Thebaghag wants to become a Yoga Hag?

Ok, that title is really laughable. After all, no one has forgotten my sheer hatred to sweat. My idea of becoming a yoga hag is to make it a daily habit to watch a yoga DVD in bed while munching on some chips. Yes, that would make me a yoga expert by the end of the 30 day period, wouldn’t it? Not to mention earn me some serious eye strain (eye workout haha)

But Nooo, thebaghag seems to have turned over a new leaf! *SHOCK*. Last Friday, yours truly decided to agree to join fellow baghag and legal eagle friend ChrisL to try out bikram yoga. Take note, this was not some kinduva month-long plan to get us psyched to do yoga. In fact, this so-called yoga plan was only discussed the night before the class. DH said, the idea that I should wake up on a Saturday morning at 8:00am to get prepared to go to yoga class, is preposterous. After all, he’s already so used to seeing me just getting ready to sleep a little before 8am! No one has ever gotten me to wake up at 8am to actually WORK OUT and sweat! *Big snort*

Boy oh boy, I honestly wish I had made a side bet with a few of my friends on this yoga thing. If I did, I’d be out of the financial red by now *muwahaha*. If my track record of buying exercise equipment only for me to store it in its original case and NOT use it were the barometer for whether or not I’d actually go to yoga class, then my friends would’ve easily placed the bet that I wouldn’t even wince when I get that wakeup call of CL (at 8am) to get ready for yoga. Even DH had to scoff when I told him I was gonna sleep “a bit” earlier (like at 2am) since I have yoga the next day.

Things I know about Bikram Yoga: umm.. ok I only know one thing– that I was going to sweat a lot, much like having to stay in a sauna. That’s about it. Oh and that yoga is that non-strenuous workout that won’t leave you palpitating like when you decide to go for a 100 meter sprint run (or whatever those running thingies are called). Oh, oh, and more on yoga– I always thought you are so calm and at peace with yourself when you do yoga, tranquil music and all (like sounds of the waves in the ocean etc).

Now comes the boggle of what to wear. I had these LuLu Lemon tanks that I wore after I had just given birth to my child and they fit me still (although a bit loose on the umm… bumper area now *teehee* because I actually bought those tanktops to wear as breastfeeding shirts hahaha). Then I had these pants which I also bought from Lulu Lemon to wear on the airplane when we travel *I like loose clothing when I travel. Even if I look grossly mismatched (and this happens all the time when I travel), the bottom line still is this– I am comfy!!*.

The phone rang at 8am sharp on Saturday. Now, to those of you who thought I had pressed the “reject” button of my phone and had slept in that morning, shame on you! *Mrs.T gives you a very dirty look… muwahahaha* Cause you are all dead wrong *WoooHooo!!* While I never *yes, NEVER* got the chance to take up boxing classes at Elorde’s (yes, my boxing gloves remain in its Toby plastic bag, sealed and all– for 2 years now) despite having “the” right equipment for the training, I actually got out of bed after one ring for Bikram Yoga.

CL and I were determined to get this Yoga thing into our systems. We got to the studio and as we entered, I immediately asked Chris— “Holy cow, can we handle this heat?”. I searched longingly for someone to open the window before the class started. The room was stuffy. I didn’t even need to move a single muscle and sweat beads were already forming on my forehead. I was thinking to myself that I would really lose the weight with bikram yoga. There is a reason why the room is so hot– so we don’t have to move too much anymore! *Yes, I happily thought that!!!*

When the class started, I was full of energy (despite having slept only 5 hours). I made sure to go that extra mile (extra locked- in straight elbows reaching the ceiling kinduva pose) to show the Yoga instructor (someone tell me what the peeps call the Yoga instructor, and what they say after the session is done… I forgot to ask hahaha). After 4 minutes of this stretching and breathing thingie, I already felt FAINT.

(photo credit: bikramyogamanila.com)

OH. MY. GAWD. For real!!! Me thinks : RELAX! BREATHE! Think of my last “relaxing” vacation…

How picturesque the town of Assisi was…
Doorways to paradise…
Like I was alone in Assisi, riding a bike
through the beautiful Umbrian countryside… It would’ve been a lovely exercise– an awakening of the senses… I mean just look at the Umbrian countryside– I’d get on a bike daily for THIS view!!!
(Haha funny how the Assisi photos are now perfect for this post!!!)

I kept thinking about the time we were in Assisi, how relaxed I was. But ahhh… I wasn’t in Assisi (Assisi was cold the time we were there haha). I was in a 38 degree C room… I felt more faint than relaxed. Haha. And in yoga, you need to be at peace (or with a clear mind). Can’t be stressed out. But moi? I WAS stressed out– with the Yoga class haha! I was sweating buckets, and I was palpitating– I wasn’t breathing right! Ok, so I’m not cut out to do this stuff. For an hour, I would sit it out on some positions, catch my breath (because I seem to hold my breath a lot which causes me to feel faint– hello, tunnel vision!!).

To top it off, we had a really good *seriously good actually… she pushes, pushes, pushes the limit!* instructor– I actually felt like I was in a boot camp and the instructor, my drill sargeant! No offense, but I know that in the end, it’s all good for me!!

At the end of 90 minutes– YES, 90 friggin’ minutes, my knees and legs were all rubbery and wobbly. I actually thought the class was just 45 minutes or an hour tops. Nooooo… Mrs.T had to work her fats off for a good hour and a half! Whoaaaa…. tsk tsk. Unreal. I felt so weak, so thirsty, and sooo almost-dead. I was half cursing that I’d never come back to Yoga class again. CL was laughing so hard and she even recalled seeing me look so “kawawa” (pathetic) in class *like a panting dog deprived of water for days haha*.

Remarkably, after I had left the class and headed home for a much needed shower (my hair smelled terrible *sorry CL haha* since I didn’t wash it the night before– I had gone to shabu shabu for dinner *hahaha sorry information overshare!!*), I felt totally energized. My very blemished skin somehow emitted some kind of warmth/ heat, and it produced a pinkish glow (but that doesn’t make my skin flawless– i still had all those unsightly red blotches on my face). I then proceeded to meet up with two friends of mine for shabu shabu *again!!* for lunch. *Nothing like a healthy meal haha*

And though I swore off Bikram yoga that hour we had finished (and I was still swearing it off as I had lunch with my galpals), I went back again today for session 2 (CL went back YESTERDAY– that was 2 days in a row!!!). And yes, I still hate yoga– because I hate that I am so “weak” as compared to my other yoga mates. But now, I look forward to the sweating and the gaining of that newfound energy, a few hours post- exercise.

CL and I have a commitment to get through this. I haven’t bought a yoga mat yet though… hahaha maybe I won’t anymore until I really become a Yoga hag!) We can’t give up now– especially not after we have bought more yoga clothes *muwahahaha*– we need to protect our investment! I can’t do much with yoga tank tops if I don’t do yoga, ok? I’m not about to flaunt my flabby arms for the world to criticize! Hahaha* (Pathetic!!!!)

Boy am I crazy to have joined the Bikram Yoga bandwagon or not? I’ll find out in 30 days if I survive this and if I actually see physical improvements (i.e. smaller love handles hahaha). And will I actually become a Yoga Hag??? THE YOGA SAGA CONTINUES 🙂

If you hags are interested, come join Bikram Yoga in Makati! Located at the 15/F 88 Corporate Center, Sedeno Street, near Valero St. in Salcedo Village. You may check their website for more info– http://www.bikramyogamanila.com

JOIN JOIN JOIN!!! Join in the misery now *muwahaha* and reap the rewards later! Seriously!!! I am gonna go sleep early tonight. I need to get up for Yoga again tomorrow 😉 *woohoo* Are you hags proud of me yet? *hehe*

x
Mrs.T