I have to laugh at this, but I’m beginning to think my blog has become Christy’sSoWorthIt, instead of SoFortWorthIt. As you know, I’ve been on a healing journey for the past year since my back injury. Yes, I have gained weight and totally lost track of reality (chardonnay and Mama’s Pizza became my drugs of choice), but that path of destruction changed at the end of August.
I’ve always been my biggest critic. Yes, I still have cellulite all over my body, I have dunlap and foopa…but you know what?? I’ve been making some big ass changes so my ass won’t be so big anymore…Since the last week of August, I have lost 15 pounds.
The biggest change was eliminating all animal products out of my life. That’s right, I am vegan (again) and I mostly try to eat raw! Although I have dipped into the vegan world several times since the early 1990’s, this time I hired a chef to ensure I was getting the proper nutrition.
Besides changing the way I eat, I started taking yoga also. I have several friends who teach, and one of them told me about a beginner’s group class at Karmany Yoga. I loved it so much, I hired longtime dear friend and Karmany instructor Julie Craine for private classes to help me in my journey of healing.
I chose private classes for several reasons, most importantly to make sure I perform the exercises correctly and without injury. Another reason is my memory is for the birds. I have full blown CRS and it takes lots of repetitive instruction for me to finally get it! There’s a reason I never made cheerleader growing up…I couldn’t remember the cheers and moves during tryouts. And finally, I am totally terrified of farting out loud in a group setting, and if I heard anyone else rip one, I sooo wouldn’t be able to keep a straight yoga face.
Here Julie and I are getting ready to roll with my private yoga class along with amazing photographer Gara Hill with Beyond the Blue Studios! Gara did a great job capturing the energy of our session.
Not just during this "Seated Twist", but Julie is always helping me lengthen and strengthen throughout our entire session. This move alone opens the upper back and shoulders and lengthens the spine.
I tried so hard during this "Childs" pose to get my butt lower to the ground, but to no avail. Baby got back, what can I say.
Dude, "Downward Dog" had me shaking. It feels like a really awkward "Plank". Julie is making sure my spine is lengthening all the way to my tailbone.
This picture had to be edited. You would have died laughing seeing where Julie was standing...all to ensure my hips were squared away and facing the right direction during this "Revolved Triangle" coming from "Pyramid".
The "Reclined Bound Angle" pose felt great as it helped me open up through the shoulders, chest and hips.
Here I am getting guidance to turn on the right muscles during this "Cobra", which helps to open and strengthen the upper back, as well as open the heart.
Julie is helping me lengthen through the arms and torso with this "Warrior One" pose.
I know this "Tree" pose looks easy, but for the life of me, I couldn't get my foot all the way up to my crotch like Julie did. It is way harder than it looks. Here I'm doing the beginner pose and Julie is doing the more advanced pose, with two different variations of growing tall and centering.
Ok, so all of that above is fine and dandy. We all have to start somewhere, right? After lots of hard work, eventually one day I just might be able to pull some of these hot moves off! Want to yoga like this lady below? Karmany will host another Beginner Workshop in January, and I HIGHLY recommend it. Although it's not on the website yet, when it is, you will want to click on special events to sign up.
I want to thank my amazing friend Julie Craine! You are a lifesaver and a God send! Love you to pieces! I also want to thank Gara Hill who did ALL of the photography for this photo shoot. Well, not quite all...the one above doesn't count.
So Fort Worth It GIVEAWAY!!!!
How lovely does yoga by the fire sound? I’m drawing FIVE winners to join me and Karmany instructor Julie for Fireside Yoga on my patio. This giveaway includes a mat, which you will get to keep after the one hour session, and I will provide lunch with champagne afterwards. Plus, one of the five winners will be entered into a special drawing for a gift from the Fort Worth Lululemon store. Fireside Yoga will be Wednesday, November 19th at 11:30AM. Drawing the winners on Tuesday, November 18th at 12 noon!