For whatever reason, Mother Nature has given Southern Ontario (and places nearby) a very wet Spring! Are you in one of those rainy areas too?
My umbrella gets lots of use lately. ;)
We’ve had steady rain for the past 5 days and there is more rain due for 3 out of 5 days in the week ahead.
Despite this weather, the rain doesn’t really bother me as much lately, which is pretty strange because I tend to always feel a dip in my mood when it rains.
Today, I realized that I have yoga to thank for my improved mood!
I started going to Moksha’s hot yoga classes on May 7th and I fell in love with it (read all about my first class here). I’ve been to about 11 classes now and I just can’t get enough. I’m really getting my money’s worth with my unlimited $40 intro monthly pass! I really wish I had tried this ages ago. I also think it would have helped me beat my Winter blues too.
“Moksha Hot Yoga was founded in Toronto, Canada in 2004 by yoga teachers Ted Grant and Jessica Robertson. Though a relative newcomer, Moksha has quickly gained popularity as over 30 affiliated studios have since opened worldwide, including in Canada, the United States, Switzerland, and the Caribbean. The Moksha method is a set series of about 40 poses done in a hot room. Moksha has strict "green" standards for keeping their studios environmentally friendly, including using sustainable building materials and natural cleansers. They are also committed to offering weekly low-cost classes with the money donated to locate charities and karma yoga opportunities to keep yoga classes more accessible.” [source]
From time to time, I wonder where the inflexible girl who hated yoga DVDs disappeared to. Well, I’m still here, but now I’ve found a style of yoga that clicks with me. And I’m so grateful that I have because I always felt like there was a missing piece to my fitness puzzle.
Like with most things, I don’t think hot yoga is for everyone (in fact, if you have health problems, such as a heart condition, it’s advised you do not take part), but I’m more convinced that there is a style of yoga that almost anyone can enjoy. You just have to find the right style that meshes with your personality and do what works for you.
The word Moksha means ‘Freedom’, which is exactly how I’ve been feeling lately. Freedom from anxiety, busy thoughts, tight muscles, and day-to-day ‘noise’.
Moksha Characteristics:
- Poses are traditional asanas (I heard there are about 40 yoga positions used)
- You are encouraged to set an intention (in your mind) at start of class
- Emphasis is on deep breathing, enhancing flexibility, and balance
- Breath-synchronized movements – the teacher will instruct you to move from one pose to the next on an inhale or an exhale.
- Several classes are offered: Moksha, Moksha Flow, Flow, and LYM.
- Classes range from 60-90 minutes (75 min is my sweet spot!)
- The pace is quick and heart rate is elevated throughout class
- Room is heated to 37 Celsius
- Instructors will often do gentle adjustments, if its ok with you (personally I appreciate occasional adjustments because they help me find proper form)
- Instructors have the flexibility to slightly adapt each class, so no class is the same
- Friendly to beginners (trust me on this one!)
- Savasana (lying flat on the mat and focusing on breath) occurs at the start of class, middle class, and at the very end.
- There are a couple minutes of intense ab work during the floor series.
- It is a great workout if you want it to be and you push yourself. My muscles are often sore after classes!
After just 11 classes, I’ve noticed an improvement in my focus, muscle tone, breathing, flexibility, posture, and balance. I feel strong, aware, peaceful, and happier than I have in a long time. Eric tells me that my skin feels incredibly soft, which is an added bonus from all that salty sweat exfoliating the skin. I also love the class atmosphere…the energy from the room is really contagious and a yoga DVD just can’t compare in my mind.
Even though I love hot yoga, I won’t be giving up cardio anytime soon (I’ve still been sticking with running/walking/elliptical about 5 days a week), but I feel like they compliment each other perfectly.
What I like to eat beforehand:
I’ve been experimenting with different foods before classes to find what works best for me. For my first class, I had a freshly made juice, but the juice was not enough energy for me to sustain a class and I felt very weak. I also tried various full-sized breakfasts with mixed results, sometimes feeling too full during class.
Lately, what works for me is eating 1 large banana and drinking 1 glass of V8 juice about 40 minutes before a class. Each time I have this snack, I have no weakness during class. I also make sure to drink lots of water before (starting the day before), during, and after class. It’s important to find that sweet spot where you aren’t too full, but you still have lots of energy for the class. If I take a long 90 minute class, I often have a medjool date or two in addition to this snack.
What I like to eat afterwards:
I crave water-based foods like vegetables, fruit, and big salads following a hot yoga class. Lately, I’ve been craving Green Monsters (made with coconut water for electrolytes), salads, veggie & hummus plates, Ezekiel bread/crackers, and Gazpacho.
I’m also newly obsessed with Nature’s Path Kamut Puff cereal thanks to Ange. I’ve been enjoying it with almond milk, ABU, fruit, and a bit of cinnamon. Cold and refreshing.
What I bring to class:
- Reusable tote bag for carrying belongings
- Align Ultra Lululemon yoga mat (I’m not really a fan of this mat because it is slippy! Anyone recommend any good non-slip mats?)
- 1 large bath towel (to place on mat)
- 1 small face towel (to wipe sweat)
- Sigg water bottle
- Keys, license, $20, yoga pass card
- Zip up jacket for before and after class (I shower at home)
My impression after 11 classes:
I feel like yoga is improving the relationship I have with myself. I used to be a skeptic when I heard that about yoga, thinking it wouldn’t apply to me. I was wrong! Yoga is just what I need in my life to help me center myself and thoughts. I have an anxious personality by nature, and yoga is therapy for my busy mind that never stops.
I’ve been excited not only by the changes I see (like toned muscles or improved flexibility), but feel in myself. I feel like yoga is the missing piece of the puzzle to my growth as an individual. I’m excited to explore yoga in many of its forms and styles down the road.
~~~
What’s your yoga experience? Love it, hate it? What styles have you tried and do any click or not click with you? What do you eat (or not eat) before a class?
[By the way, this review is not paid or sponsored by Moksha or anyone else. It’s just my personal experience, as always!]
The only yoga class I’ve tried was a bikram class, and I loved/hated it. It was intimidating to feel like the only person in the room who wasn’t a pro, but once my broken ankle/torn ligament is recovered, I plan on trying to go regularly.
I love Moksha!!! I used to go reguarly (at least 3 times a week) a couple years ago but our studio became VERY cramped, it was usually an hour wait inline outside the studio and once inside it was literally mat to mat, not too mention a lot of people that were going weren’t very “zen” since i think the overall situation made a lot of people grumpy. They opened up another studio and one in the suberbs so i tried it again last week and re-fell in love! It was much more the yoga experience i love! I too suffer from anxiety and find that after yoga i just feel so peaceful! with myself and those around me, and things dont’ seem to bother me as much! good for you for finding “your” yoga, i’ve definitely tried a few kinds (including bikram, another kind of hot yoga, similar to moksha) but would have to say moksha is where my heart is at when it comes to yoga!
Your yoga water bottle is adorable! I don’t think hot yoga is for me, and I generally struggle to enjoy yoga. I found Jillian Michael’s Yoga Meltdown awhile ago which I LOVE. It’s not your typical yoga, but it’s perfect for me and still feels more relaxing than my usual workouts.
I have been obsessed with that cereal for a long time. I always add it to other cereals. Makes you burp though huh? It’s all the air, lol :)
Enjoy the rainy weather, we’re getting it here too.
those are great benefits! I didn’t think yoga would make such a great difference in toning, but I guess it depends on the kind of yoga it is as well.
I love your photos with this post! I live in a rural community and there is no hot yoga near me :-( Many of my co-workers do it and love it, so I really should make more of an effort to try a class even once a week on the weekend when my schedule is more flexible. Your skin is looking great (you b-day dinner pic was gorgeous) ~ if I could get results like that it’s an even bigger incentive to make the effort to go!!
I have that yoga mat too… but don’t use it… I have a few mats… but I find I had problems with slipping with so many so I bought some toe-sox socks and some toe-sox gloves and now I don’t slip at all cos they grip the mat really well x
Love Moksha! It is amazing in the winter time and I find it perfectly complements running by stretching me all out. And it totally saved my sanity post ivf madness. Huge fan. And I’ve heard that the Moksha in your neck of the woods is one of the nicest…
I’ve never heard of Moshka, but that’s cool that savasana happens during class instead of just at the end. I usually do power yoga, which is challenging and fast during class, but I always feel so relaxed at the end. I sometimes do yoga at home with videos, but it’s such a better experience during a class with a great instructor to adjust your poses and make inspiring comments.
I SO wish we had a hot yoga studio here in Normal. There’s not a single one!! Sounds like it’s treating you amazingly :)
i did ashtanga 2-4 times a week for a few years, but stopped a couple years ago when my life schedule changed. i really miss it. i can’t wait to try moksha; i have a free pass and the studio is in my ‘hood so my summer goal is to give it a try. i am going to predict i love it! (i love ashtanga because it follows a series, but always wished the room was hot).
thanks for all your feedback, angela! i am so happy that you’ve discovered a yoga that fits for you so well!
I’ve run the gamut with my gym’s yoga classes, as well as DVDs. We have a variety of styles (Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa) at my gym, but I’ve found that the classes I enjoy the most are the ones taught by my favorite instructor. I initially started taking Pilates with her, and loved her methods — she’s French, and not afraid to make statements about “what Americans do differently” that might be considered a hindrance to our well-being (such as having a sense of shame about “imperfect” parts of our bodies, rather than embracing them!). I started taking her yoga classes (75 min), and loved how she doesn’t have one particular set style that she focuses on — one class, we will do a million sun salutations, the next, we’ll focus on breathing and form, the next, she puts us through an intense vinyasa class! I know a lot of people who don’t like it because it doesn’t seem “pure” to them, but I think you’re so right on with your statement that there are different styles of yoga (and instructors!) for everyone — you just have to find one you like!
I haven’t been to a yoga class in about a year, but I like yoga journal podcasts and solo practice at home. My experience with yoga has been all about learning to connect with and occupy my body because I rarely paid attention to it before. I love that I can tailor my practice to meet my specific needs and that it’s an entire philosophy, not just a workout.
I LOVE yoga but I’m not into the hot yoga because my body just can’t handle the heat. I really enjoy 90min power vinyasa classes inspired by ashtenga or Baptiste. I like to eat a medium sized protein filled meal 2 hours before the class; that way I’m done digesting but I’m never hungry during the class. I also drink a lot of water before class but I stop drinking about an hour before so that I don’t have to go to the washroom during class.
Angela, this post is awesome!! I just posted a question on my blog regarding what people eat before a hot yoga class ( I do the 26 postures-90 min one, called Bikram yoga)..
I have the same problem, eating something too heavy and feeling not so good in class.. or eating too light and feeling a bit weak.. I will try your banana and medjool tip! Thanks so much!!
I had no idea Moksha originated from Canada! That’s awesome. And I’m glad you found a style of yoga that agrees with you. Once you find a variation you love, it can be addicting!
And kudos to you for finding the right kind of nutrition before class. I’m still trying to figure that one out myself…it’s hard because depending on the type of yoga you practice, you need an empty stomach in order to make the twists and bends more comfortable. However if you don’t eat before hot yoga you can feel tired/weak, like you said. I might try the v8 and banana trick!
This was such a lovely post to read – SO glad that yoga is helping you. I have been practicing yoga going on 10 years, and agree with you that there are emotional as well as physical benefits. Even when I only did once a week, or skipped a week, I still found it helped. Right now I am going 4 to 5 times a week and am feeling amazing physical and emotional benefits as well :)
i recommend jade yoga mats! they are super sticky – you definitely won’t slip! when i bought one just about a year ago it literally revolutionized my yoga practice because i was able to go so much deeper into poses without slipping around. they’re also eco-friendly.
I have taken a few styles of yoga over the past year, but I recently started hot yoga. WOW! Hot yoga is so humbling.
I find myself laying there on my sweaty mat, with sweat running into my eyes and my hair completely frizzy, no make up on, thinking, “Wow, I’ve never seen myself like this before!”
Yoga is a great way to see what you are capable of. My body surprises me every day.
I’ve liked everything that I’ve tried so far, and am now obsessed with hot yoga! I feel so peacefuL and beautiful afterwards :)
Yay! It sounds like you’re having such a wonderful yoga experience! I would recommend a Jade yoga mat. I just got one and I love it! My old mat wasn’t grippy enough either and my hands would always slip in downward dog. I love yoga <3 I've been practicing for almost 10 years. I'm not always consistent though! I've tried all different styles. Right now I go to a heated vinyasa flow studio or I just practice at home. I like vinyasa (breath-synchronized movement) because it reminds me to move through my life that way. One breath at a time, with mindfullness. It's like a beautiful dance! :-)