This Is What Happens After 180 Days of Yogalates (Yoga + Pilates)
Time spent on the mat is an investment, a big one.
This is how your week usually starts and ends.
Monday to Friday, you work from 9 to 5. You come back home, cook dinner, scroll through Instagram and TikTok.
That new trend catches your eye, and you mentally note to try it someday.
You also browse through travel pictures from a friend who recently went to Japan and start Googling how to plan a 10-day trip to Japan.
You realize you can’t afford both the time off and the expenses.
While you eat your dinner, you need to watch that Netflix movie everyone at work is talking about.
From sitting on your couch, you gradually rolling down in a half-asleep position and eventually drag yourself to bed, dreaming that tomorrow will be the day you finally commit to getting fit and eating healthier.
Your day goes by quickly due to your usual schedule, and any free time gets consumed by scrolling, binge-watching, and deciding what to eat.
The struggle is real.
I spend so much time deciding what to eat, what to wear, and what to watch, only to settle on my usual choices.
You wish to do things a little differently, but it remains a wish as you continue the tasks you’re expected to do by society.
Weekends aren’t much different; they’re consumed by cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, catching up on sleep, meeting friends, and running errands.
From brushing your teeth to leaving for work, the hands of the clock dictate most of your day.
There’s often no time for anything beyond this set routine, which is why weekends become the only way for catching up with friends and running errands.
In the past 180 days, I’ve tried to be more intentional with my health habits.
It all started with doing yogalates.
So, what is Yogalates?
As per this article:
Yogalates is a type of exercise inspired by yoga and Pilates, as its name suggests. It is designed to harness the physical and mental benefits of both practices.
It’s often described as a comprehensive exercise system that can be taught in classes, one-on-one sessions, and workshops.
Yogalates combines the yogic focus on enhanced mind and body awareness, strength, stamina, flexibility, and balance with Pilates techniques that improve posture and create a strong, stable foundation for movement.
How it helped me?
1/ Knowing my limits:
You might have experienced watching an instructor holding poses, thinking it looks easy, but when you try, you can’t quite get it right, even after multiple attempts.
This practice helped me understand and confront my physical and mental limitations.
When I started yogalates, I thought it would be effortless since I was already engaging in some form of exercise.
However, when you need to hold your body against gravity, it takes immense willpower just to remain still for five seconds.
These five seconds can feel eternal, teaching you about your own physical and mental boundaries.
The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible. — Arthur C. Clarke
2/ Self-awareness:
When was the last time you checked in with yourself?
When was the last time you sit down and actually acknowledged how you feel?
Often, you fail to sit down with our thoughts and bodies.
Sometimes, you want to say something, but your body’s gestures convey something entirely different.
To align your body and mind connection, self-awareness is the key, and yogalates helped me develop it.
It can teach you more about your body than any other exercise.
Each session took me closer to understanding myself better.
“Paradise is not a place; it’s a state of consciousness,” as Sri Chinmoy said.
After 180 days of practicing yogalates, everything I knew about myself has changed.
The benefits I gained from spending 15 to 20 minutes everyday on the mat were unexpected:
- being present
- better posture
- recognizing my limitations
- and starting my day with a purpose.
“Be happy in the moment; that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” — Mother Teresa
3/ Starting day with a purpose:
It took me a while to discover the best time for my practice.
I experimented with mornings, evenings, and lunch breaks.
After two months, I settled on mornings before starting my day.
Now, I dedicate the first 10 to 15 minutes every morning to my mat, without looking at my phone or worrying about the day’s tasks.
It’s my moment of solitude in complete silence.
This practice helps me start my day with a positive intention and stay present.
Yogalates enhances your awareness.
You begin to realize that your body carry energy, and you want to use them wisely.
No more complaining or saying, “I hate my day,” or “I hate ny body” but instead accpeting as it is.
The purpose of life is a life of purpose. — Robert Byrne
4/ Improved relationship with myself and others:
For as long as I can remember, I disliked my body and how I looked.
Perhaps it was because everyone around me criticized how tiny I appeared or how short I was, making me feel invisible in a crowd.
Have you ever caught yourself criticizing your body?
Do you feel guilty after a night of overeating?
Did you stop eating your favriote cheese cake, because you may gain a few extra pounds?
Practicing Yogalates helped me understand my body and gained prespectives, leading to a more positive outlook.
It also softened my perspective on health and fitness and made me less critical of my body, increased self-love and a more open heart toward myself and others.
“Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow.” — Doug Firebaugh.
Summary:
As people say, “the longest journey is often from the couch to the yoga mat.”
You will live in this body for your entire life, making it your most valuable asset.
Treat it with the same care you would any precious possession.
Extend to yourself the respect you expect from others.
You don’t need an extravagant vacation for this; you just need uninterrupted time with yourself.
Yogalates isn’t merely an exercise for me; it’s a way of life with immense benefits.
If I wasn’t for practicing Yogalates at the beginning of this year, I probably would never loved my body or improve my outlook towards life.
It help you find calm in chaos and bring peace into your life.
It makes you more flexible, enabling you to lead a healthier and happier life.
“In today’s rush, we all think too much, seek too much, want too much, and forget about the joy of just being.” — Eckhart Tolle
All the best.
Be Bold
Be Courageous
Be Your Best
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