Thrive Hot Yoga Success Story: Jim Santangelo
“The doctor said, ‘Hey, whatever you’re doing, keep it up. I’m seeing great results.”
Jim Santangelo loves a good challenge. When he noticed the results his wife Laverne was getting from attending her hot yoga classes, he was intrigued.
It took a while for her to win him over and convince him to go to his first class, but once he did, he was hooked. At first, he couldn't do all the poses; he left the room several times, but that only pushed him to want to come back and try it again. That was 5 years ago. Fast forward to now, and Jim is now coming to Thrive 4 to 5 times a week. He’s off all of his medications. His blood pressure and cholesterol levels are normal. He's no longer smoking. He rarely drinks. And in case you hadn't guessed, he feels pretty great.
And those are just the physical benefits he’s noticed. Keep reading to learn more about how his practice has improved his life.
Meet Jim Santangelo.
Ian: So Jim, I'd love to hear what inspired you to start coming to hot yoga?
Jim: What inspired me was my wife Laverne because she had started practicing hot yoga and was seeing the benefits. She had a kind of excitement and enthusiasm about practice that made me interested, but it took a while before I really wanted to get into it because, honestly, my first thought about yoga was not a lot of clothing or body image. I'm gonna go in—everybody's gonna stare and make comments. So she worked on me for about, I'd say, a good six months before I finally got up the courage to go and did some online research. The first class was a slow-flow vinyasa in the heat and that was tough.
She said you should really try the 90-minute hot yoga—it's not as hard as that—you'll see. I tried it, and I was really kind of hooked immediately. I've always been active and honestly felt that I completely hit a wall with what I was doing, which was weight training, a treadmill, and an elliptical. I just felt like, man, I'm just getting no results. I've plateaued, so I was looking for a different physical challenge, and that led me to it.
“There was a lot of encouragement from the other students and teachers. Even though I knew I wasn’t doing half of the stuff right, everybody there was very encouraging, like, “Oh, way to go. You did great. If you need help, just ask.””
Ian: Many people give up after their first hot yoga class, because it can be tough! Do you remember what kept you going back?
Jim: I like to be challenged. I know the mantra is ‘yoga practice, not perfect,’ but I felt like, man, I can hardly do any of this stuff, but the stuff that I can do, it was just the challenge of doing it. Seeing and listening to what Laverne said about her results prompted me to stick with it and keep trying it. Because you're right, the first day, I probably left the room four or five times. I don't mind the heat per se, but that was just intense. I had the thought, “I know this works based on visual and historical evidence from Laverne. I'm not going to quit. I'm just going to keep trying it.”
Ian: Do you remember a tipping point where you started to feel more comfortable in the hot room?
Jim: It was probably about between a month and two months into it. I just got used to it. And I got to the point where it was like, I know what I have to do to make that class a success in terms of when to eat, how much to drink, things like that. That was kind of the tipping point. And then, when I got to that part, I left the room a lot less.
And there was a lot of encouragement from the other students and teachers. Even though I knew I wasn't doing half of the stuff right, everybody there was very encouraging, like, “Oh, way to go. You did great. If you need help, just ask.”
So that helped, too
Ian: Fast-forward to 2024. I notice your favorite classes are Hot 90, Hot 75, and Hot Pilates. In the last few years, which classes do you do the most?
Jim: Oh, the Hot 90.
Ian: What long-term results have you experienced from hot yoga?
Jim: Sure, the physical results are traceable and proven because I'm not on any medications anymore. So back in 2019, before hot yoga, I had high blood pressure. It was borderline high. My cholesterol was pretty much off the chart. It was not a dangerous level, but it was high; I didn't know the direct benefits that would come from consistent practice.
But I had a follow-up check, and when I went in, my blood pressure was almost at a normal range. I mean, it significantly dropped. The doctor said, hey, whatever you're doing, keep it up. I’m seeing great results. And part of that was, you know, with changing of habits as it relates to the practice. I used to smoke—I had stopped smoking. I had stopped drinking as much alcohol, which obviously has a direct relation to blood pressure and cholesterol.
But the elimination of that, the changing of the diet, and just, you know, the way your blood flow increases, the way you sweat the toxins out, and just the discipline of scheduling the way you eat, what you're eating, what you drink, all kind of factor into that.
Fast forward to my last checkup—my blood pressure was completely normal. My cholesterol was so significantly down that my doctor just stopped the prescription.
“Don’t feel like you have to do everything perfectly because none of us can, which is why we are here and come back. You’re going to feel amazing if you stick with this and let it work. ”
She asked, “What are you doing?” I told her since 2019, I had been doing hot yoga four to five times a week. I walk my dog every day when the weather permits, two to three miles a day, and she's like, don't stop it. Keep doing it.
Ian: That's great. Many people find, like you're saying, it's not just the hot yoga classes. It's also lifestyle choices.
Jim: They start making healthier decisions.
Ian: Yes, and sometimes without trying to be healthier, people end up making healthy choices because they want to feel better in hot yoga and have more energy.
Jim: Then it kind of builds momentum from there.
Ian: You mentioned mental benefits as well—patience and introspection. Will you talk a little bit about that?
Jim: When you're practicing, what most of the instructors say is true that if you've done it for a while, it doesn't matter how much they talk or how little they talk; you're kind of in your own zone where you just know what to do and when to do it.
So, that kind of leads to a more meditative state of mind while you're practicing. It's really hard to describe—you're in the hot room, you're focused on the practice, and things that maybe aren't so important just don't pop into your head like they do in the middle of the work day or something like that. When you have a thought, you can address it internally, you know, through the meditation and introspection.
I'm not an organized religion person at all. I went to Catholic school my entire life as a kid through high school. And I never felt that I really had any benefit from that. But I don't know, for some reason, it feels like when you're thinking of something, when you're grateful for something—I don't know who it is, but somebody out there is listening.
I mean, it's kind of hard to put your finger on it, but you know, it does get you a little more in tune spiritually. I mean, there's some reason why I'm doing it and sticking with it and benefiting from it now; it's not because I'm forcing myself to show up at class. I mean, I want to go.
Ian: Just to clarify, the reflective introspection you mention: does that happen within the yoga class, —you feel a little more reflective and meditative—or is it something that carries out into your daily life?
Jim: It definitely does translate into my daily life because, just for a random example, I know things that would really irritate me outside of the studio, I have learned how to not let things bother me as much and just take a breath, decompress the situation a little bit, and kind of see a different perspective. Before, it was I'm right, they're wrong, and that's the way it is, and at least for me, and especially with the job I do, it's let me take breaths, take a step back, and look at both sides of what's going on here, and see if I can work it out a different way, rather than just to fly off the handle and get upset about it, or blame somebody else for something that's not correct.
Ian: Love it. My last question is always one of my favorites. Do you have any words of wisdom for beginners?
Jim: Don't get frustrated. Stick with it. Don't feel like you have to do everything perfectly because none of us can, which is why we are here and come back. You're going to feel amazing if you stick with this and let it work. Most importantly, don't expect results immediately. This is a marathon, not a sprint, so don't get frustrated.
You got to have that stick-to-this about you to make it successful.
Another thing that I love about our studio is that you see some of everybody. It's just so awesome to see everybody doing a common thing. There's no strife. There are no bad feelings.
Everybody's in there for a common thing, so Laverne and I think you and Jenny have a lot to do with the way the instructors are; that has to be a direct result of the way you are in your business.
Ian: That means a lot, and we are really proud of this community, all the students, and amazing teachers. All right, Jim, thank you so much.
Jim: Really appreciate you. Thank you.
“I have learned how to not let things bother me as much and just take a breath, decompress the situation a little bit, and kind of see a different perspective.”
PRACTICE LIKE Sarah
On average, Jim practices 4-5 times a week. His favorite class is the Original Hot 90, but he also enjoys Inferno Hot Pilates to help strengthen his core. Discover what works best for you and establish your routine.
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