Written by Alexandra Ryan

Dear Caught in Southie,

It is Wednesday, November 14th and the 2nd annual 30-Day Challenge has officially ended (Thank God).  Last year, I successfully completed 30 consecutive days of Bikram yoga and 29 days without alcohol.  This year, I decided to attempt another 30 days of Bikram yoga and 30 days without junk food.   I completed 26 out of 30 Bikram classes, and I fell off the proverbially junk food wagon 4 times.  

Day 14*
Smashed 2 chicken wings, 1 piece of pizza, 1 fried zucchini stick due to Hurricane Sandy depression.  #Ieatmyfeelings
Day 15
Bikram cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy
Day 19*
I was practically force fed macaroons at my friend’s 30th birthday party  #notcompletelymyfault
Day 20*
Skipped Bikram as a result of being over served at above party
Day 21*
Ate 1 slice of pizza  #sundaynightdepression
Day 28
Skipped Bikram due to job that ran from 7:00am – 10:00pm
Ate 1 square of dark chocolate with sea salt, 2 munchkins….and 1 brownie at said job
Day 29
Skipped Bikram class because I would have rather jam a pencil into my upper thigh then go to another yoga class. 

*Denotes that mishaps were directly correlated with alcohol. 

Seeing that most of my mishaps occurred when alcohol was involved, I have concluded that 30 days of Bikram yoga would be much better paired with 30 days of no alcohol and no junk food.  Despite this fact, I enjoyed this year’s challenge even though I slipped up a few more times than last year.   In the beginning, watching the office birthday cakes roll by was pure torture, but things got a lot easier towards the end.  I thought Halloween was going to be a miserable time for me.  Last year, I consumed about 50 pieces of left-over office candy.  This year, I didn’t touch one piece and it wasn’t even that hard.  I ate fruit when I craved candy and I drank lime seltzer when I felt the 3:00pm urge to raid the snack closet for sugar.  I even treated myself to Wholefoods pre-cut orange slices (they are amazing).  My 30-Day challenge coincided with Bikram Yoga Boston’s 30-Day Challenge, which made the yoga part easier knowing that 75 other people were doing it too.  I even made a new friend at class and she made it the full 30 days! 

At first, I was really bummed out about having to come clean and tell you that I was not able to complete all 30 Bikram classes and that I ate food off of the forbidden list.   Then, after a day or so of feeling bad about it, I slapped myself.  Who cares!??  I gave it my best shot!   I didn’t let my moments of weakness ruin me completely.   I learned that I don’t “NEED” candy to get me to 5:00pm and I feel like I’m in much better shape physically and mentally than a month ago.  So what if I smashed a chicken wing in a fit of rage and despair!  I may have fallen down a few times, but I got right back up and forged onward.  So, when you find yourself in a mental prison over a towed car, a bounced check, a mistake at work, or a run in your tights, slap yourself.   Don’t let these little things keep you down.   Pick yourself up and keep moving forward.

Love always,
Alexandra