I browsed my old posts for documentations of my first Bikram experience. It was on 19 November 2007.It was 8-ish years ago when i first tried out this variation of yoga – and loved it. Bikram is one of those things that you would either love or hate. And i happened to love it. The only reason why i stopped was because i came to the end of my studying years in Melbourne and had to go back to Brunei.
I picked it up again in the Winter of 2014 while i was working in New York. Disheartened (and FAT) that i wasn’t able to run in the cold i picked up my mat and signed up for 6 weeks of Bikram Yoga which was conveniently located a few blocks away from the United Nations. And just like that, i had fallen in love with it all over again. I was dating Bikram for a month and a half and went home to Brunei a slimmer, happier, new me – and then Brussels happened, Chocolate happened. Frites happened. Gaufre happened. SHIT happened.
The only Bikram yoga studio close to my workplace sucked. I recall mentioning it in my previous posts, instructors were shit and i simply gave up going. Anyway, by August of last year i found myself with a few spare tyres and absolutely nothing to wear 🙁 . Desperate, I turned to private Pilates lessons. Although it didn’t really help me with my weight loss, Pilates did inspired me to get back on track. I was eating well and exercising more. Before i knew it it was December..and in the harshness of winter, i felt the need to sweat so i told myself i’d give bikram yoga another go despite it’s short comings.
And boy, I’m glad i went to that class because it was absolutely the best thing that has happened to me since moving to Belgium.
As my luck would have it , the old studio was bought out by a new owner who converted the Bikram slum to a proper Bikram Yoga Studio, with actual certified yoga teachers! The new owner apparently lived and taught in Australia for a few years before moving back to Belgium.
Who would’ve thought an 11 y.o establishment would be revamped during my time in the country? I guess it was meant to be. I was meant to be a Bikram Yogi. lol. So now I try to go 4 times a week and I’ve been at it for almost six weeks now and i’m starting to feel alot better. To date, I’ve lost all the unnecessary weight i’ve packed in the last year (THANK GOD) but I have to lose at least 5kgs more reach my goal..
and my goal is to be Gigi Hadid………………NOT.
lol. I just want to fit into nice clothes again. i love clothes. But yeah if you’re anywhere near a Bikram Studio i recommend you to give it a go, the postures aren’t as intense as the other Yogas but you just need to get used to the heat. I love it because the heat reminds me of running in the tropics – sans coconut water. I also try to get 45 minutes of running on the treadmill a week and some light weights in my routine. Only because I want nice slim arms for summer.
Monday beckons. Time for Savasana.
Namaste.