Has anyone started yoga or pilates while they were at their heaviest and been able to stick with it and get better at it.
I am amazed at how limber those ladies on the dvd's are and just want to know if I should start with something else until Im a bit smaller or if there are success stories out there?
I started Pilates a year ago at 325 lb. I didn't lose much weight, but did drop nearly two sizes. I LOVE it and have kept it up the whole way. I started with one private session a week and two very basic classes a week, for about 12 weeks. I then moved up and now I'm at the intermediate level. I do mat Pilates exclusively.
I have a really excellent instructor. She's very experienced and knowledgable. And extremely supportive. I am, by far, her largest client. I can keep up with most of the students in class now.
The thing about Pilates is, while those women on the DVD looks so fluid and amazing, it takes a really long time to get that good, like years of practice. The discipline is not just about how the move looks, its really about how much effort you put into it. And it's about proper alignment anf form. If you don't do it properly, you won't experience the benefit. And some of the moves are very subtle, but killer!
Don't expect to feel how one feels after an aerobics class. It's not cardio. It's more like resistance training and yoga.
I didn't stick with it past 2 months but I noticed I carried myself better when I was doing my beginner mat DVD daily. I had to modify a lot, sometimes I couldn't do even the easiest modification of the excersize but I would try and learn from it. I keep meaning to get back into it now, its just hard for me to get into routines.
I started doing Yoga Booty Ballet when I was 450. It was hard and I really couldn't bend or stretch as far as they could but I still had fun with it. I ended up getting an awesome mat at Walmart for $15 and it was really thick so it helped my back more than the thinner mats did. Now I'm at 266 and I can almost get both my feet behind my head, even as big as I am. I still cannot do everything they do and I can't bend as far (silly belly gets in the way) but I love how limber I feel after. Some days I'm crampy and stiff and the best thing I can do for myself is have a good stretch through yoga and for me I don't get that same feeling with other exercises. Now I'm talking about the core yoga and the beginner sets, the YBB live ones where it's more dancing than yoga is a different animal. They're still fun and silly and I get a work out from them. I didn't notice any additional weight loss when from doing them, but I was doing them sporadically up until March when I decided to make a schedule and stick to it. Now I'm noticing inches come off and also muscle tone. I'm more hourglass shaped now too. It is possible, you will need to modify the movements but like any exercise, you'll get out of it what you put into it. Good luck and congrats on the progress you've made already!
Despite being a big girl, I absolutely LOVE yoga! I usually do my yoga DVDs in the morning and my body feels great for the whole day, especially my back!
There are positions that I cannot do properly because of my weight, but I try to do them the best that I can. I have been doing yoga for a couple of months now and I have noticed that my poses are becoming more stable. I can't even tell you how many times I fell over when I first started. I have also noticed that my posture has improved a lot!
If you do try it out, I hope you love it just as much as I do!
I've been using a yoga DVD that has modifications and totally loving it. Great feeling of well being, which I've heard people talk about with exercise but never really experienced before!
I am 380 and I do pilates. My tape is called "Pilates for Inflexible People" and I still have to modify the moves. But it works and I love it. I'm nowhere near as flexible as the instructor, I use a strap to stay in some positions but its increasing my core strength and I know from previous experience that Pilates really works for me.
this has been so helpful to me. I never even considered I could do yoga or pilates. I am going tomorrow to sign up. I am so excited. Now if I can just find time to actually go. I work 2 jobs 15-16 hour days, 6 days per week. I am just gonna have to make myself put my health first and do it.
I just signed up for a yoga class too! I've been wanting to do it for ages! I'm so excited about it and a little nervous but the only thing I've got to lose is weight! Good luck!
thank you for posting this, you all have inspired me to buy a plus size yoga video as well, I love being flexible and stretching and I can't wait for it to get here and get started
I really recommend going to an actual class instead of doing dvds at home. If you are new to yoga, the instruction will be so valuable. It will keep you from getting hurt or pulling muscles. I have a lot of extra weight to lose---60 to 80lbs, and I love yoga. I feel it makes me more balanced, stronger, and it also helps to "tone" my muscles.
I won't lie though, yoga at a heavy weight is not easy. In fact, it's really hard. You might not be able to do every pose exactly right, but the instructor will modify the poses for you and make them right for you. You'll notice every time you practice you can go a little deeper into a pose.
Yoga or Pilates in the high 200's?
