Being a fat student in a yoga class full of thin people is a huge fear for many, many people.

Some have already had negative experiences with well-meaning yoga teachers that turn them off from yoga for years, or possibly forever. Others can’t bring themselves to risk the shame and embarrassment they know is possible if they happen to walk into the wrong class.

As a conscious teacher who believes that yoga is for everyone, you can’t be expected to instinctively understand the needs of someone whose body is so different from yours. But you can seek out support and guidance from someone who does.

PRACTICING AND TEACHING IN A FAT BODY

I’ve been a yoga practitioner since the late 90s, a yoga teacher since 2009, a yoga therapist since 2021, and I have over 1,000 hours of training in yoga. I’ve practiced in a body that has vacillated between a size 16/18 to size 24/26, from a body with extreme strength and flexibility, to one with debilitating chronic pain, inflammation, and limitations. My experience practicing and teaching yoga in this body over the course of so many years and conditions gives me a unique perspective as a consultant. I understand the common physical challenges, as well as the emotional pain of being in a class where my body and experience are not understood and have not been considered.

EXPERIENCED BE BODY POSITIVE FACILITATOR AND FAT ACTIVIST

My experience working with the non-profit organization The Body Positive and facilitating Body Positive groups since 2015 has opened my eyes to both the depths of suffering that people experience with their bodies, as well as how to help them appreciate, come home to, and even love their bodies. I’m also a fat activist and am well-versed in important nuances around language and how anti-fat bias shows up in ways we often don’t even realize; these nuances can greatly affect whether or not your students feel safe around you. I am eager to share this perspective and knowledge!

THE YOGA THERAPY PERSPECTIVE

As a yoga therapist, I have worked extensively with folks (many in large bodies and with significant limitations) one-on-one and in small groups to modify practices for their particular needs and abilities, which has taught me even more about how to be inclusive in my cueing when teaching group classes. Anticipating people’s needs is difficult and takes time and education to become skilled at, but it is absolutely worth the investment. I also completed a 20-hr trauma-informed yoga training in 2022 and put the pieces together about just how traumatizing it is to move through the world in a fat body. This perspective is not often discussed or understood in yoga communities; as your understanding of this issue develops, your classes will quickly reflect your knowledge and your fat students will feel more at ease around you and comfortable in your classes.

I am accustomed to offering various options for students who need to avoid being on their knees and belly and students who have difficulty getting up from and/or down to the floor, plus more. I can also share alternative ways of practicing asanas that are simply more difficult to achieve for people in bigger bodies. In some cases, this means suggesting different asanas that offer similar benefits to the one you want to teach. I’ll also explain how to offer these options in a way that encourages all students to explore, experiment, and find what works best for them. This approach removes the stigma of choosing based solely on limitations.