In the spirit of resolutions, and during the season of commitment, we embark on our annual studio wide New Year 30 Day Challenge.  This year, for inspiration, we caught up with student Brittany Roche, co-founder of Plant Power Couple, a valuable resource for aspiring vegan athletes. Brittany has a head start on us all.  She finished her 30 Day Challenge in December, and she gratuitously shared her experience with us.  Improved sleep, reduced anxiety, increased positivity, just to name a few, were some of the benefits that this dedicated vegan centric entrepreneur attributed to her 30 Day Challenge.  We hope her experience will motivate others to make the commitment today!

Interview by Katelynn Ingersoll

________________________________________________________

Tell me about your experience with hot yoga. When did you start? Why did you start? Did someone bring you?

My friend LJ brought me to one of Justin’s classes in October, after I told her I wanted to get back into yoga to help with my anxiety and insomnia.  I was SO scared before that first class because I thought I’d hate hot yoga.  I was worried I wouldn’t be able to stand 90 minutes in that hot room!  But I did, and it motivated me to come back.

 _______________________________________________________

For how long have you been practicing yoga (at our studio and elsewhere)?

I’ve only been practicing hot yoga since October.  I’d practiced yoga off and on for 15 years.

_______________________________________________________

When did you do your 30 day challenge?

During the month of November.

________________________________________________________

Tell me about some challenges you experience with yoga?

Yoga has definitely challenged me to focus and be present more – both in class and my daily life.  The hardest part about a yoga class (for me) is tuning the rest of the world out for those 90 minutes.  Unlike other areas in my life where I can get away with being distracted, on the mat, it’s blatantly obvious if my mind is elsewhere.  Kinda hard to balance in standing bow when your brain is busy worrying about a zillion things!  That physical representation of my lack of focus was something I really needed to make this mental shift in my life.

________________________________________________________

Tell me about your experience with the 30 day challenge?

The 30-Day Challenge ROCKED!!!!  My sleep improved tremendously.  I typically struggle falling (and staying) asleep every night, but about two weeks into the challenge, I was getting the most restful sleep I’d had in a VERY long time.  My mood improved too, and I felt really positive.  I still struggled with anxiety, but I was able to confront it better.  Those 30 days really helped me see the value in putting my mental health first.  Spending that amount of time every day working on you can seem like a waste, but the positive effects spilled over into all the other areas of my life.  I can honestly say it was THE most valuable thing I’ve done for myself in a while.

________________________________________________________

What do you do outside of yoga? Tell me about you!

My husband and I started a small business together last January, Plant Power Couple, so most of my time outside of yoga is spent working on that.  We do seasonal vegan catering and pop-up shops and even host a live

When Brittany isn’t doing hot yoga, or creating amazing vegan recipes, she’s training hard. And loving even harder.

interactive cooking show!  It’s something I’m SUPER passionate about because the one thing that kept me from going vegan for so long was worrying what I would eat.  I’m not a big fan of salads or traditional *healthy* food, but when I got in the kitchen and started learning how to veganize all my favorite meals – mac & cheese, pizza, cheesesteaks, you name it – I was HOOKED and wanted to share it with the world!  Doing what you love is an awesome way to spend your day, but it’s definitely easy to work a little TOO much when you’re that passionate about it.  The 30 Day Challenge really helped me introduce some structure and balance into my work life.

_______________________________________________________

Do you mind if i ask and share your age?

27, share away!

________________________________________________________

What are your goals and expectations regarding your future relationship with yoga?

I am definitely sticking with the hot yoga.  After the challenge, I took a few days off from yoga and immediately felt the difference.  It was more difficult to concentrate; my sleep started to suffer.  My anxiety increased and ability to cope with it decreased.  And just like the positive effects of the challenge spilled into every other area of my life, so did the negatives when I stopped making it to regular classes.  That taught me a lot – most importantly that this yoga is SUCH a valuable tool for me.  I am planning to begin a second 30-Day challenge on January 1, and I can’t wait!  I can foresee a very long, happy relationship with hot yoga in the future. 🙂 

________________________________________________________

What is your favorite posture?

Depends on the day! lol 

 

The constant favorite is probably svasana, and I LOVE how often we get to practice it in a hot yoga class.  I find it incredibly challenging to clear my mind and release all the tension when I know a really tough pose is coming up, but those small moments of rest and stillness really help power me through the class.  I think it’s a good lesson to carry over into everyday life too.  Sometimes, you need to slow down to speed up.

________________________________________________________

Who is (are) your favorite teacher(s) and why? How have they helped you on your journey so far…?

This is a tough one!  Again, I think it depends on the day.  My first class was with Justin, and I think he’s great with beginners.  Every time I take his class, I learn something new.  I’ve taken a lot of Chris’ classes and really dig his passion for hot yoga.  He has some great thought-provoking anecdotes mid-class that are super motivating and remind you why all your hard work is worth it.  I love when I can make it to Kyle’s Tuesday night class because his alignment tips have been a total game-changer for me.  Katelynn’s classes are super calming (especially the candlelit class on Thursdays!), but she’ll also kick your ass when you need it.  I recently discovered Malea’s classes and LOVE her upbeat attitude!  Oh, and Gerardo’s class is great – especially when I’m in a bad mood.  He has a great positive outlook on life and can always make me laugh – no matter what’s going on outside of class.  

________________________________________________________

Interested in stepping up to your own 30 Day Challenge?

More information + registration here.