09/04/2026
Build strength with mindful intention - Intro to Power Yoga
Story time!
As some of you know, about 6 years ago I was 40lbs heavier, very out of shape, and needing to make a change. Though I was practicing yoga and was putting myself through Yoga Teacher Training, I still struggled to walk more than a couple of kilometers and suffered from knee, hip and lower back pain.
Yoga was helping me, but it was not enough. I needed to lose weight and build strength.
So I signed on with a personal trainer and began working out 5 to 6 times per week.
It was the hardest and best thing I could have done for myself. When working out, I would sweat like a pig (like I'm talking rivers of sweat), my body ached every day, and had to force myself hop on my mat.
But I was also determined to not have this become a flash in the pan thing that would see me give it all up once I attained my goal weight. I wanted this to last. I wanted to habits that would see me strong and nimble into my 70s, 80s, and beyond. I had decided that there was NO way I was going to let my body deteriorate the way both my parents had theirs.
So, I didn't push myself too hard. If I couldn't do a workout one day, or a few days, I didn't beat myself up. I didn't weigh myself constantly. I didn't berate myself for not being able to do something. I made myself watch the process with curiosity and learned to listen even more closely to what my body was telling me. And I believed in myself. Not all the time, but most of the time. I trusted what I was learning in my yoga training, and what I was learning about myself, and I kept going.
I didn't start seeing results until I was 3 months in. And I didn't get down to my goal weight until I was 2 years in. Then, one day we were in the grocery store and I was getting a bag of potatoes, and I realized. "I have lost the equivalent of 4 of these 10 lb bags of potatoes!"
Now, I am stronger and more fit than I have ever been. I have established a fitness routine that works for me and one which body, mind and soul crave.
Getting fit and strong does not have to be torture. It can be a journey. It can be a learning process, one that allows you to be proud of yourself while meeting yourself exactly where you are.
It's okay to have bad days. It's okay to take a break. It's okay to have days where you challenge yourself. Invite the entirety of yourself to the process.
That's what these Power Yoga classes are all about. Learning about your body and what it can do, learning to engage muscles properly and make the most out of every asana, and learning to show up and believe that you can do the hard thing and have fun at the same time.
If you would like to see what your body is actually capable of - in a welcoming, judgement free environment - I invite you to join me on Tuesday mornings at 8:30 a.m. at The Loft Studios in Mill Bay.
Register online or drop in and pay by cash or e-transfer.
https://mummamagmayoga.com/yoga-classes/
I would love to see you there. You got this!
💜Tamu
