It's like coming home again!

When I walked in the room last Monday, I knew instantly that I missed it. It was my first Bikram Yoga class since giving birth, but walking into that room made me feel like I was coming home - it felt so familiar and welcoming.

I am so glad I did Bikram yoga up until the last week of my pregnancy. It may not have helped with my delivery, but it definitely helped me come back to Yoga more easily. I missed the heat, the sweat, the stretching, and the general calmness and patience it inspires in me.

Now that Isabel is 3 months old, I started to do serious exercising again - Bikram Yoga twice a week (Mondays and Thursdays) and Wii Fit for at 30 min twice a week. If I have more time, I will do Windsor Pilates and one long walk each once a week. While I still cannot do all the poses well in Yoga, I am staying in the room through the heat for all 90 min, which on its own makes me feel accomplished. The poses that squeezes my stomach are the hardest, but since I have done Yoga for 2+ years, at least I know how to push myself without risking injury. On my 3rd class this past Monday, I was able to do all the sit ups in the class (about 14 of them). Still cannot do one roll up in Pilates though but am working on it. Baby steps, remember?

The picture on the top right is that of my teacher (Lamott Atkins). He is probably the best Yoga teacher I have ever had. He also used to be a model in Europe, which is where this photo is from. Not only is his voice calming, but who wouldn't be inspired by a teacher with a body like that. Let's see how many classes it will take me to regain my body back. I will keep you posted. so far, I had 3 classes and dropped 1% in body fat. :-)

-Lei

Inspired

Last week, I started doing Windsor Pilates at home. It's only a 20 minute work out, so I thought it was a good place to start my exercise routine.

I was shocked to find out during my first try that I couldn't do a single roll up (a slow sit up that requires you to use your stomach muscles to curl up your back all the way to sitting). I knew these were hard but I was still surprised when all I could do now was lift my head. I had no stomach muscles! I ended up using my hands to push myself up through the exercise.

Afterwards, I was sad and wanted to cry. I guess I didn't really understand how much a pregnancy and a C section would affect my body. That same day, I came across a story in my Stanford Magazine about Ben Wildman-Tobriner, a Stanford alum and an Olympic swimmer who is destined for a medal in 2008. He had the worse injury of his life last year in the fall. He torn his left pectoral tendon completely off the humerus and had to have surgery. I can't imagine how he must have felt with the Olympics less than a year away. Did he sit around and mope? No way! As soon as his surgery is done, he started training his body again "arm in sling, running sprints next to the pool while breathing out of a snorkel with half of the snorkel hole covered" For the full story, click here

Long story short, he only looked ahead and trained one day at a time until this May when he almost recovered his full strength and is ready to compete in August in China. Needless to say, I was inspired, like Ben, I must look ahead. I may not be an Olympian, but I have determination and a fresh perspective now.

I already made so much progress since giving birth. I couldn't even get out of bed without help the first day I came home. 11 days later, I only could walk outside for 10 minutes and very slowly. Now, I can walk pretty much any where including hills in my regular speed. I realized that everything takes time and baby steps. As long as I don't give up, I will get there.

Since then, i have done the Pilates work out three times - still using my hand to do the roll ups and I am planning to attend my first Bikram Yoga class today. I know it will be hard but just to show up for class is another baby step forward. :-) I am also planning to take Isabel to a baby yoga/massage class this Thursday and perhaps I will try the Bar method in a few weeks.

I am looking forward to getting my body back!

- Lei