Let there be sweat!

I am a bad blogger girl! I have abused my blog hiatus and now it's been more than a week since I've written anything longer than a grocery list or a note for my husband's lunch box. Where are the days going?

Apparently I've been consumed with reading other blogs, and working (ugh!), and sweating in hot yoga! Oh yes dear reader, your little eyes didst not deceive you! I have embarked upon a brand new adventure into the world of sweaty (yet surprisingly not smelly) bikram yoga. And let me tell you, it's deliciously addictive!

Last week my friend Allison, stunning, momma of three Allison, invited me to sweat and laugh and pose with her (for FREE) at Core Power Yoga. Not only did I accept this invitation, but I already had one leg in my yoga pants before I got off the phone! I do love me a little downward dog!

I loaded up my trusty blue yoga mat ($12.99 Target special!), slipped on my sandals, and headed out to sweat and pose my way to a better bod!

I got to the studio a bit before Allison and was treated to a tour of the facilities by the assistant manager (who, it turned out, was our instructor for the evening). She was one of those blonde Barbies who makes you seriously regret the fried chicken fingers you had for dinner and swear off anything sugar or carb related for at least a day or two! I'm pretty sure she wouldn't even know what a Skittle was if presented with the option to partake in it's lovely candy-coated fruity goodness. She'd probably just stick with her wheatgrass smoothie and her tofurkey burger. Ah, but she was beautiful. And I followed her around the building wondering if by the end of my yoga experience I'd look like a yoga goddess too. Here's to hoping!

I was shown the two classrooms (8 Limbs is the only name I could remember...but the other was something new-agey and silly too), the stunning locker rooms (complete with complimentary EVERYTHING!), and encouraged to observe silence in the studio. Ha! Oh, little quiet, blonde girl, if only you knew how startling that "request" was to me! We can't talk??? Oh man, what have I gotten myself in to??

After Allison arrived we chatted outside the studio for a brief moment, then slipped off our kicks and headed towards an hour of blood, sweat and tears. Ok, maybe I didn't think there'd be blood, but I was certain of the last two! Me of little faith; I didn't cry at all. In fact, several times I had to stifle laughter (honestly, you'd laugh too if faced with a sweaty man with a beer gut posed in King Frog four inches from your face). Plus, I'm pretty sure our instructor was just making up some of those pose names. Supta Baddha Konasana? That's from the Lion King, right? Oh no, wait, that's Hakuna Matata! Meh. It's all the same. Just tell me where to put my arms and legs...and give me a minute to wipe off my sweat!

As a runner and a slightly obsessive cardo exerciser, I am no novice sweat-mama. I can sweat with the big boys! I don't just get a girlie glisten. Oh no Nellie, I don't shine, I drip! But, I can honestly say that I've never sweat as much as I did those two nights in Hot Yoga. And I felt amazing! Now, brace yourself for an overshare, a veritable TMI moment: I didn't even smell bad! Imagine that! I was so sweaty that I actually had to sit on a towel in my car for fear of dripping sweat juices into my car's upholstery! And yet I could still smell my Victoria's Secret Vanilla Lace body spray wafting from my skin. I'm not sure how that happens, but I will take it!

And for all the posing and holding, and falling over (apparently my balance needs some work!), I wasn't sore or exhausted. The next day I could definitely feel the workout in my muscles, but it was a good sore, a detoxifying, healing sore!

I might be obsessed. I'm certainly addicted. And I have a dilema. What's in my wallet? Money for our mortgage, and our cars and even some groceries...but probably not $150/month for yoga. Why must health be so expensive??? What to do, what to do??

Maybe a professional yoga studio membership will have to wait until I win the lottery, but that doesn't mean I can't search the Twin Cities for other great fitness deals. Ooooh, that sounds like a new challenge for me! I like it!

Ok, consider this my first gift to you: Click on this link and print out the coupon for one week of FREE yoga (really! No strings attached - go sweat!).

Core Power Yoga

And while you're working on that, I'll be working on my next adventure! Until then...Namaste!