Yoga binge
When I feel sad I go on binges. Nothing seriously bad, no booze, only something to distract me from thinking about it and feeling the sadness.
In the past few weeks since my recent breakup, while being mostly fine (honest!), I’ve developed another bout of binge-watching my favourite TV show, Doctor Who. There have been 122 new episodes since they revamped the show in 2005 and I had watched them all before. Three times I think. I’m now through 45 of them or so for the fourth time. Having to stay in and study for the Open University course I’m doing isn’t helping either, it’s enabling my procrastination. My flatmate’s partner, who is staying with us these days, likes to mock me and hum the Doctor Who theme whenever he sees me.
The other thing to drown my sorrow in is hot chocolate. Both, the doctor and hot chocolate, make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Temporary and superficial it may be, but hey, I’ll take it. Still better than compulsive online shopping. I need to watch myself there - it’s the new season for all my favourite brands of outdoors gear - check out the new North Face Summit Series, and Icebreaker’s new colours!
At the same time I’ve (re-)started yoga. I’d meant to take it up again for years and I finally took up the introductory offer of a yoga studio near where I live. Two weeks of unlimited yoga classes for a fixed price. And as I like to save money I went six times during these two weeks - yoga binge! It was great, I now hardly remember my back issues. It is also hot yoga, which means yoga in a room heated to 30 or 40 degree Celsius, depending on the class. This is meant to make you stretch better.
I tried three different types of yoga there. A more dynamic kind with flowing movements, called vinyasa, or power, cardio- or flow yoga. Lots of fluid movements, like variations of sun salutations. Lots of downward and upward dogs and - my favourite (not) - planks. Not really my thing, too much effort. Also, I’m not doing yoga for the exercise, I get enough of that from cycling.
Then there was the other extreme, yin, where I didn’t even work up a sweat - in 40 degrees! This one was more about stretching “the deep tissue”, whatever that means. Apparently, not the muscles are getting stretched but the tendons and joints. For this one we went into quite uncomfortable, but not strenuous, poses sitting or lying down and tried to relax into them for minutes. Interesting, but it didn’t feel like it was doing much. Maybe it would grow on me.
And finally there was the “classic” type where there were poses standing up, sitting and lying down, usually needing a lot of balance, which were to be held for a few breaths. Definitely made me sweaty, but this was more about building flexibility and strength than cardio fitness. Maybe I should stick with this for a while.
Yoga definitely makes me warm - if not fuzzy - inside and out.
In the past few weeks since my recent breakup, while being mostly fine (honest!), I’ve developed another bout of binge-watching my favourite TV show, Doctor Who. There have been 122 new episodes since they revamped the show in 2005 and I had watched them all before. Three times I think. I’m now through 45 of them or so for the fourth time. Having to stay in and study for the Open University course I’m doing isn’t helping either, it’s enabling my procrastination. My flatmate’s partner, who is staying with us these days, likes to mock me and hum the Doctor Who theme whenever he sees me.
The other thing to drown my sorrow in is hot chocolate. Both, the doctor and hot chocolate, make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Temporary and superficial it may be, but hey, I’ll take it. Still better than compulsive online shopping. I need to watch myself there - it’s the new season for all my favourite brands of outdoors gear - check out the new North Face Summit Series, and Icebreaker’s new colours!
At the same time I’ve (re-)started yoga. I’d meant to take it up again for years and I finally took up the introductory offer of a yoga studio near where I live. Two weeks of unlimited yoga classes for a fixed price. And as I like to save money I went six times during these two weeks - yoga binge! It was great, I now hardly remember my back issues. It is also hot yoga, which means yoga in a room heated to 30 or 40 degree Celsius, depending on the class. This is meant to make you stretch better.
I tried three different types of yoga there. A more dynamic kind with flowing movements, called vinyasa, or power, cardio- or flow yoga. Lots of fluid movements, like variations of sun salutations. Lots of downward and upward dogs and - my favourite (not) - planks. Not really my thing, too much effort. Also, I’m not doing yoga for the exercise, I get enough of that from cycling.
Then there was the other extreme, yin, where I didn’t even work up a sweat - in 40 degrees! This one was more about stretching “the deep tissue”, whatever that means. Apparently, not the muscles are getting stretched but the tendons and joints. For this one we went into quite uncomfortable, but not strenuous, poses sitting or lying down and tried to relax into them for minutes. Interesting, but it didn’t feel like it was doing much. Maybe it would grow on me.
And finally there was the “classic” type where there were poses standing up, sitting and lying down, usually needing a lot of balance, which were to be held for a few breaths. Definitely made me sweaty, but this was more about building flexibility and strength than cardio fitness. Maybe I should stick with this for a while.
Yoga definitely makes me warm - if not fuzzy - inside and out.