Let me start this post by saying I love yoga! And if there’s one type of exercise I could do every single day, it is going to be yoga. Yes, all day, every day. 😁

I started gaining interest in yoga when I was still in college. And I must admit it started with just a very superficial reason: one of my girl crushes I’ve been consistently obsessing over, Nina Dobrev, is a yogi. So I told myself I would explore yoga, and be fit and be toned like her. Aside from that, since I wanted to be a ballerina, the closest and more attainable thing I could do at that moment was to attend yoga classes to gain flexibility and balance, and to strengthen my core, arms and legs.

There is a gym in one of the malls in Baguio City that offers affordable yoga classes. Since I was just a student when I stayed there, this was a great deal for me. I invited my friends to join me on our very first yoga session, and after that session, I knew right then that I’ll stick to it (Yes, it’s like finding your true love. Hahaha!). My first yoga experience was both a challenge and relaxation at the same time. The poses were difficult, sure, but I must admit I felt very light right after the practice. After some time, my friends and I joined a yoga club in the university. We were able to attend a few lessons, but unfortunately, we were not able to consistently attend and commit to it. But to compensate, I still visited my trusted gym to attend classes that fit my schedule.

When I went back here in Manila, I looked for gyms that offer a reasonable price, since I was just graduating then (aka soon-to-be-unemployed 😂). There are some gyms around our area that offer lessons for a little over a hundred bucks, but I thought to myself, I could just save the money, and invest it in a yoga mat instead. Since then, I just follow videos on the Internet, and practice yoga at home. And it actually worked to my advantage! I love yoga even more, and I am able do it at my own pace and comfort. I don’t have to be too conscious in doing some of the poses, and I could wear whatever I want while practicing yoga.

But every now and then, I still try to attend classes in yoga gyms. It’s still different when there’s an instructor checking on your poses, and pushing you to your limits. I also try to attend different types of yoga classes, like anti-gravity, vinyasa, yin, and ashtanga to add variety, and to challenge myself even more. I’m planning to try bikram next. ☺

Why do I love yoga that much? I believe I reap a lot of benefits while having fun. Since I started practicing yoga, I observe that:

• my body becomes leaner and toned. I’m not saying that I am now rocking a very fit body with all the right cuts. But based on my observation, the more frequently I do yoga, the closest I am in sculpting a shy abs (hahaha), and well-defined arms and legs;
• it improves my posture. Having a short stature plus frequent slouching? Uh-oh! Not a very good combo. 👎 Thank goodness I could do some poses to lengthen my spine, and to correct my posture;
• my pre-menstrual symptoms are lessened. Hooray!;
• it brings in positive energies;
• it doesn’t drain me even if I do extreme poses;
• the need for massages decreased because through yoga, my muscles feel relaxed
• it directs me to healthier choices. My cravings for junk food is diminished whenever I regularly practice yoga.

Some may say yoga is a lesser workout, but I beg to disagree. I honestly believe that it’s one of the most challenging workouts, because it’s a lot harder to carry one’s own weight while ensuring that the poses are executed correctly, without tensing the muscles, and still be able to observe proper breathing.

I’m so happy I already found my go-to workout, which I never dread to do. As a matter of fact, it energizes me, and never fails to boost my endorphin level to its peak. Reaping the benefits I stated above with no moolah going out of my pocket most of the time, I must say this is such a winner deal!

Namaste! 🙏