Nashville weddings

Rethink Your Engagement: Clear Your Mind with Bikram Yoga for the Bride-to-be

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

When I got married, I had also just started a new job. This isn’t something I recommend, least of all when planning a wedding halfway around the world as well as another wedding here in Nashville two weeks later. Shortly into the 6-month mark, I honestly thought I was going to go insane and the idea of eloping sounded better and better. I’m usually calm, usually a lot less freaked out by stress and I didn’t realize that with all the time I devoted to the planning, I neglected my own wellbeing and had put my Bikram yoga practice on hold. After one particularly arduous day, I had a breakdown and my wonderful fiancé (now husband) said, “Why don’t you go take a yoga class?”

That made such a difference.

Bikram yoga is one of the best things I do for myself on a regular basis and I am excited to be able to share with you today its most wonderful benefits that are going to help you maintain your sanity and (here’s the cherry on top) look and feel awesome for your big day.

Started by Bikram Choudhury and introduced to America in the 1970's, Bikram's Beginner Yoga Class is a sequence of 26 postures put together systematically for optimal benefits.  The postures don't change, just your individual practice which gets stronger and deeper with each day.  According to their website BikramYoga.com, Bikram yoga (popularly known also as "hot yoga") should always be practiced in a Bikram certified yoga studio by a qualified instructor who has undergone proper, strict training. 

Lucky for us, we have an affiliated Bikram studio here in town. Bikram Cool Springs is run by Tennesse native Sandra Lee who has been teaching this yoga since getting certified in 2007. Sandra’s studio has classes everyday taught by her and her team of qualified instructors.  "It's never too late, never too bad, and you're never too old or too sick to start from scratch" as Bikram likes to say.  People of all ages practice Bikram yoga the world around and its longevity and popularity are due largely to the fact that it has such obvious, long-term benefits.  Take it from me, you'll even see results after just a few classes - better posture, better focus and even your clothes fit better! It's pretty amazing!

The Thirty-Something Bride has been practicing BIkram yoga on and off since 2006 and told us, "It's the best 90 minutes a bride (or a groom) can spend on herself. While the heat might sound daunting - or even be a bit overwhelming for your first class, it's actually a wonderful thing! You don't need to be a yoga expect or guru or anything like that. Every class is a "new" class of flexibility and experience, regardless of how long one has practiced. You'll sleep better, eat better (it just happens!), feel better and stress just melts away. It's the best thing a person can do for their entire body, soul and psyche!"**

The 26 postures in a Bikram yoga class in a sequence that works and stretches every part of your body, head to toe, inside and out.

Now doesn't that sound exciting? "The best thing a person can do for their entire body, soul and psyche" pretty much sums up the mental, physical and emotional benefits you could get by treating yourself to a Bikram yoga class. I personally have been practicing Bikram yoga for seven years now, quitting the gym shortly after I started in 2003 and I have never looked back. One of the biggest benefits of this yoga is the mental clarity it brings. It has given me the ability to think clearly and concentrate on the moment instead of being all over the place and that really helped me manage my time better with the two weddings and new job. 

Sandra explained why this is a common effect of the class: "You are given 90 minutes to focus on nothing but yourself. The yoga helps you tune in with how your body moves and feels and teaches you to stay in the moment. Even those who are still on their third or fourth class area amazed at what it does for their concentration because they are finally able to sleep well at night and wake up feeling refreshed."

This is also a great way to focus on yourself. "My students sometimes come in to treat themselves to 90 minutes of 'me time' before returning to real life." In the frenzy of wedding planning, it's so easy to lose yourself. We always stress that your wedding day needs to be more than the flowers, food and the guest list and that it needs to be about you so rewarding yourself with Bikram yoga just might be the thing you need to keep things sane!

Know what else is amazing about this yoga? You burn at least 600 calories in one class without the wear and tear you get from high-impact cardio exercise.  At approximately 105 degrees fahrenheit (the heat is to aid in the detox and flexibility factor) the sequence of yoga poses you go through in 90 minutes will make you sweat, detox and burn. "Your heart rate is raised and lowered, as if you are doing intervals on a treadmill. You get a workout that will make you stronger, more flexbile, it cleanses your body and it makes you feel better overall. The weight loss part is a bonus." Sandra told me.  Don't even worry about being in great shape to start, the point is to do this to get yourself in better overall shape. Sandra stressed that this class is at one level only and you don't need to have any yoga experience to know what you're doing  "This is Bikram's Beginner Yoga Class and it's for all levels and all ages. You work to your ability and and the progress comes at the pace that's right for you."

In case you're wondering about how just doing yoga can build any sort of muscle tone, well, you should just take a look at Biikram himself. The man is well into his 60's and is in better shape than some guys half his age!

Bikram Choudhury teaching at one of his seminars. Sandra reassures me that the teachers do not ever stand on you in class.

But like Sandra said, the weight loss is a bonus.  As a bride-to-be, it's the stress of planning that can get to you and that can distract you from what's important - you and your fiance and the life upon which you're about to embark together.  I could go on and on and on about how great this yoga is but it's best to try it out for yourself.  Maybe even bring your fiance and take classes together because it is a wonderful bonding experience and could take your engagement and marriage to an even greater level!  Here's a video from Bikram Cool Springs with testimonials from their students. Enjoy, and I really hope you'll give it a shot soon - maybe I'll see you there sometime!

About the Author:

Tabitha

Blogging is something I’ve enjoyed doing for years. My interests lie mostly in lifestyle related topics like fashion, style, design, food and weddings. When I heard Ashley was looking to bring on new members to the ABG team, I jumped at the opportunity - I can’t think of a better way to stay involved in weddings than to write about them and to stay in touch with the trends and new ideas. Lucky for me, Ashley likes my blog and trusts my experience to bring me on and so far, it’s been a blast.

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send   Posted on July 21, 2010 | Filed under: Advice & Planning, Wedding Resources