“When I first committed to The Ultimate Yogi I had been lifting weights for years.  So I was a bit worried that I would lose muscle if I stopped and did only yoga.  I had never done yoga before, and quite honestly, I don’t remember why I decided to try UY!  But I am so glad that I did!! And I really didn’t have to worry about losing muscle.  :-)

Okay….I’m going to tell you something that I don’t tell anyone else!  I just turned 50 on April 22nd.  But you know what?  Its okay, because my body is so much younger than 50!  My flexibility has increased over these last 108 days so that I can almost touch my head to my knees in a standing forward bend.  I can do upward dogs in every vinyasa…even all the way through Strength!!  And I can hold my arms up through the whole Strength workout.  Now, THAT is an accomplishment!  :-)    My body has enjoyed every UY practice.  The flows are like gooey rich desserts….especially the one arm balance flows at the end of the Strength practice.  (Can you tell that I like that one?)

I am attaching a couple of pictures from one of my very favorite…Balance!  The first time Travis told us to go into plank, bring a knee to the elbow, and then lift the back foot off the floor….I just stopped and laughed at the TV.  But over time I got it…and now I can do it!  I’m not sure if my form is exactly right….but it was so exciting the first time I got my back foot off the floor!  Balance is such a fun practice because you just never know what to expect.  Some days go well and others are a comedy of arm flailing falls.

The other two pictures are just to show that I didn’t lose any muscle.  How’s that for a 50 year old body!  (I have 5 kids too.)  :-)  And the last one is just for fun.

I will be continuing on with the UY workouts because they are just what my body has been waiting for.  Every practice is so good.  Travis is such a great teacher.  And I LOVE his laugh!  Its so great to do yoga and laugh and not take it too seriously.

It has been a great adventure in learning and moving…and stretching…and falling….and growing.  Thanks for the journey!

Sincerely,

Stephanie Lenz”

Thank you for this story – you look great btw….

I practiced 108 sun salutations on day 109. My journey was extended by 1 day. From the beginning in Beijing, to the United States, the Dominican Republic and then all back again, I made a commitment to practice with the Ultimate Yogi no matter where in the world I was. When I visited the Bell Tower in Beijing I learned that in ancient China 108 days is equal to one year. In 108 days seasons change. Lives change. People change. I’ve seen myself change. I’m physically stronger, more flexible and balanced than ever before. And, mentally, I’m more mindful and conscious of being present and grateful for every moment. But I’ve a long way to go before being the ultimate yogi. I need to continue to learn and practice yoga, be mindful of my diet, and learn to meditate.
I’m thankful for Travis Eliot and the entire Ultimate Yogi community for inspiring, teaching and supporting me through this life-changing journey.
~Namaste~

 

 

 

Nicole Tedeschi

“I COMPLETED 108 SUN SALUTATIONS!!! First thing this morning I finished the 108 day journey, I am so full of gratitude, love and admiration for each and every one of that is in this group. If you commented, liked a comment or you are just observing, I am truly grateful for each and everyone of you. I couldn’t have done it without you all.

I have to be completely honest with all of you, I went into this program totally for the wrong reasons. I haven’t always been good to myself, in fact I’ve been brutal toward myself. I had more of a “beat into submission” mentality. This program has changed the way I have treated me. Giving myself the love and care it needs is so much more important than constantly fighting every step of the way.

I’m not the ulimate person yet but I am 108 steps closer than when we started on Januarey 8th. And really this isn’t the end of the journey it’s just the beginning. Thank you all so much.”

“108 sun salutations and done.

…….never thought I would get here but glad I did. If there is one thing I’ll remember about this journey is that it was a roller coaster ride….with alot of ups and downs. There were some days when this 56 year old body was full of aches and pains and tired and worn out and just not into it……but I forced myself onto the mat even if I had to go at a lower intensity and with more modifications than usual. And there were some days when I felt like a million dollars and could keep up with the class members without a problem.I wish I knew what made me feel bad on some days and great on others but I don’t. This past week was especially hard. I had strained my lower back and was in pain every time I had to bend or step through from downward dog to runner’s stretch. I barely made it through Yin yesterday and I didn’t know how I would ever do 108 sun salutations………but today…..I woke up and felt like I was 16 again. I easily did the 108 and could have done another 108 without a problem if I felt like it……….go figure. And Caroline Spector you were right…….that was a very cool ending……..but I’m not going to be the one to give it away …..the rest of you will just have to find out when you get there……now you have something to look forward to…..:) Thanks to those of you who have lent me support on my journey…….I really appreciate it and and am grateful that I got to interact with you…….even if just on a facebook forum. I hope I in some small way have assisted you on your journey……..good luck and take care…….I’ll still be checking once inawhile to see how your journey is going. As a mentioned on another thread I have two sin days per year and this is one of them………now off to have some birthday cake with family members……:)”

 Kristy Scharneck

“I did it! 108 Sun Salutations, at midnight! It was the best flow ever for me… and I was starting to have a tear at 105…. then… well you know what happens after that… so then I laughed… and then I REALLY cried! haha.. Attitude of Gratitude… to every single one of you! ♥”

 

 

 

Thank you Maureen Therrien Mckinnon 

“You have all come together to form the most inspiring and suppportive group. Thanks everyone for your testimonies, likes and supportive comments. All the best in your endeavors. Blessings and health.”

 

Colin Smith

“Well… that’s it. Tonight was number 108. WOW! What a journey. Two weeks ago I was somewhat concerned thinking that my cardio and endurance has taken a hit being away from running for so long. But then I recalled why I started this journey and what my goal was – increase flexibility, increase balance, and strengthen my core. This program did just that! I’ve never been more supple, more balanced, or had a stronger core… EVER! On top of this I’ve never eaten better or found new meaning to thinking more about how my food is prepared or what I put in my mouth. I could have done better with the meditation which always seemed to take second to the needs of family or work. In the end, I got way more out of this program than I anticipated. Thanks Travis! And thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement. Deep gratitude to you all! Namaste!”

 

Loleen Berdahl

 

 

Jean Ferrier Says This

“108 sun saluations done!

What an exhilerating experience! This program delivers on every promise it makes. After 108 days, I am calmer, stronger, more flexible, and more present. I wound up enjoying every one of the DVDs (even Yin — by the very end, at least) and I plan to revisit them often. In fact, I cannot believe that I don’t have a class scheduled for tomorrow….”

 

 

 

 

Laura Kobat’s story

“108 days done with gratitude and so much more. Belief in myself in a calm and not so determined way. Thank you Travis and all that are in various stages of the journey. I will continue the series and check in with you all. Blessings flow for those who’s hearts, minds and bodies are open. Namaste.”

 

 

Amy Paige Siniscalchi

Really feeling grateful for the friends that I’ve made here. Thanks for sticking with me through this tough time. Thanks for checking in with me and letting me know I’m not forgotten Thanks for letting me know that I am loved. I never knew when I started the program that one of the greatest gifts would be the friends I made here. xoxoxoxo

Amy we know you are going to get back at it soon and that for you 108 days became a lifetime 

 

 

 

 

Kara Anthony tells us

“108 done! Whew, what a journey this has been! I can’t believe it, but I was actually able to do all 108 saluations with ease and by jumping into them…which I could barely do during phase two. I could have done better with the eating ( I ate very clean..just a bit high calorically) and I probably would have more visable physical results. However, I do believe that I have gained quite a bit of upper body strength. The three programs that I think I saw the most benefit from are strength, balance and cardio…those three really pushed me to New levels. My two favorites were yin ( omg, I slept so good after that one) and detox ( my spine always popped so wonderfully into place,a really great compliment to a desk job). Thank you, Travis Eliot, for making this program. I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel “

Kara we are going to be releasing Yoga Warrior 365 shortly and have already begun talks with Travis on the next product.

From Yariv

“108 Days Later

Today was a special day for me. 108 days ago I started the journey with all of you. It was my second time round and I have to be honest I made a lot of adjustments along the way. Having embarked to create another DVD set to follow up on this one you can only imagine the amount of work that goes into that. It was this group that inspired me to keep going throughout it all. What I have realized is that yoga is so much more about getting on the mat – it’s about doing things with focus and concentration. I made this realization after mentally beating myself up for the fourth time after having skipped a practice.

What Next

So I started really reading your journeys and noticed that one thing was common that everyone was busy and everyone skipped a day here and there. We do say so in the program that you should pick yourself up and dust off every time you falter but how easy is it to mentally chastise yourself for failure. Where does the mind lead you from that point? What good is 108 days of beating yourself up?

Injury and the 108 Day Program

The other interesting thing that happened was hurting my shoulder. In the middle of the journey I went to a group yoga class that was instructed by an eager up and coming teacher. It was filled with hot sweaty people and the class was intense. It was probably one of the most athletic classes I had been to and my ego got involved. I stopped listening to my body and started listening to my mind. In the process I irritated my shoulder which made the next day on the mat with the DVD extra challenging.  Again I had to come off the train and again this group inspired me to get back on.

Sticking to Resolve

I read a very interesting post by Amy Paige Sinchali who was diagnosed with a condition. Amy I hope that you are ok with me mentioning this on this blog but I figure you would be since you mentioned it to me in a public setting. Amy you especially have inspired me more so than  anyone because you were able to air this in such a healthy way. Not only was it a testament to the power of human spirit but what was more amazing was the support you received from this group. I would be remiss not to mention the rest of you that have gone though challenges of life and what became apparent was the thread of humanity throughout it all. Day in and day out a story developed and we were all there throughout the trials and tribulations.

In Sickness and in Health

A lot of us dealt with sickness and injury along the way and still we found a way to modify. And that really is the crux of it all – modification. Yoga is about bringing yourself back to health and it’s impossible to be healthy when you are working beyond your limits. Yoga is about communication and unification and it’s impossible to do so when you are ignoring the basic signals that your body is giving you. Just because you are sick does not mean you can’t do yoga – it just means that you can’t do a particular style of yoga. And if you really come to believe that yoga is more than just a physical practice then washing dishes or spending time with a loved one is doing yoga. What greater yoga can you find than learning how to sit in silence when your body is raging against you.

Lessons Learned

The main thing you learn when you commit to something is how easy it is to stray from the commitment. There are so many distractions and so many things that seem urgent along the way and it is so easy to stray. I think the biggest lessons learned in life are learned in times of crisis and the thing that sees us through each crisis is our resolve. When we commit to something it becomes our bedrock – it grounds us. So the times when we stray from those commitments are the greatest opportunities for us to learn the biggest lessons. Those are the times where I have found myself most grateful. The fact that things go wrong and all I have to do is accept them and get back on the mat the next day.

A Program or a Lifestyle?

The Ultimate Yogi program is a little sneaky. It starts out as a program and it becomes a habit which then turns into a lifestyle. You can really see the truth of the old adage of watching your thoughts because they lead you to your destiny. You commit to the thought of doing something and then you say it – your thoughts have become your words. Once you put it out there you have no choice but to do it – your words have become your actions. And in doing it you learn all of these wonderful little lessons along the way. Your actions have now become your character. Your character is who you are and how you see the world. There is another nugget of wisdom out there that claims that ninety five percent of the how you see the world is based on your reaction to the event and not the event itself. So in understanding that you realize the importance of committing to a yoga practice especially one that is constantly reminding you not to be so reactive. So if you develop a non-reactive character you develop a non-reactive destiny.

Gratitude.

It’s one of our main themes here on the program – and we are constantly reminding each other about gratitude through every post we make. The very fact that we are inspired to get on the group and write down our experience is an act of gratitude. I would be remiss not to mention here who I am grateful to:

1. My parents – if they had not found themselves mutually attractive enough I would not be here
2. My family – you have been a constant source of inspiration for me and I have only been able to grow through the water of your affection.
3. My friends – thank you for being there time and time again – you have always reminded me that there is more to life than just work
4. Travis Eliot – for  creating the Ultimate Yogi program, inspiring me to go on this roller coaster ride and being the spark that ignited everything here.
5. Bryan Kest – for bringing Power Yoga to Santa Monica and being my first real yoga teacher.
6. Rudy Mettia-you are about to see why
7. The cast and crew of the Ultimate Yogi, and Yoga Warrior – although there are too many to mention I do have to put a special thank you out to Patty VanDeburg who helped me out in the pre production phase and Ambika Leigh who brought the product home.
8. This group listed above that completed the 108 day journey, your resolve inspired me.”

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