30 Day Yoga Challenge Results

As you may have seen from Instagram and/or previous blog posts I challenged myself to do a 30 Day Yoga course that I found on YouTube. Well tonight, I completed it. It did take me slightly longer than 30 days because I have had to miss the odd day due to not having time to fit it in (usually weigh in night) but I always picked it up again the next day.

The main reason I started doing this was to help my back. I have a damaged spine and I’m prone to slipping discs in the lower part. The last time it went was just over a year and a half ago and I got referred for Pilates at the hospital, this was only once a week for 4 weeks though and I found it actually made my pain worse so I stopped. Recently I could feel my back getting weak again and I was really struggling to pick little man up so I decided enough was enough, I needed to strengthen my core! 

I posted an update 10 days in to the challenge as I had already started to notice a difference. Words really can’t express how much the last 30 days have helped me though. I absolutely love doing it, it 20-30 minutes of relaxing “me” time, even when little miss is doing it (well, trying) with me. 

My flexibility and strength have definitely increased, when I first started I could barely Plank for a couple of seconds but I can now easily hold it for 3 deep breaths and I can even manage a side Plank! I have also managed to do pushups which is something I have never done! My upper body strength has always been non-existant so I’m really impressed by how far I’ve come. I haven’t really noticed any muscle definition myself but Mr reckons he can see some differences in my shoulders and legs.

The main thing I have noticed is how much better my back is though. I am able to get up in the morning and get on with my day, I don’t have to sit on the edge of the bed flexing and straightening by spine for 5 minutes before I attempt to stand up and I can bend at the sink to wash my face. The constant, daily niggle that has been there for as long as I can remember, has pretty much gone. Don’t get me wrong, I still have the odd day where it plays up but it feels a million times better! 

I never really believed that yoga would do that much for me, or that I’d keep it up, but I have loved it! I already have the next challenge lined up and even one for after that…. I think I may be slightly addicted.

If you want to give it a go yourself then here’s the link:

30 Days of Yoga: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLui6Eyny-UzwxbWCWDbTzEwsZnnROBTIL

I may have to do some before and after photos for the next 30 days to see if I can actually notice a difference but then I have Christmas before the next one will finish so I’ll probably just look the same or slightly more like a marshmallow….. Watch this space.