It's_Me_Again Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 First off a lil background info. I moved to a new city bout 4 months ago now. I used to weigh 249lbs but I am down to 221lbs after some lifestyle modifications via more excercizing, less junk food. Anyways I wanted to get more into excersizing and the high impact cardio just doesn't really interest me at this point. I would really like to try yoga but I'm scared to try cause of my weight. Each time I bring up the idea to someone they give me a strange look which deters me even more. Guess it doesn't help that all the people you see doing yoga are in these skin tight outfits and are skinny as can be. As I said before I'm 221lbs and 5'6 tall. Should I keep trying or should I save myself some possible embarassment? Link to post Share on other sites
erika2610 Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Hey there! First of all, congrats on the weight loss. Secondly, I would keep trying. You're doing this for you - not for anybody else's benefit. And at least you are trying! Do you take a Yoga class? If you do, and you truly are embarrassed, have you thought about getting a DVD and doing it at home? Link to post Share on other sites
Trialbyfire Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Yoga is a wonderful exercise. I can't get into the meditation portion but the rest is worthwhile for anyone. I wouldn't worry about what others think. Btw, about a year after I started a combination of yoga and pilates, I got quite a few compliments from people noticing that my posture and stance were much better. It can help to realign your body. Good luck!! Link to post Share on other sites
Author It's_Me_Again Posted June 7, 2007 Author Share Posted June 7, 2007 Hey there! First of all, congrats on the weight loss. Secondly, I would keep trying. You're doing this for you - not for anybody else's benefit. And at least you are trying! Do you take a Yoga class? If you do, and you truly are embarrassed, have you thought about getting a DVD and doing it at home? I haven't taken a yoga class yet but been looking into it the past 2 weeks. I don't really know anybody who wants to go either so would be a lil tougher to go at it alone but was thinking of maybe just taking a peek in to see the type of people who are in the class. I'm so used to be self consious and have had so much social anxiety before moving here and I've been trying my hardest to break through it. So gonna try my hardest just to peek in even if its for 5 min Link to post Share on other sites
josie54 Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Have you considered doing a tape at home first? Gaiam sells a number of beginner's yoga tapes (I'd recommend the AM/PM series to start). They have really good instructors, and you can try the moves at home to see what you can do and what you can't. Of course, you always have to be careful. What you see them doing on the screen reflects their flexibility. You shoudl do each pose according to your own limits, and never push yourself into a pose that doesn't feel good. Other than that, these tapes are a great introduction to yoga and can let you get used to the poses in your own home before you go to a class. Link to post Share on other sites
bab Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Talk to the instructor. She/he should be able to ease your mind. When I was heavier I also had some foot problems that prevented me from doing high impact anything. Everyone kept suggesting that I swim, but when I got to the pool I would freak out about being in a swimsuit around all these health nuts, until someone pointed out that they can't make fun of you if you are trying to better yourself. Actually, they will probably be even more encouraging and cheer you along as you make your progress. That's the theory anyway. I must confess though I didn't believe it and just did the elliptical machine at the gym instead. Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 If you're motivated, buy a tape or DVD there are tons of good ones out there, beginners, intermedate and advanced... Invite a friend over to do the yoga with you! I do that because for some reason I cannot motivate myself to do yoga by myself! It's more fun to have someone with ya. Also, I'm not comfortable going to classes. Just seems abit weird to me for some reason and enjoy doing yoga in the comfort of my home. Link to post Share on other sites
polywog Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Congrats on losing the weight! I understand your reluctance and shyness, but if I were you I'd find a listing of all the classes in your area and take a look at the classes, go to the place and take a peek, and see what the other people in the class look like. I have a friend who is very heavy and she had the same shyness you do, but she found a class that had all sorts of shapes and ages of people in it which made her less intimidated and now she does it all the time. The instructor also made her comfortable by addressing her fears and helping her with modified versions of the poses that were hard for her to do... without judging her or making her feel weird. This is a benefit of personal insruction over using tapes, though tapes are good too. Another thought is to maybe find some other people who feel intimidated, eithr by their weight issues, or age, or whatever and see if a group of you can get your own class started at a community center or YWCA. There would surely be an instructor that would like to work with a group like that, as it would be satisfying to motivate people to enjoy the benefits of yoga. Link to post Share on other sites
Vintage106 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Yoga is a wonderful exercise! I am overweight and I've never had a problem with it. Now pilates, on the other hand... I tried that before and I just couldn't get into the positions right and it was really painful for me. Link to post Share on other sites
CaterpillarGirl Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I understand how you feel. When I started taking yoga, I was overweight and super self-conscious. Everyone in the room was exactly those thin, muscular people you see on tv! And this was a beginner class! However, the instructor was adamant that yoga was not about being thin or who could do the most difficult poses. Everyone worked to their own abilities. I found that poses where I put a lot of weight on my hands was the most difficult, as my wrists felt the strain. Most poses can be modified for people like me who can't manage them. A good instructor will demonstrate these, as well. Yoga is a great, relaxing class, but if you are looking to lose weight - I'd suggest some cardio to go along with it! I also do not recommend home instruction - the risk of injuring yourself is greater. If you can, try and find a buddy to go with you. I made my friend try it with me (although she is one of those super-thin girls) and she loved it and I felt better having someone who could support me there. Link to post Share on other sites
Anais Anais Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Anyone of any size can do yoga, because, as my instructor asserts, it's all about finding your own personal threshold. You do what you can do, and modify as need be for your own comfort. Yoga is GREAT for people in the process of getting into shape, or losing weight, because you can tailor it to where you're at as you progress. My instructor herself is not a lithe, reed-thin, stereotypical "yoga woman," she has wide hips, thick thighs, and a little pot belly. It's a great stretching, strengthening, balancing, and focusing exercise for anybody regardless of their weight or level of fitness. Link to post Share on other sites
sb129 Posted August 13, 2007 Share Posted August 13, 2007 Yoga is a great, relaxing class, but if you are looking to lose weight - I'd suggest some cardio to go along with it!. This is good advice. I always find it easier to keep my weight down with a good amount of cardio as well as yoga/pilates and some resistance training. I am now walking to work after years of driving- and i am loving it! i put on my tunes (or sometimes talkback radio so i can rant along) and get moving.. its great...although ask me again in the winter! And no, I don't think you are too big for yoga.... Link to post Share on other sites
huh Posted August 19, 2007 Share Posted August 19, 2007 I'm in the middle of a weight loss (over 50 pounds so far) & even at the beginning I was able to do some yoga. DVDs are a great suggestion if you're not comfortable with the class. I particularly like the ones by Sara Ivanhoe. She's very good about including modifications in some of them and reminding people not to go past their limits with flexibility. Below is a link to her site listing her videos. Though I do find the 20 min workout ones a bit more difficult. The Basic Yoga for Dummies dvd is a great one to learn the basics of the poses. And Candlelight Yoga for relaxation is a great way to unwind after a tough day: http://www.saraivanhoe.com/flash/sara_i_yoga.html A great thing about yoga for folks like me who have long term goals is that you get short term gratification when you see you can go just a little bit more into a pose which was tricky a few weeks ago. Link to post Share on other sites
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