Big Girl Yoga

Imagine my surprise when I was strolling through Facebook one day and I see an article that says:

“Six Big and Beautiful Yogis you should follow on Instagram.” I had to read it again and I wanted to make sure I read it right the first time. I was hit with an overwhelming sense of happiness and then I felt inspired and vindicated. Big girls? Yoga? Those are questions you hear from people who know little about the incredible abilities of plus sized beauties but I know full well all the things big girls can do. I being a big girl myself am all too familiar with stereotypes. I was ecstatic to find some ladies were showcasing inspiration and encouragement on an oversized platform (social media).

For years when I tell people I can do a backbend, the splits or put my leg behind my head they say “no way!” I dismiss it as ignorance and politely prove them wrong and move on. It baffles my mind how people think flexibility has anything to do with weight and it further blows my mind how many people think all big people are “unhealthy.” I have news for the misguided public, big people exercise and we’re pretty strong too. I must say as much as I knew I was capable of physically, honestly it would have never dawned on me to try the various yoga poses that these ladies have achieved. I guess I was guilty of thinking like closed minded people in that respect. I had not fully taken my body for a “test drive” or pushed the limits.

I have been wanting to try yoga for years and I had talked myself out of it with these typical excuses: I don’t have a yoga mat or anything to wear, I have a hernia and may get hurt, I’ve only seen skinny people at yoga and they’ll stare at me and then I almost died at that yoga that feels like a sauna. I’d like to think I have a healthy confidence level but walking into a room where everyone (including the men) are under 200 pounds and I am weighing in at a hefty 250 pounds you notice when the heads turn. Normally I wouldn’t care but here I go again with the: what do I wear scenario?”

This brings me to something I learned from visiting these darling curvy gals’ pages. This awesome designer called Fractal9 has an amazing Etsy shop where you can pick up fabulous plus sized yoga gear. I know it sounds shallow or like an excuse but the clothes really do help when doing yoga. Yes you can wear other things but once you start getting into a deeper routine and strengthening, you’ll understand why it’s important. Besides you should be able to buy any style clothing in plus size, hopefully one day this will happen.

Now back to these brilliant ladies and the aforementioned article above. So after the temporary giddy shock wore off I promptly started following the 3 that inspired me the most (see below).

@nolatrees – Dana Falsetti

@mynameisjessamyn – Jessamyn Stanley

@biggalyoga – Valerie

I hope being introduced to these lovely women will drive, inspire and motivate you as much as it did me. We are all different, we are all beautiful, we all have our own journey and we all have the right to display positive encouragement on a global scale. After all scales can be for more than just weighing yourself. I am happy to be touched by this movement and make no mistake, deliberate or not it is a movement……so get moving!