Day 18 of 20 days of Bikram Hot Yoga!

Twisting feels SO good. At this point, I can turn all the way around and see the back corner. I have no idea why it feels so good, but it does. The more I sit up and the more I twist, the better it feels. Sort of like wringing yourself out like a washcloth. Rumor has it that you can twist all the way around and see the wall you are twisting away from. . . seems a bit "exorcist-esque", doesn't it?

Day 18 was a big learning experience. . .

I will Never eat white pasta before I do yoga ever ever again! I had pesto pasta salad for lunch. At noon. I attended the 4:30 p.m. class - 4.5 hours later - and I felt like I was going to wretch for at least two-thirds of the class. Yuck. It wasn't a big serving, either. I know my body doesn't do well with white flour anything, but I figured the pasta would digest by 4:30. I made it through the class, but I felt like crap afterward. I didn't ever get my energy back and I didn't sleep well. All because of one serving of white pasta. Crazy.

I did have pretty good balance during the standing poses. I'm starting to kick my leg out during standing head to knee pose. As long as I can keep my standing knee locked, I can kick out.

My leg doesn't go straight out in front. I'm not that stretchy yet. But I can kick it out some and still balance on my other leg. I get that being able to balance is as much mind over matter as anything else.

I was able to do standing bow pose enough that my standing leg was burning from top to bottom - a new sensation for me. It doesn't really hurt, but it's uncomfortable. Really feels like all the muscles are on fire. And I got a great back stretch again.

My lower back is getting stronger. And my feet and ankles are, too.

A good class. A good lesson.