"A woman and her sled dog walk into a bar..."
"A woman and her yoga mat walk into a studio..." One woman's experience of heat and healing by Jo Baron
It is March 2013; the woman had recently moved from North of 60, AK.
Almost immediately, pounds began packing on at record pace. All too soon, she was buying clothes of the XXL variety and way into the double digits in order to accommodate her inflated spare-tire middle. She needed a special shop to be fitted for larger bras... an alarming 42HH! Her cup size was now larger than her head! (in case you're wondering, there are no sexy bras in this size. Not even a color choice. You get solid beige, double durable, bullet-proof, side-by-side hammocks.) Yikes.
Was it too much junk food on the 28-day drive? Warmer climate? (yes, cold weather burns calories.) A HUGE decrease in her level of actvity? Middle-age catching up to her? All of the above? Never too fond of Western medicine (that's a whole 'nother story), she reluctantly stopped into a clinic for routine bloodwork... just in case.
Now, genetics are not on her side. Her family health history is an abomination. She's predisposed to everything bad under the sun and she is smart enough to know that obesity needs to be kept at bay.
A couple days later, the results are in:
- Cholesterol in the danger zone
- Thyroid not functioning
- Liver not functioning
- Major hormone imbalance
- Weight around 200 lbs (height 5'5")
- BMI indicates obese
Other than that, the woman was 'fine," said the Doc, who told her to pick-up her prescriptions (with an 's') and stop back at the clinic in a couple weeks for more bloodwork and to adjust the dosages if necessary.
When she asked how long she would need to take the medications, she was told, 'Forever. Welcome to Getting Older.' Basically, she was to accept this as her destiny. Still in shock and speechless when the doc asked where to send the 'scripts, she thought....
"Are you kidding?? I don't take so much as an aspirin, a multi-vitamin, even a birth control pill"
Asking for her preferred pharmacist was like asking who she would rather be married to, Adolf Hitler or Osama bin Laden.
Her answer: after a much needed 14-day jumpstart cleanse, the woman grabbed her mat and began her search for the perfect yoga studio, and hopefully, a new lease on life.
PART 2
She arrived.
In the reception room, she was quickly greeted by several smiling faces, including one belonging to the studio owner and today's teacher (although unknown to her at the time). She exchanged pleasantries with the woman behind the desk who appeared to know what was going on with everyone.
As she filled out the routine paperwork, the woman behind the desk asked about prior yoga experience. Hm? She hesitated to answer since 1) it had been nearly a decade since she practiced anything remotely related to yoga and 2) the woman behind the desk most certainly never heard of an alien form of yoga practiced only in yurts with woodstoves ablaze, encircled by 5-gal buckets of water, deep within the woods of Alaska... a secret society's sweaty ritual, to be sure.
'Bik--, Bikram? I think that's what it was called? It has been ages...' As she proceeded to explain why it had been so long since she'd done this weird, Alaskan-specific yoga practice, she noticed the woman-behind-the-desk's face light up like a Christmas tree...which told her she had just hit the jackpot: she would be very happy and at home here at Riverflow.
'Yes, we do the 26-posture series here! And don't worry, it's just like riding a bike!' She still had her doubts, but it was Monday morning and she was already here, so, what the hell?
She returned to the studio the very next day to make sure she hadn't imagined this familiar and beloved "Alaska" yoga practice, right here in New Jersey.
Nope, she hadn't. It was real. Maybe this L-48 place wouldn't be so bad after all.
PART 3
Almost immediately, she began to feel like a new person (and look like one too!)
The woman returned to the yoga studio on Friday and purchased a monthly unlimited yoga package.
Her plan: practice at least 2, ideally 3, days a week, more if she could squeeze them in.
The studio owner briefly told her about some opportunities available through this wonderful hot yoga community. Several of them appealed to her: Online Yoga Book Club, Online Yoga Forum Discussions, Blogs, 30-Day Hot Yoga Challenges, Hot Yoga Teacher Training...
Pff! Sounds great for people who have spare time, which she did not. In another lifetime maybe.
Three weeks into her hot yoga practice, the woman received an annoying phone call from the clinic to remind her she was overdue for new bloodwork. Phew! At first she had thought they were going to admonish her for failing to pick-up her prescribed meds from the pharmacy (which pharmacy was that anyway?:) That week, to soothe her worried mind, she returned to the clinic for more bloodwork.
The Results:
- Cholesterol fine
- Thyroid engaged
- Liver performing its job
- Hormones balanced.
- Weight down 25 pounds
- BMI from obese to borderline
Was hot yoga partly responsible for this good fortune? Nope. Hot yoga was COMPLETELY responsible.
As the doc was patting himself on the back for a 'job well done' prescribing the perfect cocktail of pharmaceuticals for his patient, the woman gently suggested that perhaps, she could attribute her reconnection with yoga to these positive changes.
His response was nothing short of maniacal laughter as this was, of course, utterly preposterous.
The mere thought that the two were related by any stretch of the imagination (pun intended) was surely beyond his immediate realm of belief and, quite simply, purely coincidental.
The woman felt both truimphant yet slightly irritated. As she headed for the door to leave, she couldn't resist... 'What was the name of that pharmacy you sent those prescriptions to?' ;)
The question was hanging in the air as the woman stealthily exited. Behind her, she could hear the doc madly pounding the keys on his computer, either trying to locate substantial medical evidence supporting her 'ridiculous' idea or checking with the pharmacy to see if the woman had, in fact, filled her prescriptions.
Either way, the woman was happy and healthy, warmed by having hot yoga in her life once again.
PART 4
[Fast forward eight months later...]
She has now dropped 8 dress sizes in 8 months.
She kept her 3-day/week committment to herself, with the exception of two months during the summer when she traveled back to Alaska. Because she knew that consistency was key.
Financially strapped, she still found a way to take advantage of every 'Special' the yoga studio had to offer. And they were plentiful.
Then came September... the mother lode of all deals... a huge discount on an Annual Unlimited Hot Yoga Membership.
Would she do it? Could she do it?
The moment of truth: it was time to buck-up and put her money where her mouth was (literally).
After digesting the idea that she and her family would be eating Ramen Noodles for the next six weeks, she asked that an annual membership to be reserved in her name.
Oh jeez, now what has she committed herself to?
As it turned out, it was a commitment to her physical and mental health for at least the next year!
PART 5
September came and went, for the most part uneventful for this woman and her mat. (But she did learn that putting a yoga mat in a top-loading washing machine was not one of her brightest ideas).
October seemed to flurry up more activity within the studio as the days grew a bit colder. And there seemed to be this contant buzz about the studio about '30-Day Challenges' (and beyond).
Who were these people? Didn't they have a life? Didn't they have reponsibilities? Were these retired people? College students? Do they live upstairs? And where do they get their discretionary income? Who the heck could put their life on hold and devote 30 days to their yoga practice?
Definitely not this woman! She actually has real responsibilities... a family and a household, volunteer duties, not to mention a job! She doesn't even live close by (30 min/one way). It just wasn't in her cards.
Then came November. Still the ongoing flurry of activity. Still the Challenges chatter. The woman grew more and more envious as she overheard conversations between Riverflow Yoga students about how wonderful their Challenges were going. She felt sort of left out of this prestigious club. But, she could only fantasize about the experience. Realistically, this was logistically impossible.
Or was it?
Were these people's lives so very different than her own? Nope. All had busy lives and full schedules and crammed calendars. They probably even had limited means.
Who was she trying to kid? These people were not so very different than herself. This realization got her flirting with the idea that maybe a 30-Day Challenge was in her future...
[To be continued... ]
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
Reader Comments (6)
Jo, you had me laughing all the way...and smiling too. I cant wait to read Part 5.
Jo, your lively & engaging sense of humor is front and center. I am so happy for you that you are seeing such incredible results! The 30 day challenge is worth it, in time, energy & money! It opened up so many new things for me in thought and action. I hope to see you in the studio soon!
Jo, what amazing humor laced into an inspirational story! I love your exit at the doctor's office!!! :-) Confronting and overcoming the Big Pharma in your own life is such an empowering accomplishment - keep up the great work and don't turn back (like at the docs office!). See you in class!
I don't knock doctors; I just have an issue with "diagnosis." Well meaning as it may be (though sometimes its just downright disempowering as in your case, Jo, with the doctor telling you, "welcome to old age!"), oftentimes once you get your diagnosis, you BECOME your diagnosis: the drugs, the regimens, the dont-do-this list, and doctor who never looks at you as healthy and whole again ,and that can impact the way you look at yourself, talk about yourself, think about yourself, and live with yourself.
If only there was a way to transcend your diagnosis....wait there is! Hot Yoga! And an open mind.
An open mind + hot yoga could be the words written on most diagnoses these days.
Why not? Well…maybe because there aren't many open minds yet in the world of Western Medicine, but that's a talk for another day. I'll keep holding out that there will be a plethora of open minds in that world some day very soon!
What I mean to say is, Jo amazes me! I read her story while I was in Congo, and this story is one of the reasons why I decided to dedicate myself to Teacher Training.
Now, I get to go to class and oftentimes, she's in that class with me. I often joke to her when I say goodbye to everyone in the reception area that "i'll see her next time I come to class, cause she's always there!"
She's inspiring, she wears long clothes right next to the heater and that's just CRAZY awesome CRAZY. I think her story is wonderful, and it just shows how strong and resilient her spirit is, and how it was just waiting and craving for the chance to show itself in all its splendid colors with the help of hot yoga!
Grace - you will indeed see Jo in the Riverflow Yoga studio with you as you do your 30 Days - Jo is currently on day 66 of her 100 day celebration!