50 things I love about Bikram Yoga:
1. Stronger Back; stronger lower, upper and middle back
2. 20 pound weight loss
3. Complete body workout: Strengthening, Stretching and Cardio
4. Improved stamina and endurance
5. Improved flexibility; I can't tell you how cool it is to twist around and see cars behind me or being able to scratch the middle of my back
6. Lower Resting Heart Rate (the lowest resting heart rate I've ever had and I've been an exerciser since the 80's with dance aerobics)
7. Firmer arms
8. Smaller waistline
9. Stronger thighs (thank you Awkward Pose)
10. Stillness
11. Focus, Patience and Determination
12. Savasana
13. The concentration of Standing Bow Pulling Pose; I am still but my heart is pounding
14. Balancing Stick; does this pose ever get easier?
15. Knowing this yoga is never easy but there are easy days and the more I work the stronger I feel
16. Letting it go
17. Deep Cleansing Breath
18. Taking a "shower" from the inside
19. No more Plantar Fasciitis
20. The first Back Bend; "your back is going to hurt like hell; don't be scared" still makes me giggle
21. My back hurting like hell in Back Bend; I recently saw a slight glimpse of a purple mat hanging on the ballet bar behind me and I was so excited I sometimes position myself in front of a hanging purple mat just to push myself to see it
22. Half Moon Pose; I don't always love this pose but with the improved flexibly of my spine and the stretch from fingers to toes, it really does feel pretty good
23. "Party Time"
24. Fresh re-oxygenated blood rushing to my knees and ankles after Fixed Firm Pose
25. Camel Pose; I love and hate this one
26. Rabbit Pose; my back's reward for completing Camel Pose
27. Triangle Pose; once you get past the nausea, this posture really does rock!
28. The entire Spine Strengthen Series (when it's over)
29. And just when I think I will "fake" a posture, Jorina says "Good job Julie, now chest down, chest down, leg up, chest down, chest down leg up and stretch and stretch and stretch and stretch"
30. When Sherri says, "You rock, Julie!"
31. Suzann; just makes me laugh
32. First part of Locust Pose; I only love this pose because Carrie says this is where we can get our cute yoga butts
33. Having a cute yoga butt
34. Atina's favorite joke, "My heart and lungs are getting a divorce."
35. When Jay said, "You think that is hard, try saying it."
36. When Stacey uses her entire body to push my back during Half Tortoise Pose
37. Half Tortoise Pose (I'm still looking for that 8 hours of sleep, however)
38. Carmen for watching my bike (and she tells me I'm her inspiration; too sweet)
39. LaDonna saying, "If you can, you must."
40. Isaac lead me though the best balancing series with "All you have to do is breath; everything else is optional"
41. Minh 3 words: sparkly hot pants
42. Putting each and every sticker on that 8 ½ x 11 inch piece of paper
43. Starting my third 60 day challenge and starting it with 5 other yogis
44. Calling myself a yogi
45. Energy of the yoga room; when everyone stays together you really can feel the positive energy
46. Knowing that trying the right way gives me 100% of the benefit (which is a great comfort for Fixed Firm Pose because my hips are nowhere near sitting on the floor)
47. Trusting the practice; the first time I got my head to touch my knees during Rabbit Pose freaked me out. I had no idea I was that close; I just kept walking my knees up to meet my forehead because that is what the instructor said to do
48. Trusting the practice; I had to stand holding my foot in Standing Head To Knee for almost two years to get my leg "solid one leg like a lamppost " before I could kick out
49. Being asked to be Birkam Yoga Grapevine's student of the month for September 2009!
50. Saying Namaste
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