Too fat for yoga?

[Pompelly]

I'm very overweight - have just started to follow a structured exercise routine and decided to try yoga in addition to help improve my strength and balance.

Went to my first class tonight - it was advertised as beginner friendly and suitable for all abilities. I had to pretend I needed the loo about 3/4s of the way through just so I could have a quick rest because my feet were cramping, knees killing me and I was sweating buckets.

Everyone else in the class was "normal" sized - most were slim and petite, some taller stronger builds but nobody visibly fat like me.

I really thought this would be something enjoyable and a more gentle way to be active on a rest day but I just felt embarrassed and gross like I do after my intense cardio classes.

Is it worth perservering?

I don't want to go down the route of chair based etc - I'm young and whilst this was tough I do feel physically better afterwards even if my dignity has taken a beating. Online just isn't for me.

I already know that I need a thicker mat, any other tips for a fatty?

At my class the instructor is very good about saying things like 'only as far as is comfortable' and 'take a rest when your body needs to' and suggesting less challenging poses or using props, as alternatives. If yours isn't doing this, then I'd suggest you try out different classes.

I went again to the same class tonight (missed last week as I was ill).

Still had sore knees but felt more confident to pause or alter my pose to be a little more comfortable and was definitely less self conscious after all your support. It was a bit more relaxed this week with a couple of people making us laugh and openly admitting to hating a couple of the poses.

I'm so glad I posted here and decided to give it another go - I feel great and I really enjoyed myself tonight so thanks all for helping me reframe my thoughts!

If anyone has recommendations of a decent, non-slippy yoga mat that might be kinder on my knees, please let me know!

Oh please persevere if you enjoyed it! I teach yoga and other fitness classes and I have participants of all shapes, sizes and ages. I have noticed actually that some of my larger folks are very flexible- often more so than average.

If you enjoyed it and the class was within your ability, then of course this class is suitable for you. 🧘 I really hope you keep going. People stopping exercise because of self-consciousness makes me really sad.

Oh, I see I’m a bit slow on the uptake 😂 So glad you went back and enjoyed it.

I favour really thin mats for the types of yoga I do. Some of my participants use those thick foam mats which are nice for lying-down poses but don’t work as well for standing poses like Warriors because the foam stretches. Have you seen those knee pads? I’ll see if I can find a link or photo- some of my people use those for kneeling poses.

These https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cushion-Extra-Elbows-Pilates-Kneeling/dp/B0FL7Y89HK/ref=asc_df_B0FL7Y89HK?mcid=00321cc1eb82372aa337c3aa65e8761d&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=765234131882&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=147639544804350878&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9196425&hvtargid=pla-2442422563103&psc=1&hvocijid=147639544804350878-B0FL7Y89HK-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1

I usually just use two yoga mats from the studio, and then I have a small microfibre towel that sits under my hands. I find my feet are grippy enough on the mat but my hands need something to stop them slipping.

If your wrists are sore you could try folding the mat, I find it really helps me. There are a few ladies in my classes that take knee supports with them, so you could look at them maybe? I always worry a thick mat might be too soft and cushiony?

I also wear grippy socks as I feel much more secure in them!

Well done for giving it (and yourself) another chance. Hopefully it keeps getting better for you!

Well done for going again.

I have a thicker mat from Decathlon and my studio offers blankets, so I fold one under my knees and it works fine for me.

I wouldn't be afraid of a thicker mat/double mat, it's fine for everything except balance exercises (stand on one leg and ...), and for them I just stand out of the mat, the flat ground is the best for them anyway.
You might get back to a single or thin later, but for now the exercise needs to be reasonably comfortable for you.

All shapes and sizes in my class, we do hatha, yin, restorative and somatic yoga. Lots of people use blocks and bolsters to help and many people do gentler versions of movements. I do most poses with my eyes shut so no idea what other people are doing! What helped my confidence was realising that everyone is different, even the shape of joint sockets and muscle length and the only person you're competing against is yourself. I could only just bend over when I started and now I can bend forward and out my hands flat on the floor. I started because I needed statins for blood pressure and was stressed to breaking point, my blood pressure is completely normal now

Keep going with it! I started yoga when I was bigger than I am now, and actually there are some poses (seated poses) which were easier then than they are now! I am not JLO so have lost weight in all the places I’d have preferred to keep it!

Trust me, big or small, there are certain movements everyone struggles with and nobody is looking at you, they’re just focusing on not toppling over when doing their warrior pose!

I practive about 5 days a week so I splurged on a Liforme yoga mat - they are £££ but are super grippy, even when sweaty. You can pick them up on Vinted & they often have offers 20% off etc

Thank you for this! I have been looking at these ones and normally wouldn't stretch (pardon the pun) to something so expensive, but I have a birthday coming up so might have some spare spending money to treat myself

Mine was also a birthday treat! Excellent choice & they come in lovely colours too.

I like that I don't have to use a towel with them and they cope with me being the sweatiest person in the hot yoga pod. I keep a small towel to hand for sweaty brow 😁but I don't need to stand on a grippy towel as the mat is grippy even when wet.