Too fat for yoga?

I'm quite fat (size 18) and have very tight hips and can't bend my knees far enough to sit right back on my heels (never could, even when I was younger and thinner). I almost always feel great after doing yoga. I think your problems are almost certainly more to do with just not being used to it than your size, and things will improve if you stick at it. But also try out different classes because some instructors are better than others at encouraging you to make adaptations and making you feel there's nothing wrong with that. I had one once who was always banging on about how I wouldn't get any benefit out of the sitting back on your heels poses if I didn't try harder to do what I simply cannot do.

Persevere. It may not be the right class for you, it can take a while sometimes to find the best teacher, type of yoga, and class for you.

The best thing about yoga is that there will always be postures you can do, regardless of shape, size, or age.

Don't expect to be able to ace every posture. I am short and fat and have big issues with shoulder stands due to my boobs getting in the way. Twists are also trickier for me. Otoh I am great at reaching my toes.

Google Jessamyn Stanley as well, she is a passionate advocate for practicing yoga in a larger body.

I completely recommend Donna Noble's online classes - https://www.instagram.com/curvesomeyoga/ and thenobleartofyoga.co.uk/ she makes her classes really accessible, particularly with using props etc to get the position.

this gorgeous larger woman in the same pose may be more appropriate

Yoga is hard. It may not look it but I find it tougher than most exercise classes. It's well worth sticking with it though as the benefits are great.
It's just a coincidence that everyone else at your class is slim. Yoga is for all sizes. Make sure you are following the beginner moves and take a break if you need to. You'll be surprised at how quickly you make progress.

its truly an eye opener where you realise just how much effort/strength/focus etc goes into !"simply" standing with legs apart, one leg bent, with your arms held horizontal (Warrior 2) - we breathe through it and come again.

Well nobody is going to find any kind of exercise easy the first time they ever do it… yoga is still hard unless you do something very slow like Restore or Yin.

I'd really encourage you to stick with it, OP. There are so many benefits.

I think everyone finds it hard at first and also that their body doesn't seem designed for some of the poses- that's completely normal. Using blocks and straps can really help- I still use blocks for some poses despite having been doing it for 20 years. It's about your particular body and what works for you. Also no shame in taking a child's pose any time you need to rest- that's still yoga- it's a breathing exercise, the movements are secondary.

Try a few different classes/styles if you like. FWIW I know people have mentioned hatha as being gentler and it is but it can still be hard work. Most mainstream forms of yoga are "proper exercise"- they will raise your heart rate and challenge you physically. Yes it's relaxing but that's because, once you've been doing it for a while, it takes you out of your head and into your body. It's not relaxing like having a nice bubble bath is relaxing.

(there is also Yin yoga, which is different again- does challenge you physically but shouldn't raise your heart rate as it involves holding poses for long periods- a great complement to your regular practice.)

Yoga is also the best thing I've found for feeling connected with your body and for self-acceptance. It's really a wonderful part of my life.

I have a bad back and just take a break during the class when I need to and just sit/lie there for a bit if I can't do some bits - I think that's fine to do.

No you are not too fat for yoga.
I actually started yoga when I was 7 mos pregnant ages ago.

Yoga looks effortless and just a bit of stretching and is often thought of as not real exercise. This is not the case at all! It can be very intense exercise. It can take more strength and effort to stay still in warrior 2 than to walk on a treadmill.

My first class I was exhausted in less than 10 minutes. Also sweating buckets and embarrassingly had farted loudly a few times too.

It gets better, you get stronger and the best thing is that yoga helps strengthen joints so less chance of injury doing other exercises.

Stick with it. Honestly, shrink the world to you, your mat, your body & breath, the yogi’s voice and ignore everyone else in the class.

Agree with most PPs... Yoga is an umbrella term and there a lots of disciplines within it. Yes, hatha is more gentle than ashtanga... I started with hatha 6 weeks post partum and soon got hooked and ended up doing ashtanga for years! It's all about the teacher, with yoga. If your teacher isn't giving you what you want then each one will give a different experience so it's worth 'shopping around'.

I just wanted to add about the mental health benefits - yoga is intended to clear the mind (I know that sounds impossible at first but it soon comes, honest!) by marrying the body and breath. Even if you walk out of a class thinking 'bloody hell, I was so busy concentrating I didn't think about work/kids/whatever for a whole hour!' then it's job done 👍🏻 😉 You'll soon find you get so much benefit from that 60/90 mins of head clearing yoga that you can't live without it! Not to mention the physical benefits too - it's such a buzz when you realise are making progress even if it's just that you can finally get an inch further then before.

Keep going, it's amazing 🕉️

I tried yoga with my neighbour who was twice my age. She was so much better than me, but my body shape (curvy!!!) didn't seem to want to do the yoga positions at all. And my boobs and bum got in the way. I thought in some poses I was going to suffocate.

Tai Chi is a much better proposition for me. It looks as though you aren't doing anything but you are actually using a wide variety of muscle groups!

I go to Hot Pod Yoga and I agree.

Every class, every different ability & every different body and we are all sweating and working to our ability. Everyone is challenged fromthe beginner to the guy who can headstand from crow.

I do a more yin type class every week too (also in the pod) and I sweat in that as well.

Defo worth persevering. All classes are so, so hard at first, it gets easier.

I do a hot yoga flow class. I'm mid fifties size ten. I never ever come out of class thinking that was lovely and relaxing. It's always bloody hard work. I take a small towel to mop the sweat and rest out if I need to. Wouldn't give it up for the world even though five minutes in I feel ready to give up 🤣

I've always used a thicker spongy mat for pilates / yoga and I wouldn't want to attempt it with a thin mat.

Yoga is a still a workout. Like anything else - if you're not used to it and it's all new to you and you're at the beginning of a fitness journey, it will be hard at first, and to be honest, the fact that it's making you sweat and ache a bit is a good sign from a fitness point of view. That's your body putting the work in! There will be things you can't do at first and the point of yoga is to do what you can and progress over time.

If you're not comfortable in that particular class, there are likely to be others around where you might see more of a range of body types, ages etc, but I would try and persevere for a few weeks. I'd also chat to the teacher afterwards if you have concerns; they're usually really happy to help and suggest modifications etc to the moves if you're struggling.

I've been loving formerlyfatstephens yoga journey on Insta - fun & inspiring

https://www.instagram.com/p/DX8J5RpNh3Q/

He calls forward bend with hands clasped behind his back "police brutality" 😂

It’s not a fat thing.. yoga feels really hard work and physically awkward at first, but keep going and it actually starts to feel nice, I promise!

Someone suggested Jessamyn Stanley videos, which is a great suggestion for seeing someone with a larger body doing yoga.

I also like yoga with Adrienne (not plus sized) but just to practice some of the basics at home so they feel better when you do them in class.

You’ve done the hardest bit by turning up the first time, so keep going.

Maybe check out Jessamyn Stanley on YouTube and start from there? Doing bits at home first.

I've done yoga regularly while losing weight (on a GLP1).
I started with a BMI of 41. I felt like I was going to be sick with every forward bend & childs pose was absolutely impossible (arse way up in the air).

There are many modifications you can make as a bigger person though in a class this might not be covered. But there are lots of bigger yoga teachers etc on Instagram and it might be worth following a few and you will quickly learn how to make adaptations to suit your body & practice.

Yoga is so beneficial - you will quickly change as you practice wethter you are losing weight or not. Yoga is perfectly possible for a bigger body - its for every body there is. You don't have to do the pose "perfectly" - whatever you can do will be your yoga & very beneficial to you. Try not to compare yourself with others. Leanrt to use props such as blocks etc. to help with modifications.

Could you have a quite word with teacher, talk about your challenges and ask them to help you with modifications in class - a good teacher should be offering these anyway.

keep going - you will soon feel your body start to become more flexible, more comfortable & strong.

I've done over 400 classes in 18 months - I am very fit & flexiable now, I can get my bum down in childs pose!! Yoga is still a challenge, and yes can feel brutal - in that sense people on every level will be able to do the same class. And remember everyone there was a beginner at some point.

I’ve been going for a while. Have lost weight on MJ. I still get cramps , sore and sweaty. Depending on the type of yoga it can feel
like a real workout. This teacher on IG is bigger. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3FVOYXt4iP/?igsh=MTlwN3YybGZuNndvbg==

I'd thoroughly recommend tai chi and qi gong. (I've done loads of yoga and pilates over the years but much prefer tai chi.)

If you're determined to keep going (and good for you!), I know a brilliant yoga teacher who teaches online as well as in person (she's in London) and is great with all body sizes and qualified in remedial yoga for those who have extra issues to contend with. If you'd like her details, feel free to DM me.

Yoga can be really hard. It depends a bit on the teacher and the type. I do three classes. One is very much a relaxation class with some gentle stretching. One is lots of stretching with some strengrh and core work and one is a fast full on workout.

However, in all of them there are suggestions for easier options and a reminder that you can return to child's pose for a rest at any time.