Day 108 - Namaste

So here I am, on the other side of the Ultimate Yogi, all 108 days complete.  Let's reflect first on the juice feast and lessons learned:

Juice Feast

1. Just because I lived off of V8 for 5 days when I was 19 doesn't mean that I can do it for 3 in my 30s.
2. Smoothies taste delicious when all you've had is V8 and water (see #1)
3. Soy Milk does not count as juice and there is no such thing as Beef Juice (even the drippings from your burger???!!!)
4. Hunger comes and goes in spurts and gets easier day after day.
5. Eating nothing for 3 days is actually easier than eating raw fruits and vegetables for 3 days - at least for me.
6. On the third day I was seriously "hangry".

So with that done, I was ready to tackle my 108 Sun Salutation final challenge: 

108 Sun Salutations

1. As with most of the program it is really hard to focus for 108 straight repetitions.
2. I am still a perv - albeit a more enlightened perv.
3. There is no such thing as the Ultimate Yogi or at least I will never be it.  However, I will be more centered, happier, supplement free, stronger, more flexible, more enlivened and more appreciative than I have ever been before.
4. The middle 36 were probably the hardest because you are tired and you don't yet see the light at the end of the tunnel.

For those of you wondering about my prophecy on Day 2 - yes there were tears at the end.  I honestly don't know what came over me - whether it was hunger, sadness, fatigue, happiness, joy, pride, wussiness or a blend of all of the above, but tears were definitely involved.

So a number of you spambots may be wondering what is next?  Well more yoga of course.  This journey helped me realize that weight training is not for me anymore, at least for now (never say never).  I purchased Yoga Warrior 365 and after taking this weekend to get some perspective (read: get really drunk) I started the program today.  I can already tell it is slower paced and not as intense as the Ultimate Yogi, but that is a good thing too.  Perhaps the longer held poses will allow me to focus and work on testing my edges.

I have no current plans to post on that journey, but I encourage you all to check back once in a while as who knows when the spirit may move me.

I'll leave you in true corporate fashion with some key metrics about my journey:

1. Days of Yoga: 108 (+1 @ Corporate HQ)
2. Days to complete the journey: 116
3. Days with sufficiently focused meditation: 0
4. Days of Crazy Diets: 9
5. Pounds lost on the program: 13
6. Cumulative Pounds lost since re-finding Yoga in Jan 2013: 31
7. Tears Shed: Too many
8. Yogi Style Pushups: Too many

Namaste

Days 49 and 50 - An Ode to Hippie Chick

So there is one lady in the group I haven't discussed, but shame on me for ignoring her just because of her hippie headband and vegan crunchy granola attire.  There is a beautiful lady and wonderful yogi who doesn't get nearly as much attention from the camera as she deserves.  Sure she is not as busty as Meredith, leggy as Lauren or toned as Patty.  But overall she has the total beautiful yogi package.  She is pretty, diligent, flexible, toned and dare I say it without knowing anything about her - humble.  I know so little I haven't even found out her name like the rest.  Nevertheless, there she is in most of the workouts, quietly unassumingly being such an asset to the program.

Sadly the best pic I could find of her on the interweb...(based on a 30 sec web search)...

Source: seekretreat.com

That's her on the right in front of Travis.  Look how deep her warrior one goes! I know it's not a competition, but she is kind of putting the incredibly hot Lauren to shame in this pic.

Go hippie chick! (Scar chest is also lunging pretty deeply!)

Days 42 & 43 - Let's get that cardio flow & crack/pop goes the Tito

Just as I finish complaining about not sweating enough I encounter the cardio workout the next day.  Nothing gets you going quite like some sweet cardio flow.  Drizzled sweat on my matt, but not as sweaty as a man called Bibo (that's what you get for chasing me!)

Today I got through the Mountain (no surprise), the Pranayama breathing (no surprise) and failed the meditation (no surprise).  This time I just turned it off at the beginning.  Skipped meditation last night.  I just am not comfortable in my own mind.

I went to an awesome new chiropractor today.  I haven't felt this normal in a long time.  I still have some minor discomfort in my shoulder, but he really got the right adjustments.  Glad I finally switched.  This guy asked all the right questions and saw all the right stuff.  My hip was out of alignment so my right leg was actually 1/2 an inch longer than my left.  Once back in alignment through some adjustments (neck, rib, shoulder) the pain was gone and my legs were back the same length.  Crazy...

Pop goes the Tito!

Day 40 - So gentle and sweet

I enjoyed the gentle yoga today.  It really is hard to take a break from the hustle and bustle, but I take it as a huge step forward that I feel as alert and good as I do now despite not having the athletic morning. I had conditioned so many bad habits in my life that I truly began to believe all the negativity that I had thought.  I had created and fed myself with bad thoughts.  "I can't do it if I don't...", "I'm just not whole without...",  "I'm useless before..."

What destructive thoughts.  Now I just breathe and know that alertness and awareness will come to me.  In truth, I still struggle every morning and I still crave and miss the supplements.  The level of goodness in my day never reaches that level of excitement I had before.  The feelings of inadequacy continue to well in me.  The feelings of failure and insufficiency plague my mind, but it is a process and one I am trying to overcome.   This 108 day journey is so much more than a physical journey.  It really is a time of self-reflection.  I truly hope that this inward acceptance is the first painful step to overcoming and leading a more natural happier healthier life.

Days 24 and 25: Back on the repair

I was nervous about yesterday's strength practice because that is the one that uses the most back strengthening poses and my back has still been in trouble.  I just made sure not to overdo the bow poses and things actually worked out pretty well.  Still the same thing that the morning is the most painful, but the day gets better progressively.

Today's Yin Yoga was just what the doctor ordered.  I still think it is hilarious that Travis talks about the forward fold as "a little treat".  My pretzels at Auntie Annies today - those are a little treat?  The pretzel dogs I ate tonight b/c I was still craving pretzel goodness - treat.  The cheese plate I prepared to watch the grammy's with - treat.  The caramel nut tart the wife prepared - treat.  Bending forward and reaching out for my toes...um not sure why that's a treat.  Probably would help if my hamstrings weren't so tight that I could actually get somewhere in the pose.

Anyway from the above I'm sure you can guess that I'm failing the food program pretty miserably.  Was doing well, but seem to have fallen off the wagon.  Need to get back on the train.  Winter always makes me want to hibernate.  Also doesn't help to be hungover today...

Yeah I feel off that wagon too.  Boss had a big party so couldn't say no to the open bar...nor the shots once I got home.  Ok step 1 - stop drinking.  Step 2 - stop eating junk.  Step 3 - rule the world.  Well even if its just my world that's good enough.

Day 20 - Vingt, 3shreen, Hatsuka, Yi-Ship

20 days in.  Wow.  Despite a few setbacks I still feel energized with the program and I can't wait to keep moving forward with it.  I've actually been losing weight and feeling better (minus those damn neck crooks).

Been nice to have my "Goo gir" back again and she is the perfect hot water bottle for the cold winter days.

Today's vitality class was fun.  It is not the most challenging of the power yoga classes, but it has a lot of unique motions that make it a fun practice.  At the end of the practice my dog came to curl up in between my legs during savasana.

I still can't meditate well, but I did get through the full 10 minutes last night (barely), which is actually the first time I've even tried in quite a while.

I'm afraid of tomorrow's gratitude meditation, but I will do my best.  That's all I can hope for.

Day 11 - Ancient Chinese Secret

Who would have thunk it? Today I woke up with the crook in my neck again.  Maybe a little better, but on the whole still painful to move around.  Honestly was so tired this morning that I'm not sure if I took some tylenol, but to be honest it hasn't been that helpful.  Then get this - after my yin yoga practice today, the pain is mostly gone.  I don't really understand it, but maybe there is something to this healing art of getting into connective tissue / fascia of the joint that Travis keeps harping on about.  I'm not 100% better, but I can now turn my neck most of the way to the left and the right before it starts hurting.

Well that's pretty awesome.  I'm also a little sore in the core again, which is doubly awesome because it makes me feel like I'm making progress.  I was a little disappointed I wasn't getting sore anymore (guess I'm somewhat masochistic).  I was able to get into all the poses a little better today, in part because of increased flexibility (one hopes) and in part because I bought a new ceramic space heater for the living room.  The space heater works really really well until it trips the circuit in the room.  After this happens twice I decide that third time might be the charm, but only if I use it on low heat.  This works.  :)  Not as nice and toasty, but better than freezing my buns off.

I'm definitely less focused than last week and I realize why (no not Mila Kunis lookalike's low cut top) - my reduced supplement dosage.  For years I have used NoXplode not only for its strength and energy enhancing purposes (the primary purpose of the product), but also for its feel good and mental focus functions.  This is why the stuff gets so addictive.  You feel great, though like any drug that feeling wears off over time and you need increased dosages.  You also have great mental focus and intellectual capability.  It is actually a form of cheating, but in our competitive world it is hard to keep up without it.  Occasionally I still kick myself for not taking my supplements the day of my LSAT.  I actually performed about 5 points lower than my testing average as a result.  Still not sure why I made the call not to take it, but maybe it was for the best for reasons beyond the scope of this post.

Anyway, that is a very helpful realization because it allows me to be more patient with myself in this transition phase.  This is made more poignant by Travis' discussion of the lifespan of professional athletes.  Won't give it away, but it really helps put things into perspective.  If I want to live a long and happy life, without the anxiety and tension of stimulants, without the aches and pains of using chemical means to push myself harder than I should (mentally and physically), then I need to accept that my performance may not be at its peak level and that's ok.  Artificial high performance may benefit my company, my friends, my family or even me in the short run, but in the long run it does damage and can limit the time I have on this Earth with my son and nothing in this limited lifetime is more important than that.

Day 6 - Vitality

Last night's idea of meditation was - why not do it in bed? That way I can fall asleep right after.  Um note to self - it doesn't work like that.  Apparently it was just a poor way for me to add an extra 10 minutes tossing and turning like I usually do when I try to sleep.  I did get to sleep without melatonin again though.  First step - sleep without drugs.  Second step - become ultimate yogi.  Third step - rule the world!

I won't belabor the cast shake up again except to say I'm glad to see Mila Kunis lookalike again.  About 10 minutes in my little one wakes up (about an hour and a quarter before his usual wake up time).  Uh oh.  I give it 10 minutes, but he starts getting louder.  I go up with some water and pray that does the trick.  It does! Blissfully he goes back down to sleep and I manage to get through the workout.

The vitality postures comprise a fair number of the heart opening and back bending poses.  Surprisingly, though the workout is tough, I think this might have been my easiest one yet.  It caters to strength, which is one of the few things I'm not shy on.  Even wheel pose is not too bad given years of wrestling practice, but it was a lot easier when I weighed 140 then now when I weigh 2 *cough cough* what was I saying?

Of course Travis has to put us in plow...again.  This pose is fine for the ultimate yogi or even the ordinary toothpick yogi, but when you are the overly rotund mediocre yogi you really start to worry if you are going to get stuck there and never make it back out.

Like all the other workouts, this is a long one.  Weirdly I am feeling more drained than vitalized.  For some reason I am more sleepy than I have been for the other workouts.  Not sure why as last night was the first Saturday in about a year that I didn't get completely schlonked.  In fact, I *gasp* haven't had a drink all weekend.

So the wife gets home from taking care of her mom, I've made us a breakfast of potatoes, chorizo, spinach and eggs.  After an idyllic breakfast reality sets in.  More snow.  Ugh...I'm going to take a nap.  I try to nap, but the little one starts groaning again.  Ok, he who hesitates/procrastinates...

An hour long 80s montage later we have a clean driveway and I have two frostbitten fingers and am feeling even less vitalized.  Mmmmm...wife baked chocolate croissants.  One bite never hurt anyone *consumes entire croissant, numerous chocolate chip cookies and a lemon poppy seed muffin*

Still hungry.

Day 5 - Detox

January 4, 2013

I had a much better meditation session last night and get this - I actually fell asleep without melatonin last night.  It wasn't right after meditation, and I was up for an extra hour or so longer than I wanted to be, but I fell asleep naturally, which for those of you who know me is quite an accomplishment.

I wake up this morning and take only half a scoop of NoXplode.  In case you are wondering what that is, it is my pre-workout igniter.  I've been using it on and off (more on) since 2004 so after 10 years of use I can be relatively sure it is not something that will kill me in the short run.  In the long run on the other hand...

Image courtesy of www.bodybuilding.com

I buy it from BodyBuilding.com (direct link to product) because they have great prices, great customer service, helpful reviews and are always doing awesome promos with freebies.  Ok, enough with the free commercial for them.  But seriously, if you do wish to supplement, consider using them or another online vendor.  You can save over 50% on retail (read: GNC) prices usually.

OK - back to yoga.  Today's workout is called Detox, but I've been fooled enough over the last few days to know this will be anything but easy.  Plus yesterday's workout was supposed to be the less athletically intense midweek break, so in the words of Tony Horton - "Get Ready, Cause it's coming"

Cast of characters has changed again.  Mila Kunis out, Asian girl back in. Scar chest back in too, but no nipple rings. (They are just accessories??!)  We learn his name is Jason when at one point he is feeling "a little spunky".  Erm - no comment Travis.  Otaku dude is still here, but he looks less Otaku and more French/Eurotrash artsy dude.  What a transformation! Can't wait to see what I become in 108 days.

Workout involves a ton of twists, which are difficult, but sooooooo satisfying.  Definitely manage to work up a great sweat.  

Also I realize that I want to be a yoga instructor when I grow up.  Am I drawn to the meditative calm? Nope.   The lean chiseled physique? Nope.  The ability help guide people through a journey and improve their lives? Nope.  What other profession makes it so acceptable for a dude to get so hands on and be thanked for it?  I notice this as Travis adjusts the leggy brunette's pose by slowly and delicately pressing her against her bare upper thigh.  To be fair he does later adjust one of the men's poses by adjusting his ankles...

Maybe since I'm a well known creeper I'm reading too much into it, but I remember all to well the "interesting positions" that Bryan Kest placed his students in.  I mean, I think you can get the gist by looking at the covers for power 2 and power 3.

Bear in mind folks that prior to doing the Ultimate Yogi this was the best yoga I had ever done. 

Photos courtesy of the amazon.com listings at here and here respectively.  No I don't still have a VHS player, I bought the 3-in-1 DVD set and honestly recommend it highly.

The practice was fantastic, but I'll save details for the next time I do the workout.  Last thing I wanted to mention today is that I completely bungled the diets in my earlier postings.  It is not each 36 days.  Each diet lasts for the 3 days leading up to the sun salutations. Phew.  Ok - I'm going to give them a shot!

Day 3 - Strength

January 2, 2014

I woke up this morning definitely feeling groggy.  First day back to work means first day waking up at 5:30 again.  My body is still sore from the last two days, particularly my core, which is feeling the effects of being pushed to hard in hardcore and then again through the twists in the cardio sequence.  Also didn't help to have to shovel feet of snow last night.  That's what I get for buying a house only miles from the lake...(oh it's beaauuuutiful here...).

Today's challenge, which I chose to accept was the strength workout.  Thankfully my upper body is already plenty strong from years of weights.  I can't do more than 3 pull-ups at a time, but boy can I push some heavy weights off my chest in a vertical up and down motion.  Talk about functional strength!

The workout is challenging, but not as bad as the first two...this is going to be a cakewalk - wait more twists and inversions?  Did I mention that my core is sore?  In particular my obliques are failing me.  In the midst of my pain, my fear returns.  That dude's chest markings look like someone sliced him with a knife 6 times symmetrically (himself)?  I bet he's one of those people who everyone goes.  "Oh Bob? He's suuuuper nice"

I don't know if it was the fact that I was quarter-asleep (the NoXplode helped with 1/2 and the yoga a 1/4), but I really had trouble focusing and my mind kept wandering.  I would love to pretend it was wondering for wholesome reasons, but if you know me and/or have read any previous post you know I was perving again.  One of my resolutions this year is to be more honest so hooray for honesty.  More honesty - probably didn't help that I completely cheated the common sense food program again by eating way too many buffalo chicken/ketchup flavored potato chips last night (I really need to get the snacks out of my house).

Next up was the Hardcore workout again.  You'd think given some crazy sore obliques that I'd just back off for today in true Yogi fashion.  Nope, that's not the Mediocre Yogi style.  I decide to "push through the pain" Rocky style.  In moments like this, I ask myself, what would the Governator do?  He would call me a girly man and then ridicule me until I did the workout.  So I give it a shot, epically fail (about 20-30% of reps) and clutch my side in pain.  I think I really am a girly man.

Timing is perfect, just as I'm finishing up, my nanny comes through the door with her little daughter who starts running around the house screaming "OUR CAR IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! OUR CAR IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO????!!!"  I'm not feeling very zen right now, but I do the only thing that makes sense and offer to dig the car out from the snow.  Brilliant.

Those of you who are actually bothering to read my ramblings with any semblance of interest may be wondering how this can be given that I shoveled feet of snow last night.  Erm...f*cked if I know, but there are feet of snow again.  WTF! So out I go, core screaming and shovel the driveway and all the snow that is under and around the car.  *Cue Rocky IV training montage music* Job done.

On the plus side I did actually do the 10 minute meditation last evening.  New working plan is to do the meditation before bed.  There is no rule that says I have to do it after my workout, and actually it was a really nice way to unwind.

Day 1 - Cross Training

December 31, 2013

So I decided to get started right away.  No time like the present to make a life change.  Why wait until tomorrow or some arbitrary fabricated socially reinforced holiday that caters to amateur hour partiers.  In a former life New Year's Eve was the night I pretended to look forward to ("Whooooohooooo"), but secretly loathed the necessity of paying about a $1,000 to freeze my butt off getting too drunk and having to get into fights with the other drunken DBs while defending the honor of my gf/fiance/wife/good friend's gay bff (yes that really happened and sadly not on a New Year's).

I watch the short introductory video.  Ok, the production values here are far too good.  So good, I'm starting to wonder if this is going to be hokey.  Then Travis Eliot starts talking about how he used to be an athlete, but started to feel the aches and pains of life and refused to accept that it was an inevitable consequence of growing older.  Hey, that's exactly what I wanted to hear.  I just quit doing insanity 10 days in not because it was too hard, but because it was too hard on my joints.  I was feeling achey in the knees, shoulders, forearms etc.  Hey, he has kids too? I have a kid - I can relate to this guy.  Um, but the weird looking yogi dude in the makeup and fake long beard makes me skeptical again.  Reminds me of a really bad Bollywood film.

I slip in the cross-training DVD and am surprised by (a) how good looking everyone is; and (b) how many tattoos there are everywhere.  My wife thinks I'm weird because I actually have a fear of tattoos. Like they are going to come alive and bite me or something.  Ok - grin and bear it.  If I could survive putting a tarantula on my hand this year I can deal with some tattoos. (N.B. wife has a tattoo and I'm afraid of her so my story checks out.)

The workout starts and I'm not sure I can get used to Travis' odd nasal voice.  Try not to be judgmental Mediocre Yogi.  Hmmm  - 3 mins in and I'm already used to his voice.  See that's not so bad.  "Downward Daaaaaaaaaaaawwwwgg" ok I'm annoyed again.

I expected this to be tough, but this workout is really really tough and long.  I'm really sweating and working hard and - hey - that Asian lady is pretty hot.  Ok - focus Mediocre Yogi focus.  This video reminds me of the Bryan Kest videos, but modernized to include tattoos and remove greasy early 90s hairdos.  Both have hot Asian women. (Wife is going to murder me if she reads this.)  Focus drifting again, wow - isn't that grey haired tattoo'd guy a little too old to have nipple rings and what are those straight line scars on his chest?!

Toward the end of the video Travis gets a close up at the screen and mentions about the common sense diet and "no stimulants".  I feel like his gaze is directed right at me.  Shoot - he's on to me!  How did he find out I took NOxplode this morning?!  I didn't put the disc in until after I finished drinking it.  I promise it was only 1 scoop Travis (maybe a heaping one, but still better than my usual 1.5-2).

I make it through the workout, but it is hard and I need to take a couple of breaks.  Next up is the Hardcore (abs) workout.  I probably do about 50-60% of the reps.  Find myself gasping "no...please..." a few times.

Last up meditation.  I could use a good 10 minutes to medidate.  I put on some music in Youtube and make it 4 minutes before giving up.  My meteoric life change may take some time...

Day 0 - First Impressions

December 30, 2013

Just received my copy of The Ultimate Yogi and super pumped!  Came sooner than expected and looks brand new (shrink wrap and everything).  Purchased it off of e-bay so expected it to be used.  Rock on.  I unwrap the packaging and everything is intact.  Each DVD individually wrapped, the program calendar neatly folded.  Wow, this looks really professional.  I must remember to leave positive feedback on e-bay (oops - still haven't done it).

First decision - do I start tomorrow or wait a day.  Why wait?  That has always been my philosophy.  When you want to get something done don't put it off, just make it happen.  Well, tomorrow is New Year's Eve so it is serendipitous timing for this to arrive right before the new year.  Starting on January 1st has a poetry to it, but then again I'm not one for resolutions (see philosophy above).  What to do...

Second decision - do I follow the diet plan or not?  First 36 days eat vegan? I don't think I've ever gone a day vegan.  The thought of it makes me a little queasy.  I'm that annoying guy who always waves my double cheeseburger in the face of the vegans.  Well, it might be possible if we count beef as a vegetable.  Second 36 days eat raw?  Oh man, I like my foods doused in oil and/or butter.  Not sure I can eat raw.  Last 36 days juice feast? Are you kidding me???!

Well I briefly entertain it as well.  I decide to run the first 36 days by the wife.
"That's just stupid."  This from a woman who made us eat gluten free for a month (ok...well she ate gluten free while I cheered her on) and has jumped on many a fad diet or exercise craze.  Then I mentioned the second 36.  "That's really stupid.  I'm not saying you are stupid, just that anyone who wants to do that is stupid." Haha, yeah, that's what I was thinking the whole time...really. :-/  Probably best not to mention the last 36.