DDP Yoga Challenge Initial Post. Goals.

I registered for the DDP Yoga Challenge today.
I'll be tagging posts related to the challenge as "#ddpyogachallenge" so you can follow along.
I may create a couple of videos to show my progress and a little background.
You can find out more about the challenge here.


My Goals:
I have several goals that I hope to achieve through DDP Yoga

1 - Lose weight. I am currently around 185 lbs. And while I may not look like it or feel like it, this number needs to come down. Thankfully, I am very healthy and I wish to stay that way.

2 - Gain strength. In order to pass the physical fitness exams, I need to have a certain amount of strength which I currently don't have. Push-ups, sitting, and running are common in these types of tests. Hopefully, blogging about it well help me not only keep track of my progress in these areas, but also encourage to work just a little bit harder every time.

3 - Have a better diet. I'll be honest--my current diet right now is complete garbage. And I believe it's one of the main reasons why I am tired all the time. I need my energy back and one way to do this is to eat right.

4 - Learn to de-stress. I have heard that yoga is one way to learn how to control your breathing and stress levels. It helps you clear your mind. This is something I struggle with CONSTANTLY. DDP Yoga appealed to me because not only does it help you build your strength and increase your flexibility, but it helps you focus on your breathing and has the de-stressing benefits of Yoga.

I especially need that last one because my life the past two and a half years have been incredibly stressful. I was in a relationship with an emotionally abusive and selfish partner who was not nearly as supportive as he should have been, when I moved back home to get away from him, I became a caretaker for my grandmother who was terminally ill. Then about a month after she passed away, my family and I lost our home and everything we had in Hurricane Sandy. The past year since the storm has been wretched, between fighting with insurance companies, to trying to find a place to live, to trying to scrape enough money to rebuild our home and move on with our lives. Because of all of these things I have let myself and my body fall by the wayside. I am finally ready to change that and take charge of my health. I believe I can achieve these goals through DDP Yoga. My next post will have some before photos and possibly video.