Size Matters

Categories: Yoga, Yoga Mats

I finally made my 2013 maiden voyage to the gym yesterday. Yoga was on tap. I hit up the infamous SYNO (sweat your nuts off) class I love so much. Not. The usual  suspects were in place, the headstanding, leg windmilling lady was going full bore, no less than half a dozen already sweat dripping, split-shorts-clad guys were peppered about. The floor was overpopulated long before class began and if you so much as left your mat for a 2 minute bathroom break, someone would pounce, roll it off to the side and stake claim to your spot. Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom came to mind. I looked on in amazement, glued my mat in defense mode.

As more people squeezed in, the instructor kept asking everyone to make room. Before long headstand lady was pressed hard up on the windows, her toes leaving smudgy prints on the glass as she windmilled. Things got really dicey when someone shoved aside a bamboo plant and tried unsuccesfully to heft a huge decorative urn in the corner.

Then I noticed it. Some people had larger mats than I. All yoga mats are not created equal? I know there are different colors and thicknesses and wow those Lululemon ones sure are purdy. But when a class is going to be packed to the rafters wouldn’t some extra width and length be divine?

I asked a yoga instructor friend for the lowdown on mats. She affirmed my suspicion so I wasn’t hallucinating in the steamy studio after all. There are various mat sizes. “Oh get a Manduka” she said. So I prowled online and found them in the hundred dollar range. Yikes. To think I gagged on $68 for the pretty Lulu one.

But I’d have extra real estate on which to channel my zen…suddenly my $16 sale model from Tarjay seems inadequate.

Would you go for the larger, $$$ mat?

Balega socks giveaway is ending soon!

November Rewind/December Goals

Categories: Gluten-Free DIet, Goal Setting, Heavy Medal, holiday decorations, holiday planters, Plank, Yoga

Miles

• Run: 60. I needed 65 miles to hit 1000 for the year, which I hit yesterday so booya!
• Bike 30.

Races: 0

I may not have raced but that doesn’t mean I did not add to my stash of bling. This sparkly Rock n Roll series ‘heavy medal’ arrived the other day.  Me likey!

Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure

Caramel Apple Almonds: They’re sweet, tangy, crunchy, addictively delicious and they need to go away before I eat my weight in them.

Triumphs

• 8 Yoga classes: I finally found the one I love
• Survived 2-day food and juice detox and have kept off 2 of the 3.8 lbs lost
• Survived Thanksgiving at the inlaws with no murders and no weight gain

While our indoor holiday decor is minimal so far, I did manage to drag the kids on our annual nature hike, snipping pine boughs and whatever these red sticks are for the outdoor planters.

The caveman also surprised me with some totally unsolicited hanging of outdoor lights. Blame it on the balmy weather. It may be a tad Griswaldian but who’s complaining? Not I.

Goals for December

• Continue with gluten/soy-free diet
• Keep the exercise momentum as much as possible, including thru winter break

• Attempt to bake some gluten-free holiday goodies. I hunted/gathered some necessities. I swear I almost needed a 2nd mortgage on the house for that xantham gum.

 Plank: I ever so boastfully told you recently I could hold a 10-minute plank. Alas that is no longer true. 5:45 was the best I could muster. I will work this month to regain plank strength!

How did November shake out for you? What’s in store for December?