Yoga

After college when I moved back to Minnesota, I somehow was still part of my family Calhoun Beach Club membership. I didn't start work until 8am so I would regularly go to Yoga and Pilates classes at the CBC at 6am.

During law school, I fell away from it, and my workouts consisted of sporadic pilates at home, 20 minutes here and there on the treadmill, and chain smoking. While I was pregnant, I worked out on the treadmill every day and quit smoking. Since Johan's been here, I try to work out at home, but it sometimes just doesn't happen or I get interrupted half way through. Very unsatisfying.

A couple of weeks ago in a deposition, another attorney mentioned Bikram yoga to me. It's a 90 minute yoga practice in a studio heated to 105 degrees (Fahrenheit). The must-take-everything-to-extremes part of me was instantly intrigued. After being talked down from the ledge by a couple yoga-practicing friends and my boss, I have started up with regular yoga classes. I have been 3 times this week and my body feels great. The studio caters to pregnant women and mothers of young children-they even have a supervised playroom and snacks for kids. I love the way I feel in class and especially after. Since I am sort of a beginner, I also like the attitude of the studio. No one is pretentious or showing off. I can place my mat where there are no mirrors, so I am not constantly self-criticizing my form or my lack of grace.

My new plan is this: 2 yoga classes per week. The Thursday 6am one, and one other as my and Eduardo's schedule permits. I am also going to try to do the treadmill 1-2times per week.

The yoga studio also offers parent/child yoga- I took Johan once. He isn't a very zen sort of baby and ended up trying to wrestle with other kids and then fell down and got a busted lip. Plus, I don't really get the emotional and mental benefit of yoga while he's in the studio. I think I'll stick to music class for Johan and me together, and take the yoga classes as my time for myself. And hopefully we can all avoid busted lips.