There's nothing like a hot yoga class.

If you've been, you know what we're talking about. It seems a little intimidating but it's the perfect choice for beginners and experts alike. We paneled our experts on your behalf and asked our guests on Facebook. Here are some must-knows for the sweaty and rejuvenating experience ahead. (Many yogis had similar suggestions so we know they're good. We expect you may have a few tips of your own to add.)

your gear

"Wear tighter fitting, breathable clothing. Baggy clothes will get heavy and uncomfortable. Guys , go shirtless." – Matt, Joe, Colin and Niamh

"Wear a headband. If you don’t need to worry about brushing the hair out of your eyes, you can focus more on your poses." - Carolyn

"Take your mat, a towel, and water. You’re going to sweat it out, so replenishing your fluids is important. If you’re a heavy sweater, bring two towels – one for your mat and one for you. Sound like a lot of baggage? Most studios provide mats and water for a small fee." – Sarah-Kate

before class

"Hydrate well in advance. I find that I feel the best when I've had plenty of water the day before I hit the studio. - Andrea

"Rinse your hair and face. No one wants goopy hair product (or make-up) running down their face. - Joe

"Eat a snack an hour before class and keep yourself hydrated. A piece of fruit can help keep your energy up during class without weighing you down and drinking plenty of water beforehand can prevent that gurgly feeling in your stomach during the class." – Carolyn, Joe, and Lina

"Take a buddy. You’ll be more motivated to go and have more fun during class if you have a friend there to support you." - Margaret

during class

"Position yourself near the door. It tends to be a little cooler." - Joe

"Breathe deeply. Deeper breathing equals stronger poses."  - Matt

"Try not to fidget. It's easy to get distracted but your class will be way more rewarding if you focus on your breathing and not that sweat bead tickling its way down your neck." - Margaret and Elissa

"Listen to your body– it will tell you what it needs. It's normal to feel a little dizzy. Anytime you start to get the spins (or feel a wave of nausea), lie down on your mat." – Jenna and Lina

"Go easy. A hot class is similar to a marathon - it's a big endeavour and you'll want to pace yourself." - Sarah-Kate

after class

"Give yourself time after class to enjoy your much-deserved shower. Nothing is better after a hot class than a lukewarm shower with Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap. It's the ultimate in refreshment." - Elissa

"Refuel. Everyone has their post-class ritual. Mine is coconut water. It replenishes fluids and electrolytes." - Alana

Thank you Pat for the great outtakes from the shoot!

tips from our guests

Sibina recommends taking small sips of water instead of big gulps. She adds Emergen-C to her water to get her vitamins and electrolytes without the added sugar.

Alexandra reminds everyone that classes are often taught at mixed levels so it’s important to not expect yourself to do advanced postures right off the bat. “It took me a while of feeling less capable until I had this realization. Love it!”

Kristina’s words really resonated. “Keep your focus inward and remember yoga is about personal growth and not trying to do the pose the same way your neighbor can. You may never touch your toes but you may get closer and know that is enough.”

Jen recommends getting in the room at least five minutes early to get used to breathing in the heat and humidity.

Rachel says to leave your ego at the door. “Be compassionate with yourself and don’t try to be a hero.”

And finally, our favourite tip from Gus.

“Definitely put a towel under your back. I made the mistake of not having a towel in my sweaty hot yoga class and the suction of my lower back and the mat created a super loud and natural sounding fart noise. I'm known as the farter now in class I'm sure. ha ha.”

want more?

• Learn more about yoga in general on our Yoga 101 page.
• Check out our latest hot yoga offerings for women. We've got all
• Join the coconut water discussion. The blog's got people talking.
• Get all our guests' tips from our Facebook post.

If you're sitting on the fence, just go to a class! (Do one thing each day that scares you, right?)  You'll leave feeling challenged and energized. Who doesn't need that?

Whenever I hear anything related to the tropics, my ears immediately perk up. I love the beach, bananas – and yes - coconuts. I also love exercising and keeping up on the latest in health and nutrition. So coconut water has really caught my attention.

There’s a big buzz about this beverage – there are claims that coconut water can cure hangovers, cool body temperature, raise metabolism, boost the immune system and replenish fluids and electrolytes after exercising. Plus, celebrities such as Madonna are slurping away and investing in this tropical drink. What does this add up to? One hot commodity. According to the Associated Press, annual sales in the U.S. range from $40 to $60 million USD, and continue to grow.

But… buyer beware. Consuming coconut water will not turn you into the next Serena Williams or Michael Phelps. Nor will it prevent cancer. (According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, no major studies link coconut water to cancer prevention. Same goes for the hangover claim, although Charlie Duerr from Time Magazine found he did experience relief within an hour of drinking the beverage.

Now, the good news. According to research, coconut water may be a great natural alternative to sports drinks as it contains sodium, potassium and magnesium (electrolytes the body loses when it sweats). Additionally, it contains high levels of Vitamin C and is lower in sugar compared to other drinks.

Given all of my research and having tried coconut water on a casual basis (I’m not sure if I like the taste – more to come in my next blog!), I’m curious to see if it works for me as a sports drink replacement. Currently I’m training for the New York Marathon, and usually drink Gatorade during my long runs to maintain energy and rehydrate. During the next few weeks, I will drink coconut water instead. Stay tuned for Part Two to discover my results!

What are your thoughts on Coconut Water: is it a trend or here to stay?

When I started working at lululemon in August 2008, I decided to challenge myself by setting the goal to cycle a century ride (100 miles) in 2009. Thankfully, my fellow Carlsbad Forum store key leader Rachelle Morton was interested in training with me. A two-time Ironwoman, Rachelle had never ridden a century ride outside of an IM race, and set a goal to compete in a race a month in 2009.

So, we committed and signed up for the Lighthouse Century Ride flat 100 on September 26, 2009 in San Luis Obispo County, California. We knew the views from the Lighthouse Century Ride would be gorgeous.

View of San Simeon from the saddle

First thing first - I sold my hybrid bike and purchased a road bike that could withstand thousands of miles of training on flat roads and rolling and steep hills alike, and of course, make me fast!

I knew the second I got in the saddle cycling would become my passion. This bike has gotten me through a successful triathalon and a century ride this year - not to mention thousands of miles of training.

Rachelle became the "big sister I never had" and walked me through all things advanced cycling, from equipment, training, and cross-training, to recovery, hydration, and nutrition - you name it, she taught me! I became someone to help keep her honest in training, push her up the long climbs, and the one to introduce her to the best recovery drink - coconut water.

Her husband Todd, to whom I also owe much thanks, became my mechanic, another advanced rider to provide me equipment and cycling 201, chauffeur, and wine-tasting buddy as a reward after the race.

And now, for the ride:

There were four rides going off at the same time, and we accidently hopped on the metric century (62 mile) route. Very thankfully - due to my trusty math and route slip comparing skills - we realized we were only 10 miles behind, and our intended route met up with the metric route at the first rest stop. It was here we discovered our favorite riding fuel is Nutella and chunky peanut butter on anything! We loaded up, as we knew we had to add on 5 miles past the rest stop, to bring us back up to 100 miles.

We were SO thankful for coffee at the mile 55 turnaround rest stop. We'd been facing headwinds for 20 miles that stalled us to 7mph at one point, and I'm convinced our core body temperature must have dropped a degree or two. Lesson learned - buy arm and leg sleeves!

Elephant seals at mile 59.

At mile 82, Rachelle was dropping me on the hills (I usually can take most guys on a climb) so she feared I was on my way to "bonking." It was then she yelled, "Take your Espresso Love GU NOW!"

I abided, and after the final rest stop for our final 10 miles, we were passing nearly every rider in our foreground.

My Garmin proves to the world we rode 100.1 miles in 6 hours 16 minutes. While we weren't doing the century for time, we rode our fastest pace for a long ride yet.

We did it!

For more pictures from our ride, check out my Flickr photo set.

The following day, Rachelle and I wore our 2008 lululemon holiday goal shirts to work. It was awesome to share with guests our achievement and inspire them to set goals that "tickle their tummy," as our store manager Laura Murphy puts it.

Rachelle, Todd and I had such an awesome experience, we're all doing the Solvang Prelude on November 7th.

Now it's time to create a 2010 health goal; thinking about running a marathon or racing a 70.3 (half Ironman).

What are your health goals?

When I first started triathlon training, I liked to joke that I support my local growers by eating everything in sight! My farmer's market in Leucadia, California was thrilled, my Mom was proud of me for cooking and Seaside Market in Cardiff, CA was happily selling me coconut water by the case. I was expending all this energy training and I didn't know how to refuel to keep my body moving – so I just ate a lot and often.

It took a lot of trial and error to figure out the mechanics of eating, but I am starting to get it down. I found that when I got too hungry, I made bad choices and portion control went out the window. So now I break my meals into 5 to 6 a day. I time my biggest meal after my biggest workout (usually lunch after my noon master swim).

Here are some of my favorite pre/post workout foods:

• Avocado toast – Who needs butter? (So delicious and great for the heart, cholesterol, breast health)
• Tuna fish, cucumber, chopped heirloom tomatoes mixed with Annie's Lemon Chive dressing, cracked pepper and crumbled goat cheese (my protein revival meal!)
• Coconut water (Nature's Gatorade, coconut water naturally hydrates the body)
• Banana, almond butter w/ a sprinkle of flax seed (protein, Omega3s, a powerhouse breakfast or snack)
• Oatmeal with fresh berries and agave (heart healthy and filling)
• Frozen Yogurt – only if I get toppings!!!
• Beans, brown rice, tomatillo salsa, lime, crushed red pepper and shrimp in a wheat tortilla – dinner for 3 nights straight last week!
• Fish tacos and a frosty beer (it's all about the balance)

The two best pieces of advice that work for me:

• Hydrate at night. But of course! Score one for more energy, less leg cramping and better digestion.
• Up your protein intake. I don't eat meat so this was a tricky one. I do eat fish so I upped my intake (yippee, more fish tacos!) and added chopped hard-boiled egg to salads. The protein gave me energy and kept me fuller longer.

I'm always looking or new ideas, recipes, meal plans. Check out my friends' James and Beth's food blog (pictured below). They put the yummiest stuff on there!

left to right: Kirsten, Katya, James, Rachel (Tri Babe) and Beth (Tri Babe)

What are your favorite things to eat pre- and post-training? (p.s., thanks for the Clif Shot Blok Margarita suggestion, yum!!!)