Yoga for the (very) chubby girl?

iSurvive
iSurvive Posts: 91
in Fitness and Exercise
My doctor suggested that I start doing yoga. I have always been interested in yoga but honestly I have never felt confident going to a class given my weight. I am about 100 pounds overweight. I have never done yoga before either. Should I give it a try now? Or should I wait till I have lost some more weight before going? I am terrified of giving it a try now and making a terrible fool of myself.
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Replies

  • hattie491145
    hattie491145 Posts: 85 Member
    Also interested to know about this :)
  • Sweetie_Pie92
    Sweetie_Pie92 Posts: 314 Member
    I started doing yoga in a class at my college at 258 lbs a year ago. I loved it! It's very centering for the mind, and the stretching is good for the body. I found that I could do anything the other people could do, which was inspiring. I would say just go for it! No one will be focused on you, just on holding their own pose.
    Or, if you feel too uncomfortable to start in a class I suggest following a video on youtube or getting a yoga DVD. Do that until you have the confidence to go to a class!
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    sure just take it easy find a dvd out there or a really good instructor who will work w/ your limitations. There are a few good videos on you tube too. I search for yoga elderly, pregnant, overweight, injury. Most of those are modified for use larger people.
  • WhitneyT586
    WhitneyT586 Posts: 279 Member
    If you aren't comfy with a class, try out yogaworks DVDs. I have one that is great for a beginner and really relaxes and stretches the muscles. If done consistently, you can also begin to build strength with yoga! The key is figuring out what works for you. Good luck!
  • LondonEliza
    LondonEliza Posts: 456 Member
    I do it at 200+ lbs and the heaviest girl in our class is about 260 so weight is no bar to doing yoga. If in doubt, get checked over by your Doctor before you start.

    Best of luck
    x
  • Avandel
    Avandel Posts: 283 Member
    I started doing yoga in a class at my college at 258 lbs a year ago. I loved it! It's very centering for the mind, and the stretching is good for the body. I found that I could do anything the other people could do, which was inspiring. I would say just go for it! No one will be focused on you, just on holding their own pose.
    Or, if you feel too uncomfortable to start in a class I suggest following a video on youtube or getting a yoga DVD. Do that until you have the confidence to go to a class!

    Agree!
  • chrome_princess
    chrome_princess Posts: 129 Member
    There's a book, and a DVD called MegaYoga that's pretty good. I've got them both, and I like them.
  • Melo1966
    Melo1966 Posts: 881 Member
    Yoga was where my journey began at 239#. Good instructors always give alternative ways of moves. Go for it.
  • 1Bigtink
    1Bigtink Posts: 20 Member
    Try it you will love it..
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    Do it now. And as your confidence grows, add in some cardio and some weight training. You're going to love your results!
  • coyoteo
    coyoteo Posts: 532 Member
    I started doing yoga when i was 276. You got this, get your butt in there! You'll love it!
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Start now, don't wait. You will not be the only heavy person. No one cares. No one is judging. You will be welcomed. You go at your pace and do modifications if needed. People have written articles about their positive experience with being heavy and starting yoga as well. Do it and be proud of yourself now and be proud later as you improve and lose weight. You don't need to be thin to do yoga (not even to be a yoga teacher).
  • Mlkmaid
    Mlkmaid Posts: 356 Member
    I've doing yoga for about 10 years now and love it. And I'm not exactly a skinny mini either. We have ladies (and guys) of all different shapes and sizes in our class. Make sure you take an introductory course and tell your teacher what your goals are and what you feel your strengths and weaknesses are. Once you start, you'll love it too.
  • imakimm
    imakimm Posts: 839
    I was doing yoga at my highest weight of 267. I really liked it then and I still like it now! I also like hot yoga. Give it a try, if you go to a class the instructor will show a few modification moves for beginners. Have fun!
  • Cheryl188
    Cheryl188 Posts: 113 Member
    I started yoga at 280lbs. Loved it! Believe me, it is a serious workout holding poses at that weight. You can do it!
  • 1Bigtink
    1Bigtink Posts: 20 Member
    I am also a Big Girl and I love yoga. I also have very bad Knees so Yoga was a good thing and at times it is a bit chalanging. I only do what I can. You may want to try to do a beginner DVD at home. This way you can get comfortable before you go in public. @ Work a group of Ladys & I do DVD’s 3 times a week at during our lunch hour. I was very reluctant at first but once I got over the initial fear it was a good thing. Try Amazon, Target or WalMart for a DVD. I get a lot of mine from the Thrift stores or at Yard Sales this way I don’t spend a lot of money. Good Luck and I hope this was helpful..SEW
  • dragonfly_em
    dragonfly_em Posts: 122 Member
    i do body balance which incorporates yoga poses along with tai chi and pilates and i love it! I've got 100+ to shift and sometimes my belly and boobs get in the way but overall it's no problem...i have improved dramatically, i'm flexible and fit and my core has gotten really strong. I love the contrast to the other classes i do - taking the time to focus on moves and really think about body position and it's challenging. And nobody cares if you are fat or thin...all shapes and sizes are there. So go for it! it will be tough at first but persevere!
  • MzFyreKitty
    MzFyreKitty Posts: 93
    I do an yoga chair exercise tape (have a back injury) and started doing it before I lost over 100 lbs. It's great!
  • sonhando
    sonhando Posts: 69 Member
    Start now, don't wait. You will not be the only heavy person. No one cares. No one is judging. You will be welcomed. You go at your pace and do modifications if needed. People have written articles about their positive experience with being heavy and starting yoga as well. Do it and be proud of yourself now and be proud later as you improve and lose weight. You don't need to be thin to do yoga (not even to be a yoga teacher).

    This.
  • terra32903
    terra32903 Posts: 185 Member
    I started yoga at about 230 lbs. I am ADDICTED. Find a beginner class and don't worry about anyone else. Most yoga studios dim the lights anyways ;-) Good luck!
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    If you are shy about going to a class, maybe see if there is a beginner DVD at the library or a bookstore. There's an iPhone app called All In Yoga that's pretty good and has videos for the poses so you can see how they are supposed to look. Gaiam also had a great video called Yoga For Weight Loss. Remember to honor your body's signals and don't do anything that feels painful. A bit of a stretch is good, but outright pain means you need to go a little easier. Have fun with it. If you do some most days you should very soon notice that you are reaching farther and balancing better than when you started.
  • MissJanet55
    MissJanet55 Posts: 457 Member
    I would recommend finding an Iyengar yoga teacher near you. They are very well trained (Iyengar has one of the lowest rates of injuries of any kind of yoga), and know how to accomodate all kinds of physical challenges. If you have trouble getting your hands to the floor, they raise the floor with wooden blocks so you get your hands as low as you can - you still get all the benefits of doing the pose. If you're like me, shoulderstands might make you uncomfortable (particularly if you're busty), so they accomodate that by raising your shoulders on folded blankets to give more room for your neck to extend. They use a wide variety of props to help people.

    If there is no Iygengar teacher near you, you may be able to find some videos. There used to be a dvd called Yoga for Round Bodies, but I don't know if it's still available.

    I remember often being uncomfortable when I first started doing yoga (20 years ago). About ten years ago I was much heavier than I am now and needed a lot of help working with the poses, but was always able to do them. And I remember going to a workshop one time and seeing a woman heavier than myself - she was so calm, and so flexible, she still inspires me to this day.

    No matter what class you decide on, I'd recommend talking to your teacher before you hand over your money. Some are better trained than others, so make sure you ask how she or he can work with you.

    Good luck!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Yoga is for everyone! Just do it. A good instructor will help you make any modifications you need. If you feel self-conscious about it, or think people might be judging you, just take a spot in the back of the class until you feel more comfortable/familiar with the movements, so you can relax and learn without stressing. :flowerforyou:
  • Play_outside
    Play_outside Posts: 528 Member
    Just try it, in beginner classes they should be very supportive and if you need to modify a pose or take a break you are totally fine to do that! It will feel amazing to start, you'll feel strong and stretched out! I once went to a Bikram yoga (hot yoga) class when I was at my heaviest weight, at the time I didn't know what it was haha. I thought I would die, but I felt VERY accomplished after. You can do it! :)
  • enigmatickitty
    enigmatickitty Posts: 9
    I've been trying a free course online for beginners. Maybe you could give it a try. http://www.yogajournal.com/21daychallenge/dailynewsletter/
  • Robinvan38
    Robinvan38 Posts: 17 Member
    there are lots of beginning yoga routines on You Tube. Just try a different one daily until you find what appeals to you. There's one that starts with a V that I enjoyed as a beginner (sorry, I forget the name, but I'll bet others know it). When you find what you like, there are apps to download for IPads
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
    I make a fool of myself in my everday life. It's fun lol Go for it!! The exercise will help you lose weight and help build your stamina and endurance. I've improved in all other exercise, cardio, lifting, everything since I've been doing Yoga!!
  • DoctorKatey
    DoctorKatey Posts: 15
    I completely agree. I loved taking yoga and believe me, everyone's got an insecurity, from not having the perfect yoga body to not knowing the poses to being inflexible. Just go! You'll enjoy it. I know I do, and I'm chubby too.
  • crrc78
    crrc78 Posts: 207 Member
    Definitely give it a try. Yoga and Pilates are probably the best things you can do for your body as you start exercising more - they keep you stretching and using new muscles without all the impact of running. My friend writes a funny blog and recently posted about the "9 things he learned from Yoga this year" --- http://robpollak.com/2012/12/13/9-things-i-learned-from-my-first-year-of-yoga/
  • PurplePookie
    PurplePookie Posts: 85 Member
    Go for it - just find a class that will work with you for anything you may not yet be able to do. I took yoga when I had over 100lbs to lose and found it was great. Sure, it was hard at first, but I modified some moves and it slowly got easier. I found I was able to do more and more with every class.

    A tip though: not all yoga classes are created equal - so try them out before you pay for a bunch of sessions. If you don't like the instructor in one, try another class until you find one that fits with your goals and personality. :)

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