Over-Stretched

I haven't written too much about it on here, but I've been on a shape-up mission since right before Christmas. I had slimed down before my wedding, but had gained ten pounds of the twenty I lost by my first anniversary. I really wasn't happy with this and so I decided to do my own little boot camp. It did work and I lost over ten pounds, although a few have creeped back on, and so I'm right at what I weighed on my wedding day.

Now that I've lost the weight I want to shape up. I've been trying to lift weights more often at my gym, but I've also added something new to my routine: a yoga class.

I've done some yoga before, but only with a video or some pages out of a magazine, and never a full hour-long class with an instructor. The classes are great, but I've come to the conclusion that I really think she's trying to kill me.

Standing on one foot with the other stretched way in the air while not touching the floor with my hands but instead wrapping them around my calf? Is a good way for me to break a bone, I'm sure. I cheat and put my hands on the floor because I don't have the balance or strength yet to do this. I do have some moves down pat, but others are still alluding me. The teacher praised the flexibility I have in my shoulders and used me as an example for downward dog, so that's good. However, I think the teacher was mad yesterday because I put my mat next to the mat of the other slacker in class so we both had the encouragement of the other to give up if it got to hard.

I did stick with the whole class and only gave up a few times, but man am I achy today. Last week was my first class and I couldn't move for two days afterward. This week I'm hoping to only be incapacitated for one.

What I want to know is why does something that is so good for me hurt so much afterward? I guess the old saying is right, "no pain, no gain". I'm going to stick with it because I feel good directly after the class and I know that it will help me achieve what I'm trying for, but this pain thing is for the birds.