day 26 - day 25 was awesome!

I've been overeating, I think. But, I've been really kicking ass in class - I've gotten much stronger and I feel proud of how much better I am now from when I started. I have developed muscles that keep me from wobbling around. My bum is touching the ground in fixed-firm pose (it wasn't when I started the challenge). About overeating: I need to lose weight, so I should really get back on track. I wouldn't call it "overeating" if I was 50 pounds lighter, but I really am 50 pounds over the healthy weight range. I have tons of muscle - visible biceps and strong legs - but also tons of fat. I ate 3/4 of a frozen pizza yesterday (cooked of course). It was awesome. Right after class I showered, napped, drank 2 litres of water and then began to eat. I started out with a huge bowl of canteloupe, but I really was hungry so I was driven to cook up the pizza. 3/4 of a pizza is way more than I would usually eat - I usually eat 1/4... but I don't feel bad about it, it's just important that I start tracking calories and get at a range that will allow weight loss. I will go to class tonight in about 5 hours. I'm sure I will have another awesome class. About food and hot yoga: Sometime last week I had some fruit/coconut water smoothie within an hour before class but it was uncomfortable to do forward bending poses and a lot of the mat poses. These are the food rules: 1. Do not eat within 4 hours of class. Go with an empty stomach (I need more than 3 hours). 2. Drink water 2 hours before class. Somewhere on the bikram yoga vancouver website (www.bikramyogavancouver.com) I read that water takes 2 hours to be digested so anything you drink within 2 hours prior to class will not increase your hydration. Bikram yoga vancouver has the most helpful website. They post articles on food and lots of information on poses. I love their student profiles. I really liked taking class at bikram yoga vancouver. I was going there in March this year at the Cambie location. One teacher, C., singled me out in class and encouraged me to slow down and work on executing the postures properly. The next time he taught me he singled me out again and complimented me in front of everyone saying that he remembered me from before and that I was showing tremendous patience. It was wonderful encouragement. I changed locations because I would have to drive 20 minutes to Cambie but I live within a 6 minute walk of Metrotown. I love the Metrotown location also. They are also very encouraging and I have started to genuinely smile when I see the staff and teachers. I have some favourite teachers there also that have been very helpful and encouraging. I am looking forward to finishing the 50 day challenge and receiving a towel as a reward (the first 10 students who finish 50 classes in the challenge will receive a hot yoga towel and be entered to win free membership). I am number 3 on the list behind 2 people who do double classes. I expect that I will keep going to yoga everyday after the challenge has been met. First I have to accomplish the challenge :).