Bikram 30-Day: How To Prepare.
Someone left me a comment this evening on a post I did last year. They wanted to know how I prepared myself for a Bikram yoga 30-day challenge. And I figured that since I am starting one the Saturday after next, this would be a timely post to do.
The first time I did a Bikram yoga 30-day challenge, I quit my job. I know... That's extreme. And to be honest, I didn't intend to quit it right away. (I gave two month's notice and they refused to accept it. Dumbasses.) But it actually ended up being the best thing. I was able to move on with my life right away. And one of the ways I moved on was to just throw myself into a 30-day challenge.
However, I do not recommend that approach to most people.
So what do I recommend? Well, here you go...
The first time I did a Bikram yoga 30-day challenge, I quit my job. I know... That's extreme. And to be honest, I didn't intend to quit it right away. (I gave two month's notice and they refused to accept it. Dumbasses.) But it actually ended up being the best thing. I was able to move on with my life right away. And one of the ways I moved on was to just throw myself into a 30-day challenge.
However, I do not recommend that approach to most people.
So what do I recommend? Well, here you go...
- Start training yourself NOW how to take down plenty of water before class. Yes, it takes training to learn how to drink lots of water... If you're not used to it. Start with eight classes a day. Then try and get that up to 12. STOP drinking water about an hour and a half before class. (Otherwise, your body could still be processing the water when class starts. And you'll have to leave to pee.)
- Plot out when you are going to go each day. Seriously... You gotta schedule the classes in to your day before you start the challenge. If you think you can't get to class right after work on week days, then try to shoot for morning classes.
- Make sure you get plenty of sleep during the challenge.
- Get a bikini wax. Seriously. If you like to wear short-shorts, just make a clean start with your "maintenance." And you won't have to worry about razor burn.
- Expect to feel overwhelmed on day one. You'll be half-way through class and realize, "Shit! I still have 29 and a half classes to get through!" But you shall go on... And by day 14 you realize, "I'm almost halfway through! I can totally go another 16 days! Why give up now?"
- Expect to feel really exhausted by about class 11 or 12. I remember on my 12th day during the first challenge (I've done three), the teacher asked me what was wrong at the start of class. "I'm so exhausted!" I said. He said, "Yes. That happens halfway through. In about three days, you'l be full of energy though." AND HE WAS SO RIGHT!
- Expect to not practice in the same space every day. Switch it up! If you are normally a front, far-left corner kind of person, switch it up and stand front and center... You know, where it's ridiculously warmer. This will challenge you even more.
- Expect your clothes to smell like the Bikram studio even when you're not in there.
- Giving up caffeine. I did well today. I drank only a Diet Coke, at lunch. But other than that, I only had water. So I don't "need" coffee.
- Detox Diet! On Monday (six days before I start the challenge) I will avoid: wheat, gluten, dairy, alcohol, meat, chocolate, sugar... So what can I eat? Fruits, veggies, herbal teas, complex carbs (brown rice), rice milk, nuts... I wanto detox and cleanse my body before I start the challenge.
- Sleep. All I plan to do when I get home each evening next week is get to bed by 9pm.
Comments
ps. loved your bikini wax advice. wish i would have had it before i started my challenge!
And yes... I learned after my last challenge (bceause it was the first one where I wore shorts in every class) that a bikini wax is just the way to go. Razor burn sucks.
If I absolutely MUST attend an event in the evening, I go in the morning. If I can't go in the morning either, then I go twice in one day.
Yep, you read that correctly, I go twice some other day during the 30 days to make up for the missed class.
If you're going to do a "double" day... My recommendation would be to go to a 6am class and then a 5:30pm class, during the week days. If you want to "double-up" on the weekends, I recommend going to the first class of the day, and then the last class of the day. That way you have time to re-hydrate.
2. i think you wrote about fanny-packs. Are you familiar with the LV Florentine?
I will say that it is less offensive than the Gucci Belt Bag and other fanny packs... I mean, wearing the Florentine on the belt is only one of the options... You can also carry it as a clutch and hook it into a larger bag.
So I would not make fun of someone wearing the Florentine.