I started my yoga practice almost a year ago as my fitness requirement in college. At the time, I saw yoga as just that: fitness. A workout.
I was, honestly, scared. I'm a chubby girl. I have big boobs and a sizable butt. I've got a belly that got in my way every time I did a forward fold. It was discouraging to walk into a yoga class, filled with thinner, more athletic people.Despite my physique, I have become quite a well-versed and talented yogi. I've built up flexibility, strength and endurance. I'm also now able to use yoga as both a meditative and physical activity.
However, although I'm sometimes more able-bodied than the skinnier people in class, I'm still constantly feeling judgments based on my body. If you've ever been to a yoga class, the instructor usually always starts off by mentioning that this is a judgment free zone. They also say that you should go at your own pace, feel free to drop into child's pose, etc.
Usually, during this speech, all eyes are on me. I'm the one that is supposed to be insecure. I'm supposed to be shaking in my boots at the idea of physical endurance, because I am larger. I'm not supposed to be feeling confident in my abilities.
This is for my fellow big girls who practice yoga. It's okay that your boobs suffocate you while you're in a shoulder stand. It's alright that your tummy makes it harder to touch your nose to your shins. It's fine if your thighs make it difficult to bind around your legs, but the most important thing to remember is that it's okay to be confident.
Luckily, though there might not be a diverse body type in your yoga studio, the Internet is becoming a safe haven for plus size fitness and wellness gurus.
There's @nolatrees (Dana Falsetti)
And @biggalyoga (Valerie Sagun)
Not only are these women visible, they are also spreading their message of self-love, body positivism, and persistence. Yoga is an act of self-love. You are doing something solely for yourself and your well being. It quiets your mind and humbles you, and reminds you of your purpose. So as long as you are practicing yoga, you are practicing self-love. You are practicing confidence. You are practicing hard work and reaping the benefits. There is a new body positive yoga podcast/blog/website called @bodyposiyogi that covers these themes and more.
Please check out their website here! And don't forget to always show love to all yogis, no matter their size, practice, or abilities. What we put out is what we receive.
