It’s been six weeks since I made my first visit to Byron and started bikram yoga. I’ve noticed enough changes that I thought it deemed a follow-up post.

I made a second visit to Byron after a month. I sat in my car and dictated everything right after my appointment so I wouldn’t forget it.

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The gist of it is:

• My hips are still janky.
• First month’s detox was a partial success. My liver still needs work.
• He talked about the effect that eating too many carbs has on various internal organs, the mechanisms, and the chronic conditions they induce.
• I have a whole new set of enzymes to take. Some are working on my liver specifically, some are working on regulating my blood sugar.

So I’m still working on how to cut back on the grains. It’s a similar concept to going vegan. You can’t just substitute fake versions of stuff you used to eat. You need to learn to eat entirely different stuff. I did clarify for myself that gluten-free products are not necessarily lower in carbs. But the level of sensitivity to various grains is different, too. Safe bets to stay away from are wheat, corn, and oats. Ironically, Byron pointed out that the amounts of corn present in all these highly-processed foods (as corn syrup) are not enough to trigger my response.

We’ve (okay Missy has) worked the quinoa into our diets pretty well. It’s really versatile. It’s been a lifesaver as a snack/dinner that is satisfying but not hugely filling as we’ve been eating on the go a lot having been pretty busy, especially during the Fringe Festival. I’ve been trying to eat more fruit. I know fruit has plenty of carbs, but I like to think that they’re good carbs.

The change I made over the last week was to make breakfast before leaving the house. Turkey sausage, an egg, and some cantaloupe. Surprisingly, I had no problems eating it. Usually I’m not at all ready to eat that soon after getting up. It’s held me until lunch just fine, despite the fact that I end up eating one to two hours earlier than I have been.

I’ve done a pretty good job of avoiding cheese, milk, and ice cream. Most sandwiches taste just the same without the cheese. I have successfully kept myself, despite numerous opportunities and strong hankerings, from visiting my favorite pizza joint. I have noticed a significant reduction in my general level of — TMI — gassiness. I have noticed I’m less phlegm-y as well.

I’ve consistently made it to three to four yoga classes per week. I progressed from being worried that going two days in a row was too much to worrying that two days between classes is way too long. Every single day of yoga is different. No two classes are alike. Like today, I just could not keep my balance through a few poses that I usually can stay in position for (if not with perfect form). So that keeps it interesting. I still get a little nervous before each class for some reason, but that usually all goes away by the time I start sweating.

Speaking of sweating, I normally loathe and detest humidity and sweating without being able to get dry. In the yoga room, I love it. It’s got a lot to do with not having clothes sticking to you, but I also love the cleansing feeling that I get from it, like I’m rinsing myself from the inside out.

My back is noticeably stronger. Like, I have visible lower back muscles that I’ve never had before. I’m definitely more attentive to my posture while sitting. In fact, I find I can’t quite get comfortable in chairs I used to enjoy sitting in. It’s sometimes more comfortable to sit straight up, and I can do that for a lot longer. My quads are more defined as well. I can tell my hamstrings are gradually getting more flexible. I think I’ve lost a couple pounds.

Today I went ahead and signed up for the recurring monthly unlimited package at Bikram Yoga Chanhassen, affectionately known as BYC, which is the nearest studio to home and work. That locks me in for six months and also comes with a free membership to the studio (good for discounts on swag, events, and partner services like acupuncture and thai massage). They have such a great rate on this package, I couldn’t not sign up for it. It’ll take an average of three classes per week to break even vs the next cheapest package and it’ll work out to almost half off the single-class price.

So the changes I’ve seen have been subtle, but noticeable enough to keep me motivated. I still need to work on this diet thing. The next biggest challenge will be keeping up with the yoga schedule as I incorporate the demands of choir, which starts up again in September. I get more done when I have more to do, right?