My answer forever and always?
Theres no such thing as being too fat for yoga.
Yoga is for everybody, regardless of size.
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In fact, everything about your body is perfect for yoga right now.
IMHO,social distancinghas created the perfect incubator for home yoga practice.
What better time to find confidence in a yoga practice than when youve been forced to fly solo?
Bobby Quillard
But lets be realits totally normal to feel insecure about tryinganythingnew, especially yoga.
Legit,everyonefeels insecure the first time they step on the mat.
Our society is extremely fatphobic, and it makes sense that you would feel too intimidated to try yoga.
Lets talk about it.
You dont need to lose weight, but do consider losing body baggage.
Our culture has programmed us to hate fatness, but changing our bodies isnt always the answer for everyone.
Trying to lose weight can be a real emotional roller coaster.
Hell, sometimes trying to lose weight just makes self-loathing even worse.
The only way to let go of body baggage is to heal our wounds from the inside out.
This work might not always be pretty or all that fun, but itsveryeffective.
In other words, curate an online experience thats perfumed with body liberation and fat acceptance.
And dont let your people in your life kill your vibe either.
Sometimes the people who are closest can reinforce our fatphobia.
Or maybe theyrefinebut not necessarily part of your journey to lose the body baggage.
Why not work on your relationship to yourself instead?
Show yourself the love you crave from others and youll feel better over time.
Start from where you areand with what you haveright now.
If you dont have a yoga mat, dont worry about it.
Online classes, whether live or prerecorded, are a great way to anchor your home practice.
If its too hard for you to follow along with the rest of the class, dont sweat it.
Trust me, it happens to all of us sooner or later.
Just watch the teacher and focus on breathing and meditating.
Sometimes we have to watch before our body can find its way into the postures.
Trust me, its yoga.Everythingis yoga.
Use propseven if the teacher hasnt mentioned needing them.
My typical arsenal includes two yoga blocks, one yoga strap, and a yoga blanket.
If Im feeling fancy, Ill grab a yoga bolster or use a pillow in its place.
Theres definitely a stigma that using yoga props makes you weak, but that logic issopatriarchal and very basic.
Personally, I think live yoga classes sometimes feel like psychological minefields.
Never forget that youre free to leave at any point.
And its even easier to do that now, in a time ofvirtual and online yoga classes.
Dont shame yourself for being susceptible to self-hate; it happens to all of us.
Its hard for everyone.
Be patient with yourself, and treat yourself with the loving compassion you would show to your dearest friend.
See more from SELF’s Future of Fitness package here.
