30 Day Detox

In the spirit of fitness and holistic healthy living I decided to go for one month without an alcoholic drink.

Enjoy a Booze-Free Month

No I'm not a massive drinker. Not these days anyway! But it's always nice to have the occasional glass of wine. Or a beer with the boys. Perhaps a G&T on a Friday night. Or a cocktail for a special occasion...

Incredible how much these things add up. Time and money alone are great incentives to cut back the social drinking. Since recently I was a little lacking on both the time and money fronts, I figured a one month detox was the perfect solution.

Quite surreal how hard you can find it to 'just say no' though. With friends, family, colleagues and pretty much all other social circles meeting regularly at the local watering hole, you realise it's the social aspect that you miss, rather than the drinks themselves. Australian pub culture lives on!

I know many who still socialise at the bar but switch out a beer for a coke or lemonade... But as far as I see it that's switching from one toxin to another. As anti-social as it may feel at first, try swapping the booze for a mineral water; soda water & fresh lime or... herbal tea? You'd be surprised how quickly your mates will get over caring about what you're drinking, they'll soon get straight back into their ongoing banter and fun conversations.

Don't get me wrong, it's good fun to go out and grab a drink with friends. But the one month detox was a great way to learn a little self-disciplin, re-prioritise and catch up with people for coffee rather than wine. Enjoyable experience and a little mini-milestone achieved, but I still believe it's no worries enjoying everything in moderation - including moderation! ;)

"Ommmm" at Yoga Om in North Perth

If you haven't noticed I've been testing out a LOT of incredible 'finding fitness' options in Perth in recent weeks. I've even already started to exceed my own expectations, smashing far beyond the number of classes I envisioned I would attend. Which is awesome of course. It's always good to have a goal, then a stretch goal, and be able to actually start to see progress towards achieving it!

However another thing that is extremely important is to learn balance and moderation. Admittedly not always two of my most fine-tuned attributes. As a self-confessed moderate-to-high 'full steam ahead' personality I have at times struggled to draw the line, learn to say no and realise when enough is enough. 

For one thing I can't actually seem to blog fast enough to keep up with the fitness classes I've been going to! To date I've attended 9 completely new classes all over Perth city in a mere 2.5 weeks. At the same time as starting new full-time work. For me my work and my 'finding fitness' intentions are very well aligned, but still that's a lot for anyone to take on in a super quick time frame.

So to be honest I think today at Yoga Om I actually hit my limit... The North Perth venue is a really gorgeous space, with a high ceiling and a raised stage for the yogi who leads the practice to demonstrate from. The spiced smell of incense drifted through the room and the lighting against the wooden floorboards was lovely. Just such a shame the studio is so nearby a main road with constant traffic distractions. Which in addition to my aching body and splitting headache really hindered my ability to get the most out of this lovely practice.

I suppose the art of yoga practice involves elevating your consciousness above such obstacles. But it is also about striking the right balance. I should have realised earlier that my aches and pains were more than just general post-fitness tenderness and actually quite extreme strains from days on end of overdoing it. I suppose this practice made this fact quite evident to me, which in itself is the kind of clarity and realisation that a good yoga practice should deliver. So overall? A strenuous success by all accounts :)

Check below for more info...

• DETAILS: Thursday evening, 5:45-7:15pm. Yoga Om. Ste C4, 32 Endeavour Road, Hillaries 6025.
• COST: $18.00 per class on a casual basis 
• TEACHER: Sava
• BRING: Nothing required as the venue supplies yoga mats, blocks, straps and blankets. But it's always nice to bring an extra layer like a vinyasa scarf or cosy jacket to snuggle into after savasana.
• BEST BITS: I liked that the teacher was elevated on a slight platform stage in front of us so we could follow each pose. The hour and a half long practice was a constant journey through a range of poses, each slightly more ambitious than the next. With my aching joints and feelings of utter exhaustion I did find the practice a challenge, but definitely a fulfilling one. 
• YOGA OM WEBSITE: www.yogaom.net

Ginny's Finding Fitness Rating: ★ ★ ★