Well-being

Still Alive…My Bikram Yoga 30 Day Challenge Continues

Day 22 of my Bikram challenge and loving it
Much to the amusement of many friends I undertook a Bikram yoga 30-day challenge a while back…. and lasted all of 3 days!

Well, I have news for the doubters out there… I registered for a fresh 30-day challenge a few weeks ago at Manchester’s lovely Bikram Yoga studio and guess what? I am on day 22!!!

Miraculous – yes. Insane… possibly, especially in this heatwave! Even I can’t quite believe my own commitment to what is a truly tough challenge – both mentally, physically and emotionally.

The strange thing is… while incredibly challenging, I am loving it too. I am not really a fitness bunny type (I have the auto-immune disease Rheumatoid Arthritis and so, pounding a running machine or track is out of the question for my joints). But for some reason a silent 90-minute session in the Bikram studio (heated to 105 degrees) seems to make my body (and me.. especially after a cool shower and cold coconut water) very happy.

The heat means my muscles are all warmed up and supple, the sweat (and there’s buckets of it) detoxes and invigorates, and the amazing balance of cardio with gentle breathing through the nose (quite a discipline for a chatterbox like me) is a wonderful workout for mind, body and soul. Did I mention that I am also developing some nice abs and am down a dress size?? MOTIVATION!!

Okay, I am not at day 30 yet so fingers, toes and elbows crossed and all that… but over two thirds of the way in, I can safely say, Bikram rocks!