Two posts in two days??? Damn, I'm on a roll. (But mostly, I'm just avoiding a pile of grading). I hate the winter. I'm cold all of the time. Most people that see me run on a cold day are like, "It's really frigid out there!" Honestly, the moment I run is the warmest part of my day. I recently purchased a space heater for work. I hugged it for an hour and still felt cold. So, I decided to try hot yoga. I'm a yogi. I've practiced yoga for a bit. I'm a lazy yogi, though. I like doing things on my own time, and I mostly enjoy practicing during the chaos of my own space at home, when I'm wearing jeans and my kids and dog are climbing all over me, while giving me kisses. Seriously, you can't beat that.
But, in my craving for heat, I schlepped my lazy yogi butt over to a hot yoga studio to try something new. I have tried a few classes, but I can only really handle the one where you hold poses for a long time. Anything with the words "vinyasa" and "hot" in the title are frightening and will most likely result in me passed out on the floor.
The first time that I attended, I had forgotten a towel. In a normal yoga class, this isn't a big deal, because sweating is at a minimum. However, when the room is 107 degrees, you'll sweat, and I actually sweat buckets. So, there I was, slipping along through hot yoga, unable to hold limbs in my hand or legs on my mat. Aside from an occasional panic attack from the heat and frustrations about being without a towel, I survived. As I lied in savasana, I felt pretty accomplished, only to discover that there was no actual time for savasana that was built into the class, and I actually had to be somewhere, so I couldn't stay longer. Talk about a buzz kill.
I kept going and surviving, until tonight. The class was the same as always, but the room felt a billion degrees hotter. I showed up in some tiny shorts and a tank top. Again, buckets of sweat began to pool on the towel that I have not forgotten since my first class. I looked around at the tight body yogis, advancing their postures and doing crazy movements in their bra tops and pre-baby bellies, and I thought, "F-this". I stripped off my shirt and finished my practice, baring a little extra skin. I haven't even worn a bikini in public since Rowan. My only feeling was pride for my body, and I am pretty sure that no one actually even noticed everything that I was so self-conscious about. I moved and I folded, and so did my more squishy parts, and I loved watching the postures fit my body. I breathed deeply to watch my belly expand, and I folded further to see the space that my babies once filled, move inward with strength and grace.
Truthfully, I think my love affair with hot yoga is coming to an end. I really don't enjoy it as much as I enjoy a regular vinyasa style class, in a normal temperature room. But, if and when I do attend again, it will almost certainly be without my shirt. There is so much to be gained by watching your body move, just as it is.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
My 21 Day Fix Experience (No, I'm not a coach)
After Thanksgiving, and before...I noticed that my weight was on the higher end. I try to not care and be all body positive, but as a runner, a few extra pounds can be a lot to carry, and as an "athena" runner, I already carry 160 lbs. It can have an effect on your joint health, and my ankles and feet have been pretty unforgiving, lately. I want to get a tiny bit faster and possibly qualify to run the Boston Marathon this year, so I thought I'd focus on making some changes. Honestly, I was getting to the point of allowing myself to eat anything and everything. I just needed to reign it in. At my healthiest, I worked out in the morning (swimming) and ran or biked in the afternoon. I think there was something crazy about my metabolism then...like some type of supercharge after having Aspen, because I feel like I do a lot more now, with little change in my body. I think that my nutrition, and probably age, have something to do with the changes. As a result of my self-assessment (and probably spending too much time on Instagram), I decided to try the 21 Day Fix.
Don't stop reading.
I'm not trying to sell you anything.
Frankly, any blog post that I could find regarding 21 Day Fix was written by a coach. Coaches are people that sell the program and encourage that you finish. It's like the Pampered Chef of fitness. I had one, she was awesome. I probably would have quit, if she hadn't encouraged us. We used Facebook for some daily posts about our progress, thoughts, motivations and feelings. I do think that accountability is a cool addition to the program. But, I'm not a coach...so I'll give an honest assessment about 21 Day Fix.
It's actually pretty great.
I thought that I wouldn't gain much from the workouts, and would benefit from the nutrition. I was wrong on both accounts. Getting up 30 minutes early (the workouts are only 30 minutes) to sweat in my basement was much better than going to the pool. Showering and prepping for my work day away from home was always a pain in the butt. I honestly never skipped a workout on 21 Day Fix. There are seven different workouts that are a combination of strength training, cardio, plyometrics, pilates and yoga. As a super fit person, they kicked my ass (but they have modifications). I have found it really easy to get up early and go into the basement for a workout that is unlike my "norm". I also feel fantastic. I look strong, but more importantly, I am strong. I feel much more capable in doing things that I would easily give up on...like anything that required any level of strength. Plank? Forget it, I'd rather take a nap. Now, I can handle it. I also appreciate that the workout has a countdown clock, and when I can see it (I often don't put my contacts in before working out), it's nice to know how long I will feel the torture.
There are some things that I don't like about the workout, mainly the instructor. The overall vibe is that something is wrong with you, and you need to change it. There are a lot of buzz words throughout the videos to support this, "you give me 21 days, and I'll give you the body you've always wanted." I was totally annoyed by this. I already have the body I want. It's mine, and it's not going anywhere. At some point, she even says something about how no one wants to see your flabby arms. I don't think that body shaming creates lasting change in a person. You can't think of a workout as punishment and a way to banish unwanted parts of yourself...because it's yourself. It's not going anywhere. And, you certainly won't experience change, without some self-love and feel-good motivation. I really wasn't surprised, though, because the program is called 21 Day Fix, which implies that you need fixing...and you don't. I also don't think it helps that the only "normal looking" person in the workout video (i.e. not a fitness instructor or fitness model) is the one doing the modifications. Frankly, I know quite a few men and women that don't look as fit as me, but are a helluva lot more strong. It wouldn't hurt to put some diverse body types in their videos. But, alas, they are selling an image of perfection as something to be achieved in the way you look.
I thought that I would gain the biggest benefit from the nutrition. The problem, for me, with the 21 Day Fix nutrition program was that I'm a runner and had no intention of not running during the duration of the 21 days. The program gives you a mathematical calculation for your calorie intake. My intake was suppose to be 1200-1400 calories, which is starvation. I tried it for two days and was so hangry, I was a monster. I bumped myself up to the next level of 1500-1800. The program works by portioning your food into food groups. The biggest change for me was recognizing that I eat a ridiculous quantity of fruit and nuts. I began to eat more protein and complex carbohydrates.
By the end of 21 days, I had gained in muscle what I had lost in fat. I was much more toned. I didn't feel like the diet was sustainable for me, because I really felt the need to eat more, and I don't like going hungry. As a result, I started using a food and activity tracking app. This has been a much better way for me to monitor my eating and workouts. Using a combination of food tracking and the 21 Day Fix workouts in the morning with my regular running, I've lost about 4 lbs in this month. I'm not following the workouts everyday, because I actually value my running goals more than any weight-loss goals. At this point, I'm just happy maintaining that I am strong and happy. I have had a difficult time feeling this level of strength and confidence after having Rowan.
So, would I recommend the program? Maybe??? I think it's probably really fantastic if you are sedentary and aren't sure how to eat healthily and be active. The program emphasizes real foods and measures these foods in pre-measured containers, so it's very simple. I also think you need to have some pretty thick skin to laugh off the body shaming in the videos, though. It's probably not any more shaming than what happens in normal videos or fitness classes. As a previous fitness instructor and trainer, I probably said and believed some of that crap, too. The workouts are fantastic. As a pretty fit person, I've gained a lot more strength with very little extra commitment. So, I do think the program can benefit someone that understands their nutrition, but is less motivated to do strength workouts or high intensity interval workouts.
Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised by the strength that I've gained and the basic awareness of my nutrition, again. I might not lose any weight, but I'm happy being stronger.
Don't stop reading.
I'm not trying to sell you anything.
Frankly, any blog post that I could find regarding 21 Day Fix was written by a coach. Coaches are people that sell the program and encourage that you finish. It's like the Pampered Chef of fitness. I had one, she was awesome. I probably would have quit, if she hadn't encouraged us. We used Facebook for some daily posts about our progress, thoughts, motivations and feelings. I do think that accountability is a cool addition to the program. But, I'm not a coach...so I'll give an honest assessment about 21 Day Fix.
It's actually pretty great.
I thought that I wouldn't gain much from the workouts, and would benefit from the nutrition. I was wrong on both accounts. Getting up 30 minutes early (the workouts are only 30 minutes) to sweat in my basement was much better than going to the pool. Showering and prepping for my work day away from home was always a pain in the butt. I honestly never skipped a workout on 21 Day Fix. There are seven different workouts that are a combination of strength training, cardio, plyometrics, pilates and yoga. As a super fit person, they kicked my ass (but they have modifications). I have found it really easy to get up early and go into the basement for a workout that is unlike my "norm". I also feel fantastic. I look strong, but more importantly, I am strong. I feel much more capable in doing things that I would easily give up on...like anything that required any level of strength. Plank? Forget it, I'd rather take a nap. Now, I can handle it. I also appreciate that the workout has a countdown clock, and when I can see it (I often don't put my contacts in before working out), it's nice to know how long I will feel the torture.
There are some things that I don't like about the workout, mainly the instructor. The overall vibe is that something is wrong with you, and you need to change it. There are a lot of buzz words throughout the videos to support this, "you give me 21 days, and I'll give you the body you've always wanted." I was totally annoyed by this. I already have the body I want. It's mine, and it's not going anywhere. At some point, she even says something about how no one wants to see your flabby arms. I don't think that body shaming creates lasting change in a person. You can't think of a workout as punishment and a way to banish unwanted parts of yourself...because it's yourself. It's not going anywhere. And, you certainly won't experience change, without some self-love and feel-good motivation. I really wasn't surprised, though, because the program is called 21 Day Fix, which implies that you need fixing...and you don't. I also don't think it helps that the only "normal looking" person in the workout video (i.e. not a fitness instructor or fitness model) is the one doing the modifications. Frankly, I know quite a few men and women that don't look as fit as me, but are a helluva lot more strong. It wouldn't hurt to put some diverse body types in their videos. But, alas, they are selling an image of perfection as something to be achieved in the way you look.
I thought that I would gain the biggest benefit from the nutrition. The problem, for me, with the 21 Day Fix nutrition program was that I'm a runner and had no intention of not running during the duration of the 21 days. The program gives you a mathematical calculation for your calorie intake. My intake was suppose to be 1200-1400 calories, which is starvation. I tried it for two days and was so hangry, I was a monster. I bumped myself up to the next level of 1500-1800. The program works by portioning your food into food groups. The biggest change for me was recognizing that I eat a ridiculous quantity of fruit and nuts. I began to eat more protein and complex carbohydrates.
By the end of 21 days, I had gained in muscle what I had lost in fat. I was much more toned. I didn't feel like the diet was sustainable for me, because I really felt the need to eat more, and I don't like going hungry. As a result, I started using a food and activity tracking app. This has been a much better way for me to monitor my eating and workouts. Using a combination of food tracking and the 21 Day Fix workouts in the morning with my regular running, I've lost about 4 lbs in this month. I'm not following the workouts everyday, because I actually value my running goals more than any weight-loss goals. At this point, I'm just happy maintaining that I am strong and happy. I have had a difficult time feeling this level of strength and confidence after having Rowan.
So, would I recommend the program? Maybe??? I think it's probably really fantastic if you are sedentary and aren't sure how to eat healthily and be active. The program emphasizes real foods and measures these foods in pre-measured containers, so it's very simple. I also think you need to have some pretty thick skin to laugh off the body shaming in the videos, though. It's probably not any more shaming than what happens in normal videos or fitness classes. As a previous fitness instructor and trainer, I probably said and believed some of that crap, too. The workouts are fantastic. As a pretty fit person, I've gained a lot more strength with very little extra commitment. So, I do think the program can benefit someone that understands their nutrition, but is less motivated to do strength workouts or high intensity interval workouts.
Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised by the strength that I've gained and the basic awareness of my nutrition, again. I might not lose any weight, but I'm happy being stronger.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)