When it comes to yoga you may think that only people who are super flexible or have a certain body type can do yoga, but think again. Anyone and everyone can do yoga!
Yoga is for all shapes and sizes and people love doing it because of the many health benefits you can get from doing yoga. If you’re looking to get into yoga, even if you’re overweight, then there are plenty of ways for you to get started.
So keep reading for our guide on how to get started with yoga for overweight beginners.
Just Do It
When it comes to starting yoga for someone who is overweight the hardest part is going to be overcoming inertia. Just do it: sign up for a yoga class and walk through the door on the day of your class.
Many people get intimated by going to a yoga class because they think that everyone will be better than them. The best way to learn is to start with a beginner’s class even if you are overweight.
Once you go to your first class you will realize it isn’t as intimidating as you once thought it was. Especially at a beginner’s class, you will have lots of people who have no idea what they’re doing and learning along the way with you.
Dress the Part
When it comes to starting yoga the best way to feel more confident is by dressing the part. The best way to dress when you’re doing yoga is in clothing that you feel comfortable in. You will be doing lots of stretches and new movements so you won’t want to have uncomfortable clothes that restrict you.
It is best to wear light and loose-fitting clothing when you’re doing yoga. You could go for nice loose and stretchy pants or even put on your favourite pair of workout leggings.
Although yoga is normally done at a slow pace there is still a chance to work up a sweat especially since you will be putting your body in many different positions. Wear clothes that can help to keep you cool such as a tank top or loose-fitting shirt.
There are a few things that you shouldn’t wear when it comes to yoga. Stay away from wearing shorts to your yoga class. Although they’re great for going out for a run or working out in the gym, you will want to be confident that your body is covered when you do a yoga pose.
Listen to Your Body
Yoga can be strenuous on many different body types so when it comes to doing yoga whether you’ve signed up for a class or are following a video at home you should listen to what your body is telling you. Yoga has tons of health benefits such as better flexibility, reduced stress, lower heart rate, and so much more. This is why you won’t want to overexert yourself, because you won’t be able to see these awesome health benefits.
When you’re doing yoga especially for the first time you need to be able to take it slow and see what works for you. If a pose hurts your body in some way, then modify it so that it doesn’t hurt.
Doing yoga poses is much harder than they look, especially if your body isn’t used to being flexible. During a yoga class, you should stay strong but know if you’ve pushed too hard that you can always back off a bit.
Track Your Progress
With yoga, you will find that you’re improving and making progress practically every time you do it. A great way to see how far you’ve come is by tracking your progress.
Keep a yoga journal and jot down a quick summary after each yoga session. Note the things that you’re doing well and the things that you will need to work a little more on. You can also set goals for yourself within your journal so you will know what you aim for during your next class.
Tracking your progress is also important to see how far you’ve come on your yoga journey. There may be times where you feel as though you’re not progressing, as if you haven’t done anything. During those times you should look back through your journal and see all that you’ve accomplished.
Keeping a yoga journal will give you extra motivation to go to another class or learn a new pose. Writing down all of the things that you can do in your journal will help to make you feel more successful and more confident the next time you do yoga.
Take a Buddy
Another great way to get over the stress or anxiety of starting yoga is by taking a friend with you. Whether your friend is a yoga master or just starting out themselves, you can both have fun trying yoga together.
As a person in a bigger body, you may feel a bit uncomfortable or judged when you walk into a yoga class. When you bring a friend with you who supports you, then you can let some of those predetermined negative thoughts go.
Focus on you and your friend learning yoga together. This way you will have someone to talk to and someone there cheering you on during yoga.
Try It at Home
If you’re a bit nervous about heading to your first yoga class because you don’t know what to expect, then try a few flexible yoga poses at home before you go. You can research some different poses and try them in the comfort of your own home before even attending a yoga class.
This is a great way for an overweight person to get more comfortable and confident in their body. If you have a mirror that you can practice in front of, then that could help you out even more. This way you can see exactly how you’re doing the poses and figure out how to fix them or make them better.
Another great thing to do is to follow a yoga video from your own home. This can help to show you what an actual class would be like. You can practice your pacing as well as changing positions from home.
Practice helps you to get better; and if you feel like trying yoga in your home before heading out to a yoga class will make you more confident, then do it! There are plenty of ways that you can start yoga, and doing it on your own is a good place to begin.
Focus on Your Breathing During Yoga
One other thing that is important when doing yoga is that you focus on your breathing. There are tons of different breathing techniques that you can do during yoga to help center your mind. After all, yoga is a spiritual journey and the best thing to do is relax.
When you focus on your breathing and try not to think about doing each and every yoga pose correctly, then you will become more confident. Yoga is a great way to reduce stress, anxiety, or even depression — so you should try to let go of things that stress you or make you anxious, especially when doing yoga.
A great way to practice is to count when you breathe while doing a yoga pose. You should use the same amount of time to inhale as you exhale. Make sure you’re breathing from deeply within your body and not just taking small breaths from your chest.
Don’t Give Up
Yoga can come naturally for some people, but others have to continue to practice and work at it. Going to a yoga class should help you to take your mind off other stresses in your life. Leave all of your problems at the door and immerse yourself in the yoga class.
As a plus-size person doing yoga, you may get discouraged because it seems to be easy for everyone else, but that isn’t always the case. Everyone has to work at something, and you should push yourself to do more and more each class.
One thing that you should understand is that as a bigger person you’re actually doing more work during a yoga class. Your body weight is used as resistance during yoga, which means the more you have the harder it will be. Don’t let this discourage you but rather motivate you to work harder!
Yoga for Overweight Beginners Should Be Fun
Yoga is for all shapes and sizes. So if you’re looking to start yoga for overweight beginners, then you should make sure that you have fun with it. Overall, you should use yoga as a way to make your body feel better. Plus, an added bonus is that you will even begin to feel more confident doing yoga as time goes on.
If you’re looking for more tips and tricks about yoga, then make sure to bookmark our page. We are constantly posting lots of expert advice on everything there is to do with yoga and the lifestyle!