Today's Obsession: lululemon

I’ve written before about how a good workout outfit has the power to motivate like none other. When I’m wearing something stylish and supportive and comfortable, I’m so much better prepared to go for a jog or make my way to Back Bay Yoga for a hip hop yoga session.

Laura introduced me to lululemon, and their products are genuinely amazing. The fabric is sturdy, yet breathable and the colors are bright and inspiring. Everything within the company is about motivation; it’s about making exercise accessible and fun, and about setting goals for a healthy and inspired lifestyle. Unfortunately, their “inspired lifestyle” comes at a steep price. Last time I checked, 80 dollar yoga pants weren’t really penciled into my monthly costs.

But on an impromptu visit to the store with Laura, I saw these pants, which are both supportive and stylish, what with the ever-so-subtle peacock print. I can’t help but think about them on an extremely regular basis. They’re just so freaking pretty, a total ten.

It’s funny… the things that matter and that I want enough, I don’t worry about. I have this deep-seated comfort in knowing that I will eventually buy them. I want it for myself and they are quality purchases (I mean, lululemon clothes last 5 years). So it seems only natural that I do. And these pants will be mine, maybe not now, but in the near future. I've actually calculated that I can probably afford to buy one lulu article per month and slowly build up my lululemon attire. I just can’t help it, I’m obsessed.

lululemon Wonder Under Crop, $68

Column: Yoga an expensive but killer workout

News Staff Illustration/Will Macowski

By Marian Daniells, News Staff
Huntington News

I bought my first yoga mat when I was in high school, after my dad’s doctor suggested he attend yoga classes to help him relieve stress and relax. We probably went to three classes at the local YMCA before we lost our motivation completely, and I forgot about the mat.

Five years later, that same pink mat magically rose from the dead. It traveled 3,000 miles in my dad’s luggage at my request before it finally arrived in my hands in New York, where I was on co-op this past spring. I decided to give yoga another chance.

One of my best friends, Laura, had been blogging about Boston’s yoga scene for the entire semester I was in New York. I blog-stalked her as a way to keep up on her life and feel some sense of connection to the people I’d left behind in Boston. She made the Boston yoga community sound like the most wonderful, prestigious club. She described her physical and emotional transformation, the benefits of yoga and her obsessive love for lululemon, a store for yoga gear and clothing in the Prudential Center. I couldn’t help but find her enthusiasm contagious.

My first yoga adventure was trying Bikram yoga – which is commonly referred to as “hot yoga”–and is a whole different breed of crazy. It’s completely different than traditional types of yoga. In Bikram, yogis go through two breathing exercises and 26 postures during each 90 minute session. And it’s in a room that’s over 100 degrees. People who do Bikram seldom do traditional yoga and vice versa. Although Laura wasn’t a big fan of Bikram, I had to give it a try.

There’s really only one rule to Bikram yoga: you can’t leave the room. I, however, managed to break that sacred rule during my very first session. Sometime during the first half hour, I started seeing spots. Then I heard the telltale ringing in my ears, and knew I was in for a difficult next hour. Before the class was out, I vomited into a towel and came dangerously close to passing out. The instructor begrudgingly let me run out of the room to vomit properly in a toilet, but I did manage to return to the room and finish my session. I found some sort of sick pride in proving to myself that I could overcome my body’s limitations.

See the whole article here.

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The Perfect 10 Ham Sandwich

So this whole yoga thing has been amazing. I went to my first Bikram session on Saturday and was pleased to find that I chose the best time ever to come; this whole week is free to new members. And on that note, we got started.

The one rule to Bikram is that you can’t leave the room. I managed to break that rule my first session. I basically started to pass out (I’ve passed out enough times before to know that losing sight and hearing are not great signs), so the instructor grabbed me a coconut water. Coconut water is high in potassium and natural electrolytes and it hydrates the body super quickly. I felt better in seconds.

But then I had something in my stomach. Something that came up. Yes, I vomited in the yoga studio. Super sexy. Into a towel. And then, when they let me leave the room, into the toilet.

But I went back into the room and I survived, albeit barely. Turns out I was far more dehydrated than I could have ever guessed.

Since then, I’ve gone every night (except Tuesday. There was a free concert to take advantage of) and the benefits are incredible. I’m sleeping faster, harder and dreaming about everything from cruises to robot T-Rexes. Yoga is my current drug and the high lasts for days.

At least that’s what I tell myself as I stretch myself into impossible positions with names like “Awkward” and “Japanese Ham Sandwich.”

The only problem is that my free week runs out this Sunday. And then I have another week of different yoga (more feelings and music, less heat). And then… DVD yoga? I have no clue, but I can’t afford an actual plan. Choices, choices.

Then again, I deserve it right? I mean, if I’m this excited about it? Off to my 8 o'clock class now!

Japanese Ham Sandwich

The Perfect 10 Workout: Hot Yoga

I was looking through some of the ASME award finalists yesterday and came across an article from O Magazine last year.

The piece was a two-part series about this woman who subjected herself to the 60 day Bikram challenge. She was at a bad place in her life and decided to force herself to spend 90 minutes a day in a 105-degree, 40 percent humidity room, stretching and sweating. She measured the before and after and the results were pretty impressive, especially given that she didn’t do one traditional workout—no dung bells, no treadmills, nothing. Just stretching and sweat.

I did a little research and Bikram yoga, commonly referred to as “Hot Yoga,” is a little different than other methodologies. The founding guru, Bikram Choudhury, studied yoga from a young age and developed this methodology. He then founded the Bikram Yoga College of India, which isn’t necessarily in India; any Bikram-accredited yoga studio is part of it.

I’m intrigued by Bikram more than other methods of yoga because of the results. Most yoga strategies help with concentration, focus, balance and general wellbeing, but Bikram advocates a bit more.

Bikram yoga incorporates 26 traditional Hatha Yoga postures and two breathing exercises. But the studios are usually very simplistic (no chanting or incense) and have mirrors so that all yogis can see themselves and constantly perfect their style. The classes are 90 minutes long, but yogis are required to stay in the room. I’m not kidding here; I just looked at one of the waivers and that point is clearly stated among the other details that basically say, “If you die, it’s your fault.” Intense.

But the benefits are supposed to be tenfold (Perfect for my ten obsession). Because you’re sweating so much, you’re literally sweating out your body’s toxins. And the poses supposedly stretch, tone and/or utilize every muscle and almost every organ. For detailed information about the specific benefits of each pose, check out this site. Looking at those pictures, I’m sure an additional benefit is increased limber-ness. And then, of course, there’s the mental exercise of challenging oneself to stay in the room. That right there is a workout in itself.

My minor asthma goes funky in heat and humidity, but that’s actually part of the reason I’m intrigued by the idea of Bikram yoga. What if I could challenge myself, push myself enough to the limit that I could control my own asthma? That’d be pretty awesome. And I’m sure the high from the intense workouts is much better than the jittery, uncontrollable high from an inhaler. Ick.

There are great first-timer discounts. But I want to try out all my options. So I plan on doing a variety of yoga styles before settling (hopefully) on one. I’ll use my free week at YogaWorks, experimenting, and then I’ll take advantage of the Bikram Yoga Manhattan studio that’s right at Penn Station, a 10-minute walk away.

By the time I’m back in Boston, I can decide whether to commit to Back Bay Yoga or Bikram Yoga Boston. Choices, choices, choices… Hopefully Daddy is willing to help with the membership charges, as well.

Today's Obsession: Living Luxe

I’ve been trying to be good lately about, well, everything. I’ve cleaned out my closet (mostly), eliminated clutter (mostly), and been on a health kick (as long as you don’t count the daily chocolate binge and ice cream for breakfast). But really…

The lovely Laura Max Nelson has also got me obsessing about yoga, which I’m not even that big on. But she has a blog that she keeps updated about the Boston yoga scene and I feel like I’m majorly missing out. After our Bahamas adventure (Eek!), when Tash has left the city (anti-eek!) and I have nothing to do, I am detoxing. I’m taking this ten thing and applying it to everything, including myself. I will be a ten. I will look good, feel good, and actually be good. And here’s how:

• For starters, I will already have a super awesome tan from the Bahamas; that’s enough to make any girl happier.
• I will become familiar with my running shoes. The weather has been gorgeous and I could really do with a Hudson river run every morning.
• I have these coupons for personal training sessions (my job pays me in coupons) and a week-long gym membership that I will use to strengthen my core.
• And I have another coupon for a week-long membership at a yoga studio, which I will use to calm myself down. My dad is bringing my yoga mat with him when he comes next week.
• I might even (gasp!) de-activate my Facebook for a week or two or a month.
• There’s also this detox flush cleanse diet that I’m intrigued by. I don’t really care about losing weight, but during the diet, you literally flush all your toxins (down the toilet). It’s part inspiring and part disgusting, which is why I’ll be doing it when Tash isn’t here anymore.

One of my favorite things about health kicks are the clothes. Having cute workout clothes is part of the equation, because when you look good (like a ten, maybe?), you actually want to work out. I love my crazy colored Nike goodies. “Just do it” is the worlds greatest mantra. But I also find these Bling Yoga Shorties from Victoria’s Secret just as inspiring. VS actually has a TON of yoga goodies, from pants to shirts that say “Live Luxe” to yoga underwear that goes undetected under all that butt-hugging spandex.

But really… These shorties are adorable. Good for hot, summer yoga or for running, and just teeny enough to be inspiring, as well. Because no one wants to wear short shorts when they don’t look good. Plus, they have rhinestones, and who can argue with that. Obsessed.

Victoria's Secret – Bling Yoga Shorties, $29

Today's Obsession: Yoga

Speaking of love... So there's this girl. And she is the epitome of klass (with a K). She's confident and beautiful and an incredible writer. She's also a journalist and has a recent obsession with photography. She loves traveling and is a romantic like yours truly. She's also my sister; it's a match made in Kappatastic heaven.

Laura is one of those people that I could lose touch with for years, run into her on the street and spend three hours talking. She inspires me and I look up to her so much. She just has this resiliency about her, this inner strength and you can tell she totally kicks ass. Anyway, a recent obsession of hers is yoga and she's been blogging about it. Apparently some people have the discipline to keep their blogs on a single focus (I fail).

Her blog is great though. It makes me want to do yoga again, I always loved how yoga offers an opportunity to stop and smell the roses. Or incense or whatever. It's a breather. And I love me some cardio, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy spending some Oms on this mat in one of the Hudson river parks. That's my zen place in the city, and if you close your eyes and place your hands over your ears, you can almost block out all the traffic noise. Obsessed.

Jade Harmony Environmentally Friendly Yoga Mat – Professional (I like it in Olive Green), $59