The Hot Yoga Spot

Work travel is in full swing and this week I find myself in Saratoga Springs, NY. The Hot Yoga Spot is minutes away from my hotel and I've enjoyed two classes there. One was a real 90 minute, actually did all the postures twice and all of the savasanas in between the postures Bikram Yoga class. I loved it. It's practically impossible to find a real class anymore.

The other class was called Baptiste Yoga. I only went to it because I didn't get out of the last conference session to attend the Bikram class, but I ended up really liking it. It's in a heated room but not as hot as Bikram. There are a lot of sun salutations and I haven't done downward dog in like 5 years so my shoulders were on fire.

Everyone at The Hot Yoga Spot is really nice and welcoming. They have two studios - one for Bikram and the other for their other yoga classes and their barre classes. It is clean and I couldn't find any stinky carpet. I think we all know how grossed out I am by carpet in general, let alone carpet that people sweat on for 90 minutes.

Parking can be a little confusing. There's a small lot across the street slash behind the studio. There's also Saratoga Springs downtown public parking a short walk away.

The new student unlimited week special is $25. They let me take advantage of it even though I don't live locally.

Be Hot Yoga

I have spent the month of April going to Be Hot Yoga on Ponce De Leon Place, which is right off of the Beltline near Ponce City Market. It's a super close walk for me and right near the doggie daycare Frank and Daisy Mae go to. (It's called Spot for Dogs and we HIGHLY recommend it.)

I've been thinking about getting back into Bikram yoga for a while. I've been to a few different studios in NY and Houston, but I've never had a regular practice. The boyfriend has been doing Bikram for 7 years, and whenever I say I can't sleep or feel stressed or pretty much anything at all, he tells me that yoga and juicing would fix that. (I'm 99% sure he's not a dirty hippy.) Turns out that Bikram makes me wide awake and I haven't been able to fall asleep after any of the evening classes. Oops.

The nearest Bikram studio is in Marietta and I am not about that OTP life unless it means Chinese food. Be Hot Yoga is right down the Beltline from my apartment and most classes follow the traditional series of 26 postures, although some are combined to meet the 75 minute class format. Some instructors take some artistic license with the series. More about that later.

March 2017 Goals

March was a hard month. My grandmother died the last week in February and I really miss her. Honestly, it doesn't seem real yet. The Open started the same week, and it took a lot out of me both physically and mentally. It was the first year where I could do almost all of the movements Rx, but I just didn't do them that well. There was no glorious feeling of getting my first toes to bar or my first chest to bar pull-up. It was just heavy. I felt heavy. I felt like I was competing against other people at my gym instead of against myself. I wasn't particularly proud of any of my scores, except for the last workout. I didn't expect to get a muscle up. I wanted a 95# snatch but I didn't believe I could do it, which probably prevented me from doing it. But 17.5 was my jam. I said it was going to be similar to 11.1/14.1 (snatches and doubleunders) but with thrusters, and I was right. I really should have bet some money on that prediction. I finished 10 rounds for time of 9 thrusters at 65# 35 doubleunders in 12:07. That's a pretty good score for recreational CrossFitter in case you were wondering.

I needed a vacation in March. Not travel for work (I was gone most of February), but an actual left my computer at home and turned off my phone vacation to somewhere warm. The boyfriend and I had vacation plans that didn't come to fruition. I'm not going to air our dirty laundry because he's a very private person (apparently not everyone keeps a blog on the internet?), but I was pissed. I was pissed in a "don't fucking call me from Florida!," stay out all night and not answer my phone, maybe won't call you for your birthday kind of pissed. I just need a few days on a beach, but pool season came a little early so I've managed.

The good news is I didn't kill him! I even announced that he now has a Bonus Birthday and we celebrated at Beetlecat in Inman Park. For two people who grew up on the water, the price of oysters in this city is a little mind-boggling, but the food is good. Like I grew up in Oyster Bay. I'm still not sure how to live landlocked, or what's so great about a lake created by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Bonus Birthday dinner

Daisy Mae celebrated her 4th birthday on March 10. She's back to walking and running and being her absurd little self. She loves to wear party dresses. Before you roll your eyes at me, come over here and watch how excited she gets when I pull one of her dresses out of the drawer. And then see what happens if you try to take it off of her.

Fitness and Nutrition

CrossFit Goal: 49/200 WODs. I did 17 WODs this month.

Not CrossFit: I went to Be Hot Yoga on Friday and purchased a 30 day unlimited class pass. I ran 2.3 miles.

Macro Tracking: I've tracked every day but I'm still pretty lax on the weekend.

Water: I'm averaging around 80 oz of water a day, not including the water in my shakes, coffee, or BCAAs.

Daisy Mae's birthday cake

Happiness

Church: I went to church 3 times and I officially joined as a member on March 19. That was an incredibly great day. I am so thankful that I have found a church community that feels like family.

Call a Friend: I didn't really feel like talking to anyone. I'm not good with sympathy, and I get awkwardly direct when facing difficult times, such as the loss of a loved one. However, I did catch up with an old friend at Moe's and Joe's. It was good to see him.

The return of my Parliament Light dress, just because it makes me happy.

February 2017 Goals

Fitness and Nutrition

CrossFit Goal: 32/200 WODs. I went to CrossFit 13 times this month, which I find impressive because I was gone so many days. I dropped in at CrossFit Downtown Atlanta, CrossFit Cool Springs in Tennessee, and CrossFit Central in Austin.

The all-ladies morning class at CrossFit Central.

Not CrossFit: I went to Pure Barre once with my mom, which I always enjoy. I went to Bikram in Roslyn with my friend Keith, and I went while I was in Houston. Bikram Yoga Meyerland Plaza was really nice. I really want to add Bikram to my regular schedule, but I want to take advantage of this 30 day unlimited deal and I can't decide on the best date to start.

Macro Tracking: I loosely tracked every weekend but I wouldn't say I fully captured my days or hit my numbers. I'm a little fluffier than I would like to be but at least I've put something into My Fitness Pal.

Water: I've been really shitty at tracking my water intake. I'm going to say I failed this goal this month.

Happiness

Church: I went twice this month and hit my goal. Woot woot!

Call a Friend: Even better than calling a friend, my best pal Kristen was in Atlanta for work and she met me for drinks at Ladybird. It was so wonderful being able to spend time with her in person. She was just happy she got to see where the Real Housewives of Atlanta live.

Bikram Yoga Roslyn

Two years ago, I was visiting my parents in New York for a couple of weeks and I went to Bikram Yoga Roslyn. It was a really rough time. I had recently been attacked, and I had stopped sleeping. Not sleeping will drive you insane. I was fighting a lot with my then boyfriend, I knew I was getting laid off, and I felt like I had wasted a year of my life in Atlanta by not making any friends. I walk into the studio, not knowing anyone, and I met Keith. He made me feel so welcomed and I really needed a friend that week.

Keith and I have kept in touch and we got to practice together on Saturday! He really is the best because he got up at the ass crack of dawn to go to the 7:30 AM class because I had an early afternoon flight. Mary Griffin taught class and it was lovely.

5:30 Club - So Blessed

I was in class with Gina Gallo at Bikram Yoga Roslyn in June, and she closed out the 90 minutes by sharing a little wisdom about being busy. She told us that when our days are really full and we have so many things we need to do and want to do, we should be thankful to have such rich lives and feel grateful for the opportunities instead of stressed out or resentful. At that point I was being paid to not really have a job, no one was offering me a job I actually wanted, and I was so exhausted from not sleeping that I acted like a zombie with an exceptionally short fuse. I swore I would be so grateful the next time I had a rich full life.

Well guys, I am super fucking thankful.

So fucking thankful that I had to start working out at 5:30 in the morning.

Rivka and I so happy after 3 RFT 100 doubleunders, 20 sumo deadlift high pulls @65#

Hot Yoga in Houston

I was in Houston for work last month and my colleagues sent around an email chain about going to hot yoga at YogaOne. Only Kaitie and I ended up getting up at the butt crack of dawn to make the 6 AM class but I'm glad we went.

Sunday Funday: Birthday Bikram

Today I woke up with a mild headache from the Dewars I downed last night, but nothing remotely close to the hangovers I've learned to deal with over the years. I was starving and no one would eat with me so I took myself out to brunch at East End Kitchen and then got a pedicure. Then I went to the office for an hour before heading to Bikram. I know what you're thinking - Who is this responsible person and what did they do with ISOOM? It scares me too.

Bikram Yoga Herald Square gave me a free class for my birthday, which is on Wednesday, and I needed to take advantage of it before I leave for my vacation. The 4 PM class with Elizabeth had just the right number of people in it - it was neither too crowded or to empty.

this photo was taken after class was over

I had noticed an improvement in my Bikram skills when I went in Houston, but I amazed myself today. I usually struggle in awkward pose (that funky chair pose-like move that requires standing on your toes and looking like you really have to pee), but I was able to hold my balance pretty well. Although I had trouble crossing my legs all weekend because my quads felt like someone had taken a weed-whacker to them, I was able to wrap my foot around the other side of my ankle in eagle. And I made a right angle with my body in standing head to knee pose and got my elbows down.

Not everything was easy. My standing bow pulling pose kind of sucked. I realized that I was holding my foot instead of my ankle halfway through my unlimited month last spring, which was a real gamechanger, but unfortunately I reverted back to my old mistake in class. My triangle pose was pure shit but my glutes are so tight that I was surprised I got into that lunge at all.

The most incredible moment was when I lowered down into toe stand pose for the FIRST TIME EVER. I didn't even mind that I couldn't get back up. I also rocked camel. The very first time I tried to do camel, I was convinced I was going to paralyze myself. Today I was all, Sure - let me just bend my body back so I can see the wall and rest my hands on my heels. N B D.

In the case you want to see what these poses are supposed to look like, go to this site.

I was surprised by how not-hot (I wouldn't go as far to say cool) the room felt. I thought Bikram in the summer would be a nightmare based on one class I took in June 2011, but I felt less gross and sweaty leaving the studio today than I did in March. I get really unhappy when I shower after a workout and then start overheating as I try to get home or back to the office. What's the point in showering if I end up just as disgusting as I did beforehand?

CrossFit has obviously made me stronger and more fit, and these improvements are showing themselves in other workouts. I demonstrated my increased strength by carrying my friend and co-worker up 9th Avenue on Saturday.

why do guys instinctively donkey kick their legs out?
you have to wrap your legs around the person carrying you

The Lost Week(end)

So I've been missing in action in blogging for about a week. The Latino Summit got fun, our plane rides got rowdy, and then somehow the weekend happened. The only thing I have to say for myself is I've learned you shouldn't eat things you find in your friend's couch.

Last Tuesday I did get up for Bikram yoga as I promised. At 4:45 AM my alarm started going off and then my poor roommate thought it was her 7:45 AM alarm and kept trying to turn it off using her password. It was comical and just a little bit sad.

My coworker and I got into a taxi that drove us the 1.8 miles to Bikram Yoga Houston for the 5:30 AM class. I really liked the studio and it was super clean. Bikram has the potential to get gross (i.e. smelly and moldy) real fast and I am all about hypoallergenic studios. We had a great class with Tony (pictured below with us) and I loved hearing his cues in his Texas accent. It made lying on my arms in Locust Pose a lot more pleasant than the New York accents I'm used to hearing. We had just enough time to walk back to our hotel, take ridiculously fast showers, and make it to the Welcome Breakfast.

I cannot explain my face here except to say I had already completed a 90 minute Bikram class by 7 AM.

Bikram Yoga Herald Square Review

My friend Sarah recently asked me about hot yoga and I realized I never finished this post on Bikram Yoga Herald Square.

First off, hot yoga just means any type of yoga done in a heated room. Bikram Yoga is the 26 postures sequence selected and developed by Bikram Choudhury from Hatha Yoga and it's not really Bikram unless you're doing it in an approved Bikram studio (read: franchise) with certified Bikram instructors. The classes are always 90 minutes and the room is heated to 105 degrees.

source

I've been to three Bikram studios and since I am a germaphobe, I was seriously skeeved out by the first two I tried. I went because I love how Bikram makes me feel, but I seriously struggled with the smell, the hygiene of students and staff, and the overall lack of cleanliness. And then I learned about black mold and how it grows under the carpets and I was done.

But then I saw this GILT deal for an unlimited month at Bikram Yoga Herald Square for $45. Since a class usually costs $30, I was enticed. It was supposed to be a brand-new studio that prided itself on cleanliness. Located two blocks away from my office, I hopped in the elevator and went to go check it out. I met with the owner, Elizabeth, who graciously offered to take me on a tour. She had me at hypoallergenic studio flooring. The spotless locker rooms, no time limit on showers (I'm looking at you Bikram NYC), and complimentary mats and towels were just icing on the cake. I obvs returned to my desk to purchase my deal.

Elizabeth

Their website describes the studio as,

"New York City's premier and largest Bikram Yoga School. Conveniently located in Herald Square we've designed the space to give you the best possible environment for your yoga practice and to make your overall experience the best it can be from the moment you walk through the door. 

We aim to surpass your expectations with exceptional service, education and support. Not only will you get fit and healthy, but you'll enjoy a friendly, warm environment where everyone is welcome. Come and visit. Prepare to sweat. Expect a change."

Bikram Yoga Herald Square doesn't disappoint. Everyone is super nice. They're not judgy. If you have to pee, they don't make a huge deal about you slipping out to go to the bathroom. Basically everything I ever wanted in a Bikram studio, plus a water machine to refill my gigantic Poland Spring bottles. On top of that, their locker rooms allow you to shower up and look human so you can return to work after a midday session.

I went classes with Anthony, Elizabeth, Gregory, and Veronica. They're all lovely, but Veronica is my favorite. She also had the cutest leopard print yoga shorts so that might have had something to do with it.

The rates are rather reasonable as far as Bikram goes and classes are held throughout the day.

I sent out an email to my office after my studio tour and quite a few of my coworkers signed up. Flopping around on a mat in a puddle of sweat, wearing your underwear is great for office culture.

Sweat It Out

This morning I woke up to a novella of a text message in response to some long ass diatribe I made about feelings and the future and God only knows what else. Three bottles of wine at happy hour lead me to confess feelings I didn't even know I was capable of having to my very convenient hook up across the street. I am an idiot.

Instead of feeling shame, I dragged my ass next door for a prosciutto, egg, and mozzarella cheese and booted up my work computer. Then I realized it was covered in water. Miraculously, it still works.

I went to TranscendCycle at 12:30 PM. It was a killer ride. I love this class so much and I get to go enough to have semi-regular status. I sit next to a girl named Melissa and Darryl calls us out by name. TranscendCycle is more of a dance party than a spinning class, and I find myself having flashbacks to Governors Ball.

Then I went to Bikram at 6 PM. It was vicious and I loved it. I haven't been to Bikram in years and I finally got to try out Bikram Herald Square. The place is awesome and I will be writing a full review soon.

Sweating out my hangover was the best decision I could have made today. It kept my mind off of my stupidity and I felt pretty damn awesome by the time my 8:30 PM conference call rolled around.

Bikram Yoga Herald Square

I like to share my love of fitness with my coworkers and I am now the most popular person on the NYCActivities listserv because of the email I sent below. I'm super excited about Bikram Yoga Herald Square and encourage my readers to go there if the location is convenient for you.

Good morning New York!

I recently purchased a Gilt offer for Bikram yoga at Bikram Yoga Herald Square, which is a new location at 139 W 35^th Street (between 7^th and Broadway). I stopped by the studio for a tour and was really impressed by what I saw.

For those who have attended a Bikram yoga class, you may be used to cramped spaces that smell like wet dog and locker rooms with a barely working shower. This studio is the largest in New York and it has a spacious waiting area to check-in and leave your shoes. There are 5 showers in each locker room and multiple bathrooms. Towels and mats are free of charge (?!) and lockers are available for free as well. What really sold me on Bikram Yoga Herald Square is the lack of carpet. The check-in area has astro-turf (it’s cute once you see it) and the studio floors are made of a synthetic material to fight odor and mold growth. Finally, Bikram for germaphobes!

The Gilt deal is no longer available but I met with the owners, Elizabeth and her son Gregory. They said they would be happy to honor the Gilt offer prices if you said you work with me.

·         $49 for 5 classes

·         $95 for 10 classes

·         $47 for unlimited classes for 30 days

I will be starting my 30 days of unlimited classes in February if anyone wants to join me. In case you’re wondering, I’m not receiving any compensation for sharing this offer. I just really appreciate clean workout spaces and I want this studio to succeed.

The schedule is below.

Have a great day!

Alessandra

School's Out for Summer

On my first day of summer vacation I was up and running by 6:44am. My new neighbor-running partner and I met by the entrance to the East River Esplanade, and took off at a good pace towards 120th Street. I felt like I was sleep-running. Working two jobs for the past two weeks has been killer. I know that so many people have to do this on a regular basis to make ends meet, and I have so much respect for them, because I am exhausted.

The neighbor is a faster runner than I am on a good day. The neighbor's pace nearly killed me yesterday. My legs felt like lead, my brain felt all fuzzy, and my lungs begged for oxygen during our quick rest at 120th. The thing about running outside is that you can't just stop moving when you're tired like on a treadmill - you have to get back home. I certainly wasn't going to walk back home, so we turned around and ran back. Nike+ GPS says we completed 4.45 miles in 36:38. I never know if I should pause the thing when I take a break. It seems a little unnecessary, but then the thing averages the "pace" it records while I stand around stretching and gasping for air.

With my workout completed by 7:30am, I spent the rest of the morning showering, napping, watching All My Children, and getting a pedicure. I hung out with a friend on his roof deck and worked on my tan. I took another nap and watched some more AMC. Then I headed over to Bikram NYC Upper East for ninety minutes of voluntary abuse. It was glaringly apparent that I need more yoga in my life since I started running more often. My goal is to get there twice a week.

Bikram is like Xanax

For some reason I had psyched myself out of the last four days of Bikram, but today I made myself go. I am so glad that I did! It was disgustingly sweaty, and smelled like ass, but I feel awesome. I have to figure out a better showering system though, because I freaked out the neighborhood on my walk home. I then had an intimate moment with my yoga mat in the tub. Germphobia + sweaty gear = horrifying nightmares.

Detox Retox

God bless the Internet. After I posted the list of activities I wanted to try, I received a few messages from fitness friends interested in joining me. One such friend, we'll call him FS, said he would go to Bikram with me.

Last night I had plans to meet up with an old camp friend for beers. All good, until FS said we should hit up Bikram at 8. While I questioned my sanity, it did not deter me from drinking three beers beforehand. I chased them with seltzer and cranberry, so it's not like I'm a total lush. I shouldn't have been concerned because the heat in the Bikram studio had me sweating out the booze before my buzz even kicked in.

This was actually my second time practicing Bikram yoga. I tried it once last summer with my buddy R out in Locust Valley. I liked it, but I never bothered to go again. I'm obsessed after last night's class.

The class is 90 minutes long - 55 minutes of standing postures and 30 minutes for the floor series. I am so ADD that I can't handle being in Vinyasa yoga for that long, but something about the heat and discomfort makes me finally relax at Bikram. I have been in a weird funk since my race on Sunday, but the anxiety and tension I have been carrying around disappeared before the standing series ended.

The room's high temperature promotes flexibility, and your body is able to bend in ways it wouldn't be able to otherwise. For example, I can normally extend my legs and reach past my toes, but I can't place my forehead on my knees. The heat loosened up my muscles and allowed me to really stretch out.

Because I'm out of my mind (and that's why you love me), I returned to my watering hole after a quick shower at the studio. I had told the fine folks at Dylan Murphy's to expect me back after class, and I'm good at my word. Clearly I needed a little elixir of the gods (double vodka with seltzer and a splash of pineapple) to retox after class.

Despite three of these delightful concoctions, I woke up sober and feeling awesome. Better than I've felt in months actually. Can we say #winning?

Bikram NYC has locations around Manhattan. I'm hitting up the upper eastside location, because 1. I live there, and 2. I can throw a rock at my favorite bar from the studio. The newcomer special is $27 for one week unlimited. I have my own mat (thanks FS for jacking that and leaving me with the dingy rental) but you can rent a mat and towels. I am so psyched to go everyday this week.