Finding Zen with the Numbers on the Scale

I love numbers. I married a math major, and every March 14th we celebrate Pi day complete with a pie and games. Numbers are a part of our every day life, but there is one set of numbers I could do without- the numbers on the scale.
 

How I really feel about the scale!

I do not own a scale, I say it is against my religion to be funny. The truth is that when I was a junior in high school, I had an eating disorder. In my insecurity of being a sixteen year teenager, I thought that being skinny and the number on the scale was the way to true happiness. How wrong I was.  My view of my body has changed as I have gotten older and wiser. I focus on not what my body looks like, but what my body can DO.  My body has done some pretty amazing things! I also treat my body with a lot more respect. Over the years, I thought the only way go really get in shape was to pound it into the ground through running, high intensity interval training and step aerobics. Ahh yes- dating myself once again, but I had those Jane Fonda and THE FIRM workouts memorized by heart.
 
There is nothing wrong with cardio, and I do love it. I always feel great after a heart pounding, I can’t move another inch, sore the next day work out. What I have learned and incorporated this 6FIT and over the last couple of months is that yoga and stretching is as important as getting my cardio in. 

I was very hesitant to try yoga at first. I thought one, it was not worth my time because there was no cardio, and second I am extremely inflexible. If you type “yoga poses” into the Pinterest browser you will see poses balancing perfectly on two hands while their legs are somehow appear to be twisting to the side of them, all while the sun is setting. What the what?! Intimidating
 I took Emily’s class, “Yoga ballet flow” after my fourth was born. I was completely skeptical, but at the time my body was just not getting into that whole jumping up and down thing fives days a week.
 
I loved it.
 
I felt so much better after class. The movement with each breath, the stillness of each pose, and the flow of the class. My hips had found their new favorite friend- Pigeon pose.

I got out of taking yoga regularly last spring and summer, and I missed how my body and my mind felt after each class. This fall I started taking it again, and not only did my flexibility improve, but my well being had improved as well. I was becoming stronger, flexible and more confident.  Over time wheel pose is becoming a lot easier for me, and so are some of the balancing poses. I still cannot for the life of me do crow pose, but as I have mentioned before in previous blog posts, I have a stubborn Irish personality that is going to get it one day. 

I conquer a lot on the yoga mat. When I set my intention at the beginning of each class it can range from well wishes to a friend who is sick to please just help me get through this day because the kids have yet again another snow day to I am not feeling the best about myself, I hope this makes me realize how strong I really am.  

What I realize after each class? I am strong. I am beautiful. I am confident.