I'm still doing the yoga. If not everyday, then almost every single day! That's something to be proud of. While others have already dropped their new years resolutions, I'm fifteen pounds lighter and moving more than I had in the entire six moths before that!

Day 47: Fluid Dynamics

I know I've said it before but when you finally get back into the swing of yoga, it makes everything better. In this week of refocusing, I am 3/3 for early morning yoga. I wake up a mess, like I always do, push through yoga and my whole day is good. I clear headed all day (without the need for coffee or other stimulants), I feel good, and I am ready for the day.

This whole week, despite having a crushing work schedule, I have been feeling alive and dealing with it because of my early morning yoga. I have been able to focus at work and have not be feeling overwhelmed by any measure.

It is for these reasons that I raise my glass to toast yoga. Cheers!

Day 46: Regression Analysis

Is it possible that I'm getting less flexible the more yoga I do?

I'm back up and at 'em and ready to get up and start my week better. Yesterday was great. I was clear minded, alert, and I was taking care of business.

The only downside is I think my hamstrings are so tight that I've actually been doing worse yoga. I imagine it is from the cardio portions of the yoga now exercise. I think it will take me another week or so of no yoga now to ensure that my legs loosen up again and I get to the point where I am doing very comfortable downward dogs.

With that said, I'm pleased that the second day of my restructured February is going well. I will keep pushing and trying to keep this activity central and foremost in my mind!

Good luck to you on refocusing on your goals if that is something that you have attempted!

Day 45: On track early

Day 1 of getting back on track is in effect.

I woke up and immediately did my base, some power yoga. I'm still tired but not as tired as I was this weekend when I pushed off yoga all day. This is the tired that comes along with waking up early and having my body not be 100% awake. Over the weekend, I was dealing with the long-standing fatigue that resulted in not pushing my body through an appropriate wake-up routine, i.e. forcing my body to do some exercise.

Regardless, I am on track now. I am posting first thing in the morning and getting ready for a great day. I am excited to keep pushing myself for the second half of February so that I can be in top form for March. No longer will I fall back on excuses.

No Excuses will be my mantra. When I find myself saying that I am tired, scared, bothered, sick, etc. I will try to remind myself that nothing tastes as good as thin feels and that March is too important to leave up to poor habits and a big waste line.


With that in mind, Happy Monday! Let's kick this work-week off productively!

Day 44: Week in Review

So, this week hasn't been the best. Despite needing to make February as productive as possible, I've been finding myself lagging in my yoga practice and in my eating.

I'm frustrated in myself, but I know it is a matter of complacency and will power. I've seen some marginal successes and have be demotivated by them. Additionally, general fatigue has set in. What I need to remember is that this is a process. I need to just keep moving forward and not let my failures drag me down.

I also need to recognize all of the gains that I have made. I have done yoga for 44 days. I have increased my stamina and flexibility. I have had more energy and been generally happier. It is important to keep focusing on these things so that I can get back on the track of forward movement. Despite feeling that I've taken a step backwards, I am actually moving along the path towards ultimate bodily control. I am in control of my goals and moving towards being a better overall me.

I hope to increase this trend by falling back on the basics. I've gotten away from my power yoga, which I will be doing daily and then trying to supplement it with other forms of yoga.

As you struggle, think about what you have done well. Have you had some successes? If so, what are they?

Day 43: after a sick day, revealing and thriving!

So I was sick yesterday and did not exercise, but came back with renewed focus and energy.

Also, I've been tracking my gains and I'm sad to report that I've been slowing down. And yet, I'm confident that I can pick up the pace this week!

I'll keep you posted!

Day 42: Winning

Thank you sleep!

I woke up feeling much better and pushed through a power yoga! I ran through it quickly and got back in form ready to start my day!

I feel more powerful, better rested an ready to get into proper form! Ready March, here I come!

Epic Fail

I tried and failed.

I tried to do my yoga but couldn't.

I tried to do it again and failed again.

Yesterday was an epic fail. No less than twice did I attempt my yoga, but fatigue, body pain, and a raging headache made it so that I could not do it.

I don't know what happened but each time I tried, I'd make it 10-12 minutes and have to stop.

And so that was it. My body indicated to me that it was tired and could not go on. I made two good faith attempts to do it and I am satisfied that this was enough.

So instead I passed out to recover and try again later.

Day 41: Scream and Shout

I just wanna scream and shout!

I am rocking it! Two days in a row with Yoga Now. It is an intense workout (for a fat man). It requires that you have the aerobic and stretching all built into one package. Despite how annoying I find Marial Hemingsway, I am proud of my ability to keep pushing forward!


What I really like about it is how much of a workout it is. It really engages me both body and mind so that when I am done I am totally refreshed, the way a workout should feel. I feel completely displaced from regular surroundings and feel energized for the rest of the day.


I can really start getting used to this! I am feel some soreness here and there, but I know another week or two of this and I will be master of Yoga Now!

Day 40: 50 Times The Power

All right. Yoga Now can bite it! I did it. I finished yoga now and I did it well. I didn't cut any corners. I did a full-50 minute workout with intense cardio portions!

While this may not seem like that great of an accomplishment to you. To me this is monumental. When I started this a little over a month ago, I tried to do yoga now and I couldn't get past 20 minutes, with 10 minutes of that being lying on the floor and doing stretches and ab activities. I counted it because at that point my fitness level was so low that it was the best that I could do.

Now, I can do the whole thing. It is a challenge, but I know that with another week or so of doing this every day, I will be able to rock it, just like I was able to do with Power Yoga. This is a real accomplishment because it shows that I am getting stronger, fitter, and hopefully will continue to feel great!


So, I feel like I've gained fifty times the power since I began. I hope you have stuck with your goals and have been feeling more powerful yourself! Having refocused this week, I am hoping to see some drastic gains by March! I need to see drastic gains by March, so let's do it!

Day 39: dialed in

So I'm doing it. But I really think I need a new yoga set because I've gotten too good at power yoga. I'm going to have to switch to flexibility. Even with all the jumps.

Regardless, one thing is clear. I've been holding myself back and letting myself go. This week is about getting refocused and back on track!

Day 38: Late but made it

So, it might have been 11:30 at night when I finally decided to start my yoga for the day, but I got it in under the wire. I didn't blog about it last night because I was too exhausted and actually fell asleep right on the floor.

The good news is I made it and did not end up burning a day on it!

Cheers.

Day 37: Phew.

Pain avoided.

Maybe the lesson is: just push through the pain. I did another yoga session this morning and did not feel the same pain. I'm still worries that I'm not stretching properly and should figure that out.

It might have also been that I switched to a different yoga. I've subsequently fallen back on power yoga: flexibility, but I'm excited to keep mixing it up!

More superman flying jumps are in my future!

How are your goals coming. Are you experiencing the same challenges or are you blowing by as a goal champion?

Day 36: painful panting

I don't know how to do yoga properly.

This is the undeniable conclusion that I have had to come to. I keep hitting myself. This time, it was a little better because I did not completely pull something, but still not pleasant. It makes me think that I should probably take a yoga class. One where they can yell at my flabby ass for being completely not with it.

Oh well. There's always tomorrow!

Day 35: Undserved Cockiness

All right. I'll admit it. I was getting cocky.


I started getting cocky in my ability to do yoga. I was like, "I can do any yoga, any time, anywhere." I was a yoga champ.

And then I finally got around to doing a different variety of yoga. I did Rodney Yee's Power Yoga–Flexibility. First of all, it was a nightmare. That man is crazy.

I stretched in ways that my body wouldn't allow and that I did not know could do. And let me just say it: I failed. I failed miserably.

For example, Rodney Yee kept asking me to jump into Push-Up Position from Forward Bend. What I was doing was very carefully throwing my weight to my legs in an attempt to somewhat jump back and somehow "land" in push-up position. Here's what Rodney Does:

It's some sort of magic where based on his hands only he SLOWLY projects his feet into the air and then as if he's floating lowers the legs to the ground and ends up in the last last picture. How is a normal human supposed to do that???

I mean really. Anyway, flexibility kicked my butt. I will say that I was actually able to do this:

The Pigeon Pose! Then I had to lay out completely in front. It looks like it would be hard, but it was actually really relaxing. Anyway. I got my butt kicked and thought I should let you know how brutal it was. Let's just say, I might try that some more, but wow! If I can learn to fly like Rodney Yee, I might have a shot at dropping some serious poundage.

Regardless, I now know that I have a lot of room to grow and it wasn't the best idea to keep myself stuck in one repeating routine, it would have been smarter to keep pushing forward and growing with the new poses.

So challenge yourself to try something new. How are your new goals treating you? Have you been able to set a new goal to reinvest in your longer term goals?

For me, I finally caught up on sleep and feel like a completely different person. I feel awake and ready to go.  Because of that, I have been much better today in meeting all of my goals!

Good luck with yours.

Day 34: Unnecessary Roughness

So, I didn't make it.

I got home last night and just did not get to finish my yoga. Even so, I feel like half a yoga is better than no yoga at all. And yet, I feel like I'm letting my goal down. It's still only been 2 days of not working out total, but it still feels like a failure. Even so, I'm still very much on track to meet my goal at the end of the year.

Today I also was dragging. I was just not feeling it. I'm still suffering from a sleep deficit. And it's not cool. It's stopping me from eating contained portions, getting focused in my work, and getting my exercise done. I've been lethargic and tired all day. My brain was just not firing on all four cylinders.

Regardless, when I finally did my yoga in the evening, I was ready to take on the day. I felt energy flowing back into me and I felt more awake than I had been in days. So, my pitch. Stop being lazy and keep spinning those exercise wheels!

And that's the skinny. Here's to you being skinnier!

Day 33: Fat-igued

Fatigued.

Fat + igued (as in to be glued to the couch). At least for me, there is a direct correlation between how much exercise, food, and others things I do and the amount of sleep I get. The more sleep I get the better I am able to tackle things like yoga and the amount of food I consume. I find it interesting though, that on days when I don't get sleep (like today) I feel five times hungrier and I can't handle the everyday stresses as well either. In fact, I didn't make it through my morning yoga, I failed miserably in fact, because I was too tired. (Don't worry, I plan to finish it when I get home tonight!)

Think about that! Do your sleeping patterns affect you movement goals or your food intake? For me, the more tired I am, the fatter I feel (and consequently become).

Here to getting more sleep!

Day 32: The Weekend Drawl

It's the weekend time, Sunday, a day for rest. Not a day for doing work, of any kind. And yet, I keep pushing myself to do the work. To move, and to thereby be better because of it.

Yet, what happens, is that I wake up, sit around and refuse to do work for any number of hours.

It's depressing and yet. True.

Oh well.

Day 31: Phoenix Lift

I started today out on the right track.

I woke up, did Yoga right away and then got some errands out of the way. I have still yet to determine what will happen if I manage to track every day this month and do more yoga, but I am excited about finding something that is both intriguing, affordable, and, most importantly, motivating.

I finally managed to hack off that mane that had attached to my head and I am now "streamlined" for success. I have a bunch more work to finish before tonight, but I am looking forward to incorporating some NEW Yoga.


Happy Groundhog's Day. The end is in sight (of winter) and so should your next goal. Figure out what will motivate you to keep going. For me, it has been this calorie tracking. It's something I've done in the past, but ever since I moved to a more fixed diet, I have not felt it is necessary. But, at the same time, I do not know how many calories I'm ingesting, so it will be nice to figure it out. That way, I can start to see some patterns and make adjustments that will hopefully have the effect of helping me end February strong.

Like the Groundhog, I am excited to see that I will no longer be casting such a large shadow. But until then, keep moving forward.