From Criticism to Connection: What the Heat Taught Me About Self-Respect There was a time when I measured my body only by numbers. Calories in, calories out. Steps walked. Inches lost. I had a scale in my bathroom and a voice in my head that was rarely kind. No matter what I did, it felt … Read more
Starting Hot Yoga can feel both exciting and intimidating. You’ve heard it’s great for flexibility, stress relief, and even weight loss—but then comes the reality of stepping into a heated room, surrounded by experienced practitioners, and trying to keep up while your body adjusts to the intensity. If that first experience feels overwhelming, you’re not … Read more
I Was Carrying More Than Just Muscle Tension I walked into my first Hot Yoga class thinking I needed a workout. I’d been sitting at my desk for ten hours a day, scrolling news feeds, replying to emails with clenched shoulders and a jaw I didn’t even know was tight. I thought I needed to … Read more
When the Studio Closed, I Had to Choose: Stop Practicing—Or Get Creative It started during a long holiday break. The studio I loved had closed for two weeks, and suddenly, I felt lost without my regular Hot Yoga routine. The heat, the sweat, the sense of release—it had become an anchor in my life. I … Read more
I Didn’t Know My Body Could Move Like That—Until I Stepped Into the Heat Before I tried Hot Yoga, I considered myself “not flexible.” I avoided forward folds. Couldn’t touch my toes. My hamstrings felt like guitar strings, and my back—always tight. I’d tried stretching, YouTube routines, foam rolling… but nothing stuck. Then someone said, … Read more
“You’ll Sweat It Off,” They Said. So I Tried Hot Yoga—But What Happened Surprised Me When I first walked into a Hot Yoga studio, weight loss was the goal. I had tried everything: running, gym memberships, calorie tracking. Nothing stuck. I heard someone say, “Hot Yoga melts fat away—you just sweat it out,” and it … Read more
The Day I Pushed Too Far in the Heat—and What It Taught Me I remember the class vividly. It was my third Hot Yoga session, and I was starting to feel confident. I hadn’t taken many breaks in the first two classes, so I decided to push myself harder this time—no resting, no stopping, no … Read more
The First Time I Didn’t Prepare—and Why I’ll Never Make That Mistake Again I’ll never forget my first Hot Yoga class—not because of the class itself, but because of what I didn’t do beforehand. I showed up 3 minutes before the session started, having just eaten a heavy lunch, wearing a loose cotton t-shirt and … Read more
I Didn’t Know Yoga Could Be This Different—Until I Tried It Both Ways When I first started yoga, I joined a cozy studio with warm wood floors, soft instrumental music, and a calming instructor who encouraged rest as much as movement. I fell in love with it. The stillness, the stretches, the breath—it felt like … Read more
I Didn’t Realize How Much I Was Holding Until I Let It All Go in the Heat The first time I cried in yoga, I was surprised. It wasn’t during a deep meditation or emotional moment—it was during Camel Pose, halfway through a Hot Yoga class. The room was steamy, my breath was heavy, and … Read more