Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)

Hi Gale

I am super pleased that I was able to give you something that works. When you have some updates on your progress (for example if you’re finding some resolution of the problem and being able to move your forehead up higher over time) I will be happy to read them.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

If it ain’t broke, don’t break it! Sounds perfectly fine to me. Hopefully those times when you can’t get to yoga are going to be very few and far between and you can get your daily fix.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Sarah

I guess it gets to a point where you just can’t keep eating. 😉

May I ask if you eat masses of food or if you supplement with anything else? What do you choose to eat after meals, in between meals, as snacks?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Nithya

Placing your mat on carpet is fine. What may make balancing difficult is if there is a thick luxurious underlay between the carpet and floor. The regular underlay that most homes has is fine and even if your balance is not rock solid it is usually just enough to challenge you to improve your balance. It’s also much better to activate core muscles (if you know how to switch them on!). You may just find that you have to re-learn balance over a few classes. But then after that it’s smooth sailing.

You may want to stay on your mat and not sweat on the carpet because after a small amount of time your home will stink. You can either step out along your mat for warrior poses or place an extra mat or simply your towel across the main mat in a ‘T’ formation so that you can take the sweat away!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Valeria

Well from your own recent posts you have said you don’t drink enough water. This will definitely affect your ability to evacuate. Have you managed to increase your consumption yet? Would you like any tips from people about what habits work for them?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Tiffani

I was confused because the posts copied were for other people’s issues. Do I understand you have a labral tear in the hip? What other information could you give me? Cause? What do you do in and out of the studio that causes you pain? I would like to know more please. Be as specific and as precise as you can. It can only help us both. 😉

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Valeria

I would normally have said to look at your diet but you seem to have that handled. 😉 Having said that, your current health challenges would indicate an imbalance of nutrients at least in the past and perhaps now.

I was just wondering if you have ever checked out the documentary called Food Matters. That link is the link to our store where we sell it. I love it that much I tracked down the producers and directors and organized it for our customers.

I really find this film incredibly revealing. It does have some highly useful information about the use of certain vitamins in high doses that I believe you would find extremely educational. It may even change your life. So please if you haven’t seen it then I strongly suggest that you do get yourself a copy. It has truly changed my life. There is some fantastic information from reputable professionals about vitamin use with folk with similar conditions. You can also find it on their website as DVD or even pay per view: Food Matters

I also think that your hydration is a major issue. May I please ask you what your drinking habits are? Do you drink a lot on waking or are you someone who takes a little at a time through the day? Or perhaps you’re someone who drinks with meals? The sloshing makes me think we could help suggest better ways of getting you more fluid. Even if you take a lot of electrolytes, at this stage it seems you may need more H2O.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Lisa

Thanks Jeffrey for posting that link. The most recent conversation has been about the calorie counter. I hope you find it useful.

You can also type the words “calorie counter” in the search box and see where else it comes up!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Chris

Thanks for the missing info! 😉 It’s as I thought really (in my last post). If you check out the video Great Posture From The Ground Up you will see a demonstration of lifting up through the arch and the ankle. You’ll also see why your bike riding is not directly causing the issue but is still probably creating the muscular imbalances in your legs that gets highlighted in yoga. (You may have your big toe down there, but your arch is down there too!)

As a bike rider you probably have very strong quads. Do you feel they cramp up when you try to stand and lock out the leg?

Now here’s a BIG question, are you able or willing even for a time to stop the bike riding and just focus on yoga? I am just wondering if it’s worth doing yoga and trying to sort out the issue and not have the conflicting inputs.

Tell me what you think would work for you and we can start looking at modifications.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Christina

It could be that your connection with the ground during yoga has highlighted an alignment issue that gets exacerbated when you’re standing (when your hips, knees and feet are all weight bearing). It concerns me (as it would you) that you have difficulty walking. Can you tell me if you walk with your feet pointing forward? Or to what degree do your feet point out to the sides? What about pronation? Do your arches fall when you stand? When one rides a bike, the power is through the toes isn’t it? So it could be masking an issue that becomes evident when you weight bear through your feet.

What else can you tell me that answers those questions or is a thought prompted by my questions?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Cindy

I think your problem is really going to respond to stretching. I know this sounds crazy because we have shared similar problems before, but when I was writing my book I was sitting for long periods and not in the best fashion (I wasn’t at a proper desk). I had some terrible problems and yes, tree and other poses I had had no problems with before, were causing me pain. The problem with the hip sounds related. It’s amazing how these things creep up on you.

Anyway, as a result, I made sure that I didn’t cross my legs, I actually often sat (typing my manuscript) in bound angle pose or badokonasana with the soles of my feet together, and did stuff like thread the needle and other inner thigh stretches like pigeon (I know you know which ones I would recommend). I think you’ve just seized up there temporarily and it shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Jeffrey

I think you can be really happy with your progress. You’re only doing 2 classes per week and you’ve still experienced such great changes.

Yes you lose water during class, but that water loss is not going to be sustained because soon after class you start drinking again.

You may be having a lower energy intake on Saturday but it’s not long term. I really don’t see this as a problem. You’re not in any famine state (clearly, or you’d likely be putting on weight). Many experts say that having a day with no food and taking in less (and even no) calories once a week is a great thing. I know that many people eat until they feel 80% full and never overeat. This is supposed to be one of the major determinants of longevity.

To me it seems as though you have a routine that you seem quite happy and comfortable with.

Regarding the calorie counter: It is a largely subjective thing. The figures will be true for some and not for others. It’s a guide. The calculator may represent the figure of someone whose body is a better energy processor. Even if those particular figures don’t fit YOUR body, the calculator is great for comparing energy expended between different activities. The amount of calories you burn may be different to someone else. Personally I don’t like counting calories for my food intake. So I only use the calculator to see where’s the biggest bang for my exercise buck.

You mentioned your tummy! If you have a goal of losing more shape then I guess one of the ways you could go is to attend a 3rd hot yoga class each week. Just enjoy your practice, the way you feel and try not to get hung up on numbers. You may just be surprised to find that when you let that go that your mind is freer to create the perfect conditions for your outcome.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Kristen

Thanks Shona for your succinct and helpful reply! Kristen, when you finish class just lie there until your heart beat and breath are normal and it feels right to get up. Sometimes a class follows yours but don’t be too concerned, you’ll know when you should get up.

Just take it easy and have a shower. The best thing you can do is simply rinse off the sweat. You should really only need less than one minute, maybe even only 30 seconds. 2-3 minutes is WAY more than enough time to have a shower. The request from your studio is a guideline so that others can have a shower too. After all are you really going to do your whole beauty routine at the studio (shampoo, conditioner and so on) every time? That really is better left for your own environment.

It really boils down to making your yoga a mindful experience. And extending that mindfulness beyond your own existence and needs. After class you will simply move at your own speed and get washed and changed. No rush, no fuss, and (hopefully) not a lot of waiting. Although you may feel relaxed and refreshed after your class, you still just want the opportunity to rinse off the sweat (otherwise you may feel sticky after a while) and continue with your day. If you have to wait for a line of people in front of you who are taking 3 minutes and washing their hair and conditioning and spending unnecessary time, you could be waiting for a long time.

That’s probably more than you needed but what you’re trying to do in yoga is be mindful of your actions.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂