About a 1.5 years ago I weighed 245 lbs.  I had a with a BMI of 45%. My medical diagnosis was MORBID OBESITY. I was a size 22.  I had not developed diabetes, hypertension or cholesterol problems, but I was well on my way to all of these things. I had frequent headaches and my lower legs would be numb by the end of the work day. I had trouble sleeping, I had carpal tunnel. I was miserable and in a very bad place in my life, both mentally and physically.
 
What I know about human behavior is this: We will change when the pain of remaining stagnant is greater than the pain of making a change.
 
I have never been a petite person and had managed my weight by staying active and eating right. I was into biking, swimming, aerobics, jogging, racquetball, cross country skiing, alpine skiing....you name it-I tried it!  I was an aerobics instructor (step) for 15 years! And then I dislocated my left knee in a ski accident in the Italian Alps and, well, that was a pivotal point for me. Gone were the days of racquetball, downhill skiing, even jogging. Anything that would torque the knee was out. At age 48, I had to get a TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT (yes, I have a titanium knee!). Post surgery was hard, physical therapy was painful, I was in a major funk and on major drugs. The weight gradually came on and I felt powerless to do anything about it. About 18 months ago, my medical Doctor referred me to a weight management program and that was the nudge I needed to get back on track. I was finally the path to take care of my health and my life. With the support of others in my weight class, I began to watch what I was eating and began mild exercise...like walking for 15 minutes a day. I had to lose 30 pounds before I wanted to exercise at all.
 
In April 2010, I stumbled upon Bikram Yoga quite by accident....but then, nothing is really an accident, is it?  I had noticed the neon red sign "Bikram Yoga" in Rancho Bernardo every morning when I drove to work, but I didn't know what Bikram Yoga was. At that point I had lost about 90 pounds and, although I was biking, I was looking for something more challenging to my body.  I decided to check it out. I thought yoga was just standing pretty for 30 seconds at a time with soft music in the background.  How could that be a workout?
 
Well, as any of you know who have taken even one class, it is an AMAZING workout. Since May of 2010, I have done a Bikram class almost every day. I think I maybe have missed 7 classes in all of that time. It is like medicine.  It helps me to maintain my weight now (after a total 105 pound weight loss) and has helped with muscle tone. It is not just the physical aspect of Bikram Yoga that is so wonderful--it is the mental aspect as well.  It teaches you to never give up, try your best, be patient, compete only with yourself...and my favorite "Just because you can't do a pose right now doesn't mean you will never be able to do it." What a life lesson THAT is!
 
I tell all of my friends, family and colleagues about Bikram Yoga.
Several of them have come to class with me and continue to do this yoga on a regular basis.
 
I am a size 8 now.
This yoga has changed my life. When I miss a day, I feel like something is not right.
This yoga works and I know how fortunate I am to have found it....and the great community of instructors and fellow Yogis who are in the hot room too!

My name is Ming and I started practice Bikram Yoga at Rancho Bernardo School April of 2010.  Even though, the first week practices were tough (felt I'd pass-out), but I liked the challenge and felt great afterwards.  I regularly come to the practice 3 times a week if I am not on travel.  Generally speaking, I am in good health, but I have family history of high blood pressure and have been taking medication for many years – 20 mg of Linsinopril daily.  After several months of my practice, I noticed that my blood pressure came down sufficiently such that I cut the medication to 10mg, which my physician agreed with at my annual check-up in Jan. 2011.
 
On March 2011, I went to China for 3-1/2 weeks and I missed my hot yoga very much.  I came back to the Yoga school right after my long flight from China plus the 2-hour drive from LA to San Diego.  The practice helped me in coping with the jetlag and the respiratory problems I got in China.  Since I missed much of my practices, I signed up for the April 30-day challenge: that is, hot yoga everyday for the entire month of April.  During that practice, my blood pressure went down even further.  For a week, I did not need any medication.  That is "Wow" to me.  And I am glad that I completed the 30 day challenge without missing a day of practice.  Right now, I am back to my old routine, 3 - 4 times a week.  Although, I am still taking the Linsinopril medication but it is down to 5mg.  I decided to share my experiences at our beautiful Rancho Bernardo Bikram Yoga school so, perhaps, someone else would share his/her’s.

I took my first Bikram Yoga class on January 31st 2011.  This was a period of emotional and personal turmoil, like I’d never been through before.  I had no idea at the time that this Yoga would save me.  During my first class I thought, as many do I’m sure, “These people are crazy, I’m never doing this again”!  But the website and the instructor, Jake both told me to come back within 24 hours, so I did.  My second class was a completely different experience and I think that was when I became hooked.  I walked out of the hot room feeling energized yet completely relaxed, as if I’d had an intense workout and a 90-minute massage and meditation session all at once.  I felt an inner calm that had been missing.   After two months of semi-regular practice, I decided to do the 30-day challenge in April.   I was worried that practicing every day might make going to Yoga seem like a chore and not something that I looked forward to.  That was definitely not the case.  I found myself enjoying it even more and was a bit sad after the 30th class.  During the challenge was when I realized that the benefits of a regular practice do indeed go far beyond the amazing physical changes I saw my body go through.   Being “forced” to spend 90 minutes everyday for thirty days focusing solely on myself was exactly the mental and emotional medicine that I needed.   Through Bikram Yoga, I have survived what I hope will turn out to be the most difficult time in my life.  I have gained an inner strength and confidence that I never knew was possible.  I am learning to let things go and focus on the positive.  I have realized that it is OK to take care of me first instead of putting myself last on my priority list. Most importantly, I now know that I am a strong person, inside and out, and I feel like I can do anything.  Many thanks to Wendy, and all of the instructors at BYRB for creating a friendly, comfortable environment in which so many wonderful changes can happen.

When I started practicing Bikram on December 5th, I weighed over 260 pounds. Today, I weigh 232. I’ve still got a long way to go, but I’m confident I’ll get there. I’m 45 years old, but for a long time I felt like I was ten years older. Now, I actually feel younger, more energetic, healthier and happier.

Here’s a list of the positive changes that I’ve experienced in just four short months: 

Lower weight, Body reshaping/Better fitting clothes, Better strength, better flexibility, Lower and more stabilized blood sugar, Lower cholesterol, Better HDL/LDL ratio, Lower blood pressure, Lower BMI, Lower body fat %, Better blood chemistry levels , Better lung capacity
Lower resting heart rate ,Less acid reflux ,Better sleep patterns, More mental clarity,Lower stress levels, More energy, More stamina, Better eating habits, Better hydration ,Body detoxification (through sweating), Better mood, More joie de vivre!!!!!!

To all of the wonderful instructors (permanent and guest) from Bikram Yoga Rancho Bernardo, thank you for saving my life.

(This testimonial was given in April 2010.  Jim completed his 365 day challenge and has been attending yoga classes on a regular basis.  GOOD JOB JIM!)