Self-Monitoring (on a Budget)

I signed up for yoga at a community college because I need a class to help me hold myself accountable since I sometimes let my home practice find its way to the proverbial back-burner, but I am budgeting for China. The most affordable private studio in town runs $75/ month, unlimited, which is a great deal, and happens to be at one of my favorite local studios, but more than I am willing to spend. After registering for school, and paying the mandatory health fee and per-unit tuition, I am entitled to two 90-minute classes per week for five months, plus free to low-cost health services for a total of $66. Not bad.

It turns out that the yoga, itself, leaves some things to be desired, but there are other valuable things to be gained from this experience. Because it is a college course, students are required to learn more than just asanas and vinyasa flow. Each class begins with a 10-15 minute lecture (so we really only get 30-40 minutes of actual yoga), and the homework requires students to learn about our bodies, including our diets and exercise habits, and how we are affected by them, so I am privy to a nice, abbreviated review of things I'd learned in Nutrition and Science classes. In addition, I have found My Fitness Pal to be a useful tool which I can access from my computer and mobile device. It, too, helps me to hold myself accountable for my health.

Most recently, we were encouraged to have our blood pressure taken at the Health Services office on campus. Had this not been assigned, I may never have learned where the office is, nor what services are offered, because I monitor my blood pressure on my own. When I signed in, I noticed that there were several options to explain the reason for my visit. One option was "blood work." Who knew that, for $40, you could get a complete blood panel done? After having my blood pressure taken, I decided to have blood drawn. Because I had to fast 12 hours beforehand, I decided to go in later in the week. (No appointment necessary.)

I will receive my lab results Monday when the nurse goes over the numbers with me. In the mean time, I will be nursing this mess she made of my arm. Ouch!

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