The Fat Girl at Yoga

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  • chkn_WANG_Train
    chkn_WANG_Train Posts: 143
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    I was the fat girl at yoga, and there was other ones with me. All sorts of people go to yoga, and they are usually very kind people.

    You can also practice videos at home to get you associated with the poses so you are more confident in the studio!

    Yoga helped me actualize a lot of my fitness goals!
  • demonlullaby
    demonlullaby Posts: 499 Member
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    hmm.
    i was in the same boat as you.. afraid of being the only fat girl in yoga class.. i'm also not very flexible so i didn't want to be the only one who couldn't do the moves.
    i went to a few private lessons before i went to a group class!
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
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    You're going to find all sorts of people in a yoga class, and I'm sure you'll fit right in. Don't worry about the other people there, when you start moving and focusing on your practice, the surroundings fade away.

    Try to find a class geared toward beginners, and I'm sure you'll have a pleasant experience.
  • BleedsCoffee
    BleedsCoffee Posts: 247 Member
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    While I can't offer advice as I'm totally in the same boat as you, I'd like to offer some encouragement. Anyone, and I do mean anyone, who doesn't admire you for your ambition and perseverance (it's NOT easy being the fat girl in any fitness class) isn't worth your time.

    I haven't been using my Y pass because while I managed to keep up in a strength training class when I first signed up, the instructor TOTALLY looked over my head while chatting with folk after the class. One of the regular members tried to introduce me and explain my goals and he totally brushed me off. I was fat and didn't deserve to be there, as far as he was concerned. It was completely soul-crushing.

    I've realized that I cannot let people like him derail my ambitions and goals, though. I'm going back. I'll be the fat girl in my yoga class with you!
  • Saree1902
    Saree1902 Posts: 611 Member
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    I go to Pilates once a week and now that I think about it, I am probably one of the more overweight people there. I never notice in the class as I'm too busy focussing on my posture and the exercise - I think yoga is similarly demanding! Plus, there are a range of difficulties for each exercise so all the skinny minnies are too busy turning themselves into human pretzels to notice what I'm doing!
  • AwesomeSquirrel
    AwesomeSquirrel Posts: 632 Member
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    I weighed about 120 kg when I took up yoga through a beginners ashtanga class. It was fine, nobody judges you and a good teacher will give everyone modifications anyway if you can't do something (and if they are of the right mindset, i.e. Yoga is for everyone they will make you feel welcome.

    I have a daily ashtanga mysore practice at the studio now and can often be found in the back of beginners classes. People come in all shapes and sizes, some are insanely flexible from the get-go, some are very strong, all of them are a bit nervous and self conscious. I love it when I see them come back week after week and beyond their beginner's courses.

    I hope you decide to go! By the way I now weigh 97 kg, yoga has been a wonderful addition to my weightloss journey.
  • Amas77
    Amas77 Posts: 118 Member
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    I teach Ashtanga and Vinyasa and I get people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities in my classes. It's wonderful! Please go! The teachers will give modficiations for beginners and even for people who have been doing yoga for years and can't/won't/don't want to do certain poses. Going will help you come to a place of non-judgement and acceptance within yourself. It's beautiful and fun.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    A sign of too much flexibility is loss of muscle mass... depending on the yoga you do you can gain true flexibility and strength.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,452 Member
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    I've been the fat one too! It's not so bad. I've just got used to having to be the fat one at everything, or else not do anything I want! I didn't find that being fat really held me back at yoga, and I didn't feel too self-conscious because I felt that everybody else was too busy trying to keep up themselves to bother about me!

    I really liked it - one of my favourite exercise classes.

    And my teacher was overweight, which was encouraging.
  • AnJulNZ
    AnJulNZ Posts: 186 Member
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    I've been the fat girl, and I'm still the wobbly chick with crap balance even though I'm skinnier and there's less of me on my mat. Then I took a gal who is incredibly fit and tiny to yoga with me, and she said that I was so graceful and flowy and she hopes one day to look like me. I've also had other people tell me they can tell I do yoga a lot because it looks so natural on me. Perception is everything. I still feel wobbly sometimes and I still feel I sweat like a pig. But it feels good.

    Over time yoga becomes easier in that you can find your downward dog, and you can find your plank. It's about knowing where your body goes. It's hard to describe how you'll be holding a pose and suddenly you can feel your body figure it out. Once that happens, you can find your breath and everything feels awesome. That being said, I dread boat pose and haven't found mine yet. It's a continuum.

    People I know at yoga class checking me out aside, the beauty of yoga is that it is non-competitive and non-judgmental, and what happens on your mat is perfect. I've had some yoga instructors try to correct my form, but they're doing so based on their perceptions, not how far my not-very-bendy body can go without me losing balance. The best instructors are the ones who encourage you to notice how your body holds poses and adjusts to find and maintain balance.

    And there's nothing wrong with doing yoga vids once you've had some practice with a real instructor. I don't feel like driving 40 mins each way to class on weekends when I can't do them after work. A DVD will just give you the prompts you need to follow a routine :)

    Namaste.
    ^^ Everything she said. Yes yes yes. Just go. It is hard when you can't do all the poses, but once you build up the strength you need, and have had a bit of practice it gets better. I lost weight doing yoga, and lost my anxiety disorder at the same time :)
  • autniccole
    autniccole Posts: 36
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    You guys are all so incredibly helpful and supportive! Thank you so much! I hope my self-consciousness is able to help loads of other people like me on here too!
  • snowmoon13
    snowmoon13 Posts: 165 Member
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    If you are feeling self conscious Google Abby Lenz on Youtube she has some good starter dvds.. I use the one called heavyweight yoga .. watch her move then you will go right down to that community center and sign up..:) or like me use the dvd...
  • Kassandra772
    Kassandra772 Posts: 52 Member
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    I have been in the same boat as you, but then I learned that I shouldn't care about what others are thinking of me because I'm here to become more fit and healthy. Most community/recreation centers who offer yoga classes will have levels of yoga. I'm very interested in easing into yoga and making it part of my fitness routine,and they offer a "gentle yoga" class for beginners. I'd recommend looking into those because chances are most people attending those classes are also dry new to yoga. I hope you try it out and enjoy all the benefits yoga has to offer! Feel free to add me :)
  • kluedesigns
    kluedesigns Posts: 72 Member
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    first - you won't be the only person who could benefit from losing some weight.

    second - you do not know anyone's past history, there could be someone in the class that weighed over 400 pounds a few years ago and is now at a healthy weight.

    do not assume that trim and fit people have been that way all their life - i assure you they haven't, most of them have struggled with the weight and work hard to keep it up.

    take the time to talk with people in your fitness classes you might have some truly inspiring people right under your nose and maybe find a BFF with the same interests and goals as you.
  • Brownsbacker4evr
    Brownsbacker4evr Posts: 365 Member
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    You gotta start somewhere. Not something to psyche yourself out about.
  • missprincessgina
    missprincessgina Posts: 446 Member
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    My sister and I learned the basics of yoga with a video and then I started taking classes. Also, most yoga studios offer private lessons for people who don't want to take a yoga class. I like working one on one with a personal trainer or yoga instructor because you get their 100% attention ... but it is much more costly.
  • epie2098
    epie2098 Posts: 224 Member
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    While I can't offer advice as I'm totally in the same boat as you, I'd like to offer some encouragement. Anyone, and I do mean anyone, who doesn't admire you for your ambition and perseverance (it's NOT easy being the fat girl in any fitness class) isn't worth your time.

    I haven't been using my Y pass because while I managed to keep up in a strength training class when I first signed up, the instructor TOTALLY looked over my head while chatting with folk after the class. One of the regular members tried to introduce me and explain my goals and he totally brushed me off. I was fat and didn't deserve to be there, as far as he was concerned. It was completely soul-crushing.

    I've realized that I cannot let people like him derail my ambitions and goals, though. I'm going back. I'll be the fat girl in my yoga class with you!

    I've been there with instructors brushing me off because I was bigger. I've also heard condescending comments about how awesome I'm doing even though I'm bigger. I think that for some people, unless they've had a gain and lose journey, they really don't understand and they may be well-meaning even though they miss the mark.

    Go to class. Yoga is wonderful once you've given it a few tries.
  • epie2098
    epie2098 Posts: 224 Member
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    I've been the fat girl, and I'm still the wobbly chick with crap balance even though I'm skinnier and there's less of me on my mat. Then I took a gal who is incredibly fit and tiny to yoga with me, and she said that I was so graceful and flowy and she hopes one day to look like me. I've also had other people tell me they can tell I do yoga a lot because it looks so natural on me. Perception is everything. I still feel wobbly sometimes and I still feel I sweat like a pig. But it feels good.

    Over time yoga becomes easier in that you can find your downward dog, and you can find your plank. It's about knowing where your body goes. It's hard to describe how you'll be holding a pose and suddenly you can feel your body figure it out. Once that happens, you can find your breath and everything feels awesome. That being said, I dread boat pose and haven't found mine yet. It's a continuum.

    People I know at yoga class checking me out aside, the beauty of yoga is that it is non-competitive and non-judgmental, and what happens on your mat is perfect. I've had some yoga instructors try to correct my form, but they're doing so based on their perceptions, not how far my not-very-bendy body can go without me losing balance. The best instructors are the ones who encourage you to notice how your body holds poses and adjusts to find and maintain balance.

    And there's nothing wrong with doing yoga vids once you've had some practice with a real instructor. I don't feel like driving 40 mins each way to class on weekends when I can't do them after work. A DVD will just give you the prompts you need to follow a routine :)

    Namaste.
    ^^ Everything she said. Yes yes yes. Just go. It is hard when you can't do all the poses, but once you build up the strength you need, and have had a bit of practice it gets better. I lost weight doing yoga, and lost my anxiety disorder at the same time :)

    Healthy body and mind! That's what it's about :)
  • StarChanger
    StarChanger Posts: 605 Member
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    I love seeing fat people work out. They are taking the bull by the horns and doing what's necessary to better themselves. They have my utmost respect.

    I wish this site had "like" buttons...
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    im the fat girl in the yoga class and just do what you can. i'm pretty strong and flexible so
    .
    most of the moves i can do (working my way to hand stands!)but for several i need to make adjustments.
    just remember to follow your breath. if you cant breathe then adjust. the main moves i need to adjust are the inversions like shoulder stand and plow. bib boobs+big belly+ inverted = a good way to cut off my oxygen supply.

    i'v only been to 1 class where the instructor was condescending but she apologized after class (i put her in her place) but for the most part most of the instructors i've worked with have been helpful and have helped suggest adjustments .

    i agree with the other who say to just go. where comfy clothes, but beware of tops that are too big since you'll constantly be adjusting. you basically want to wear stuff that will stay in place as you move around.

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