We received a question about yoga and being overweight or obese:
Hello! I started to do yoga with Gotta Joga but my positions rarely look like the video and sometimes I have to cheat (I sit down when moving from the down dog to forward fold) but I still feel the positive effect….. Is yoga suitable for obese people (40kg too much)? Does this help to refine the silhouette? To form muscle to complement a healthier dietary change?
I don’t want to do a sport that builds too much muscle….
Thank you for your answer…
I like the relaxation side of yoga ☺

 

Our yoga teacher Anu Visuri answers:

Hi,

great that you have found yoga! And, thank you for practicing with Gotta Joga.
The poses don’t have to look like in the video. Often people see photos of a “perfect” yoga posture and think that is the correct way, but they forget, that every body is different. Some are flexible, some stiff. Also the body proportions play a big role. It does make a difference in many poses if you have long legs, short arms or a long spine. F.ex. some poses are difficult for people with short arms and some not.
What do you mean, you have to cheat in the transition from down dog to forward fold? It is totally okay to find your own ways to move on the mat, but always consider, how does it feel. Is there a sharp pain? Then you should consider some other way, since sharp pain is never good news. In the beginning many poses and movements on the mat can be really exhausting and that is okay. Your are building strength which your body needs also off the mat. With time everything gets easier.
Yoga is for everyBODY! I’ve had many students, who were overweight and they were happy to notice that the yoga practice and a healthy diet did wonders to their body. The most important thing is of course that you practice regularly. If you are overweight it is important that you move with great awareness, since your joints have quite a lot stress. So, move slowly and feel into your body. Where do you feel the postures? If the biggest sensation is in or near a joint, be very careful and do less.
Relaxation is also my favourite part and it is very important for the body to practice savasana at the end of the practice. It has a balancing effect on the body and supports the bodily functions like metabolism.
I hope I could answer your question and help you a bit. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We are happy to help.
Have fun on the mat!
-Anu

 

Anu Visuri, yoga teacher and co-founder of Gotta Joga

Certified Anusara® yoga teacher registered with Yoga Alliance (E-RYT 500 & YACEP).

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6 comments on “How to do yoga if you are overweight?

  • I can never flow or jump to the new position because I feel like im so overweight. Therefore I’m always getting up from a kneeling position is this okay. I also find sitting in lotus position really hard on my knees and tailbone; is there anything that can help.

  • I can never flow or jump to the new position because I feel like im so overweight. Therefore I’m always getting up from a kneeling position is this okay. I also find sitting in lotus position really hard on my knees and tailbone; is there anything that can help.

    • Hello,

      yes, it is totally fine that you get up from a kneeling position. It is actually better for your joints that you don’t jump from pose to pose.

      You can always change your seat, f.ex. by sitting on your heels on a block or on two blocks. The higher you sit, the less stress there is to your knees and lower back. Lotus or a cross legged position is a big outer rotation of the hip joints and that increases the stress in your joints. So, try sitting on your heels and place couple of yoga blocks under your buttocks.

      Cheers,
      Anu

  • Once I started to lose weight, I found the loose skin on my abs gets in the way of doing forward folds. Is there a way to work w/this?

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