Fabulous Friday

Woohoo! Happy to say that I wrapped up another class at school today. The final was tougher than I had anticipated, which is pretty bad, since I anticipated it being tough. Normally I'm great at BS'ing my way through any test. Toss a little logic at the questions and I normally do very well despite minimal studying. Thinking today may have knocked me down a few pegs. Good lesson for me - definitely need to be more engaged in my studies. Hopefully it's enough that I pass the course. Two week siesta before the next class!

I spent the morning studying... between answering emails, checking Facebook, checking out the news headlines. I swear I truly have the attention span of a gnat. I remind myself of Dory. "Hi... I'm Dory...." Just imagine how much more productive I would be if I could just focus on something for more than a minute or two.

Food modification plan is going very well, I'm happy to report. We've come up with a lot of tasty new things in our diet and we're tracking all of our calories, carbs, protein, and fat. I'm definitely not feeling hungry at all or like I'm "dieting". Which is the goal, I suppose. Permanently modify our eating for long-term health and weight loss.

Of course, being a typical American, I crave immediate gratification and the weight loss is never fast enough. But four days of work and 3 pounds gone. Hopefully never to return. I've done Bikram four days in a row and I've been a little bummed out that I can't participate in the 60-day challenge. Birkam recommends that all students, especially beginner students, try to take 60 classes in 60 days. He promises a new mind and body. And I have to agree, just with the dabbling I've done. The mere fact of the strength, willpower, and determination that would be required to get through 60 classes in 60 days is awe-inspiring. How could you not be changed mentally after that. Talk about believing that you can do ANYTHING!

BUT, I think I have at least a partial solution. I probably can't do the full 60-day challenge until December/January but I'm going to try and go every day until we leave for the backpacking trip. This includes my five days up in Seattle with Brooke. Lucky she's totally cool with trying it out and going every day with me. =) (Poor sucker doesn't know what she's in for...)

Have to admit, I had a hard time getting motivated today. I still have yet to just sit still and build a puzzle. But then again, not sure if our card table is any condition to do a puzzle on. We had done three days of weight training, 4 days of Bikram, and 2 kickball games in three days, so I think I was just a bit burnt out. That, and I know I have 2 Netflix movies just begging me to watch them (and did I mention that I have two new puzzles to build??).

But we did it! Got up the determination to go to Bikram tonight. Neither one of us can say it was our best class. As a matter of fact, I can safely say it was probably my worse class. Not sure why - too many workouts, not enough water, psychological failure. Started off pretty good, did my breathing, moved on to half moon - still good, awkward pose - still good, then with standing head to knee I started to feel pretty woozy. And it just got worse. I stumbled through some of the remaining standing series and sought the sweet relief that always comes when we switch to the floor series. But it never really came... As a matter of fact, part way in, I actually started getting the chills. Now how does that happen? 105 degree room, sweating my ass off, and I have chills. Then my brain starts sabotaging me and I start thinking about what bad press it will be for the nice people at the studio if I die in the room. I swear I will never put myself through this again.

But we do survive, despite both having the chills. Some coconut water, talk with our new friends, and we were feeling better before we even left the parking lot. By the time I get home I'm already thinking about how I could possibly do the 60 day challenge... how can I squeeze it in? Insanity.

Signing off for the night.