Can you be fat and flexible?

[kaleishorrid]

Just that really. I have never been flexible – never been able to touch my toes in my life – but now I am fat as well. I'm trying to do some yoga and Pilates but find that I just cannot get into some positions because my belly is in the way and I feel that it's harder because I am fat. Should I carry on? Will it get easier and will I get more flexible? I am trying to lose weight as well but being menopausal and in lockdown is not a good combination .

There is a yoga lady called Jessamyn on Insta check her out. She is also a body positivity advocate.

I'm very flexible and my weight doesn't seem to make a difference. My joints are naturally mobile and the fat just squishes up if it's in the way. I can put the palms of my hands on the floor without bending my knees even though my stomach is massive .

To your title, the answer is yes.

It will be harder because as you say, some body parts will be in the way but flexibility is about muscle stretch, not fat. Slim people aren't automatically flexible unless they're stretching those muscles too. Anyone can lose flexibility if they're not using them. So the more you work at them, the easier and more flexible you get. If you're slimmer, then there won't be much in the way. But slim doesn't equal flexible. :)

Yes, of course, being flexible has a lot more to do with how your soft tissues are and your joints. You can obviously train your body to be more flexible, but a lot of it is, you either innately are a flexible person or not. That has nothing to do with body size. I would consider myself fat and I'm incredibly flexible, always have been. Dh on the other hand is quite a normal weight and can't even bend over and touch the floor.

Yes but it's generally just a natural thing. I'm quite fat, used to be immensely fat, and even at a morbidly obese weight I could still touch my hands flat to the floor and when sitting in a straddle position get my head on the floor. I'm just very flexible in my hips and legs. I'm 37 weeks pregnant and can still do my normal yoga poses. DP can't even bend sideways. It's like watching an old book that's been left in the sun, I'm worried he'll crack.

I'm very envious of all of you very flexible ladies. I'm inspired - I will carry on with the Pilates and yoga and hopefully my fingertips will touch the floor at some point! Thanks for all your replies X

I am very flexible, probably hyper mobile . My GP told me once that in one way my flab is preventing me over stretching, which is one way of looking at it!

Of course. I must be at least 16 stone but should the urge ever take me I could easily bite my toenails.

My DS is fat he isn't very flexible it affects his speed too he is naturally broad born over 99.99.
DD is slim and very flexible.
I'm sure with practice it is possible. The first time I done pilates it was agony.
My Dsis is a few stone heavier than me with some hyper mobility she is very flexible bendy I'm not.

Yes, you most certainly can be!

My MiL is a size 18 and very flexible despite never doing any kind of sport.

I'm a size 8, workout LOADS and am entirely inflexible.

Jessamyn Stanley herself, as mentioned upthread.
What a woman.

Apologies for accidental double pics...

That's amazing! I'm probably half her weight, and couldn't get my ankle even past my waist. Such elegance and balance.

I am but it’s because I’m hyper mobile. I can touch my toes(even when heavily pregnant), and can almost still get my legs over my head but not quite now I’m in my 40s

I'm hyper mobile (Beighton score 7/9) with a genetic connective tissue disorder, I was thin until a few years ago, and I'm ridiculously inflexible! Can't touch my toes even if I stretch daily!

I just have really tight muscles everywhere, my theory is that they're over compensating, trying to stabilise my lax ligaments.

I'm slim and built like a plank. My joints snd muscles do not like moving. Never did through dancing as a child, nor yoga in adulthood. I enjoy it though, and while it's nice to create dramatic shapes, I am "good" at yoga in that I listen to my body and concentrate on alignment. It's just not very aesthetic

My best yoga teacher is incredibly flexible. She has a naturally muscular, curvy build. Admittedly she probably is a bit big to sit on her own head at present, but generally when she has excess weight, it tends to spread out of the way for most moves.

I’m fat and have hyper mobility so I can shock people with the scary bendy things I can do.

Absolutely. A girl I used to do yoga with was incredibly flexible and (by her own admission) very overweight, in the obese category.

I on the other hand was towards the lower end of healthy BMI, size 8 in clothes, and I couldn't touch my toes. Never have been able to!

I am totally inflexible and could never touch my toes even when I was slim.

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Yes.

One of the most flexible people I have ever known was morbidly obese.

I could never do a cart wheel or crab walk my coordination and flexibility is horrendous I'm at my best standing up straight.

I’m a large lady and have been practising yoga for about 6 years. Yes, my belly gets in the way but I do what I can. I have very inflexible hips, though, but I was born like that. People are made differently.

Yes. And old and flexible too. I used to be youngest of a small yoga group. All were larger than me except a lady in her 70s who was slender. Everyone was flexible from the yoga. I loved that group, so positive.