Kiwi Landry is a lovely young woman of 17 years.  She just returned from competing in the 2009 Bishnu Ghosh Cup, a Bikram Yoga competition held in Los Angeles February 6 – 8, 2009.  This interview took place right before she headed out for the competition:

 JW  –  How long have you been doing Bikram Yoga?

KIWI  –   I started Bikram Yoga in January or February of 2008 but didn’t begin to have a regular 5 day a week practice until September of 2008.  So I generally say about 10 months.

JW  –  What got you interested/started in the first place?

KIWI  –   My mom got me in started in Bikram’s.  She had been doing it for a year and was really into it.  I went and did my first class but felt so good after that I went back again!

JW  –  What positive changes have you found in your body?  What about in your overall health?

KIWI  –  This yoga has done so much for my body.  I’ve always been slender but after getting a regular practice I lost some weight and really toned my muscles.  I felt stronger and more energized.  I started sleeping better.  I gained endurance which translated to other parts of my life.  My overall health also improved.  I don’t get sick as often and when I do the cold or whatever doesn’t escalate as far and I come back from it a lot faster than I ever have before.

JW  –  Has this changed the way you eat?  If so, in what ways?

KIWI  –  This definitely changed the way I eat.   In the beginning it didn’t as much and I still ate a lot of junk.  I always get really hungry after class.  Now though, I’ve found that my body feels so much better during and after class if I eat healthier.  I no longer drink soda, I try to stay away from food with lots of sugar and tend to only eat food with natural fat.  I’m hungrier more often so I eat more protein.

JW  –  Do you feel it has made a difference in your school studies?  Things like are you able to concentrate better?  Memory is greater?

KIWI  –  The yoga has affected my school studies.  I can study and focus on subjects for longer periods of time especially the ones I struggle with.  I’m not strong in sciences but after starting yoga I’ve had more patience to push through the parts that I don’t understand.  In other words, I have more endurance. Yoga has also given me the personal strength to ask questions in class.  I hate not understanding something and it frustrates me.  Doing yoga however has given me the ability to recognize my weaknesses and accept them so I can improve in those areas.  It’s really helped in school.

JW  –  Would you recommend Bikram’s to other teens?  Why?

KIWI  –  I would recommend Bikram Yoga to everybody, especially teens.  Being younger gives you such an advantage in class.  Naturally you’re more flexible.  Your body will adapt faster and get stronger quicker.  Being a teen you can gain more endurance quickly and realign your body with less pain and time.  Doing Bikram Yoga as a teen everything happens faster!  It also helps with school and gives you so much in your life, school, sports and even social life.

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