http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2013/04/10/yoga-for-people-who-are-overweight-or-obese

I have been contemplating yoga classes for some time...have to get my "rear in gear" and find one here...but I read this article and got inspired again to find someplace, or, at the very least, use YouTube or buy some dvds!

I have heard wonderful things abour yoga for the joints (I have RA) and other ailments can be helped with yoga training... I know my "inner core" can use some work, for sure!

I live in Savannah, so if someone can recommend a place they have heard of, that would be awesome, but I'd like to get your thoughts...

have you tried it?

do you like it"

what do you feel are the benefits to YOU?

Thanks

BGP...

I LOVE yoga. I go to classes and practice at home as well. I feel so awesome afterwards- stretched, relaxed, peaceful. Yoga & meditation has helped me become a much more calm, grounded person. It's much easier now that I've lost weight. I can do so many binds and poses I couldn't have done at a heavier weight. It's fun to see the progress.

Good GI benefits to us as well w/ twists

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Is this you??? I can't imagine ever being able to do that!

I've been to 6 or so classes, and it's already benefited me a lot. Not sure how much I like it, but I'm sticking with it. I don't particularly enjoy the class during, but I feel great after, I'm breathing better, and my posture is improving. My neighborhood Anytime Fitness offers a class, and they're waving the fees for personal training clients like me. But it's only offered at 6:15 AM Tuesdays and Thursdays. Hard to get myself there and to work for 8. ><

I LOVE yoga. I've been doing it for nearly 10 years (I had very bad lower back pain, and the doctor suggested yoga. It took a bit of practice, but the difference was amazing. I do AM yoga every morning, and poses throughout the day if I feel the need. I literally can't sleep if I don't do yoga daily (my lower back starts to tighten, which causes horrible leg cramps. The yoga relieves this issue. It may be all in my head, but whatever. I believe the yoga helps me sleep and stay balanced, therefore it does)

If you're looking to try some different varieties of yoga, Gaiam TV has a free 10-day trial to their service. It will give you access to their videos and a bunch of different yoga styles (they have other fitness videos on there as well, but yoga's my go-to exercise.) I personally like Rodney Yee's series ( I do his AM and PM yoga, and there are a few other ones that I don't remember the names of now, but they're targeted more toward beginners. Some of the poses in his advanced series are a bit beyond me currently)

I am an assistant yogi and in August I am extending my training to include "Heavyweight Yoga" - which is a program established in Austin, TX 10 years ago. I will be the first offering it in Houston My overall intentions are to offer it for the obese and morbidly obese, but also for the pre and post WLS future yogis.

I believe yoga can be for everyone - as long as you have breath you can have yoga.

While it look like you are well on your way out of the range of needing a lot of modifications, this yoga is gentle, goes at a slower pace and is described very well in two DVD's that the founder, Abby Lentz, offers. You might like it for beginning yoga experience. It hits upon issues we still encounter as we loose the weight.

Good luck.

@@Ava324 - yes, that's me!

I LOVE yoga. I go to classes and practice at home as well. I feel so awesome afterwards- stretched, relaxed, peaceful. Yoga & meditation has helped me become a much more calm, grounded person. It's much easier now that I've lost weight. I can do so many binds and poses I couldn't have done at a heavier weight. It's fun to see the progress.

You are a pretzel!

@Pookeyism thank you for the information, and good luck on your new endeavor! That's just awesome!

@@BigGirlPanties thanks for this. I am really trying to get back into Yoga, too. I have OA and trouble with my wrists and hands. So much Yoga seems to be about the wrists that I steered away, but I realize I just need to know how to accommodate that. On another thread I am so excited to find out about planking and some one tipped me off about the Dolphin Pose.

Also, here's a bit of western medicine ridiculousness for you. The rheumotologist I went to advised against yoga. Apparently there's a theory floating around that children who were hyperflexible who have arthritis as an adult have excessive joint movement and shouldn't encourage that. So let the joints freeze up instead? What doctor in their right mind would tell a fifty-something year old obese woman not to exercise?

@@Pookeyism -- what you said is beautiful and so true: "as long as you have breath you can have Yoga...."

@Bandista yes I read that about planking too... makes sense to do the poses on your forearms if you have wrist/hand problems...which a lot of us with arthritis do have...or even carpel tunnel!

EVERY doctor that I have spoken to encourage yoga...I can't imagine why anyone would say "no"...it's not hard on your joints and you stretch EVERYTHING... I am looking into this intently now...

classes are SO expensive... I am start with a home dvd first

@@BigGirlPanties thanks for this. I am really trying to get back into Yoga, too. I have OA and trouble with my wrists and hands. So much Yoga seems to be about the wrists that I steered away, but I realize I just need to know how to accommodate that. On another thread I am so excited to find out about planking and some one tipped me off about the Dolphin Pose.

Also, here's a bit of western medicine ridiculousness for you. The rheumotologist I went to advised against yoga. Apparently there's a theory floating around that children who were hyperflexible who have arthritis as an adult have excessive joint movement and shouldn't encourage that. So let the joints freeze up instead? What doctor in their right mind would tell a fifty-something year old obese woman not to exercise?

@@Pookeyism -- what you said is beautiful and so true: "as long as you have breath you can have Yoga...."

Thank you. If you ever need modifications I will be glad to assist you. I have been doing yoga for over 20 years. I have practiced at the height of my physical abilities in my teens and early twenties, and I have practiced at the times on my life I was at my heaviest, as well as when I was in the most pain or the most ill.

The beginning of August I will be in Austin training with Abby Lentz, for some additional teacher training for a type of yoga called "Heavyweight Yoga". Yoga is for everyone, yo ujust have to listen to your body and breath, and do what serves YOU, not what serves a 100 lb. 22 year old yogi (even if her intentions are the best in the world, which they most often are).

Years ago before I got really heavy I did yoga. I loved it. Now that I'm starting to lose weight I hope that I'll be able to do it again. With as large as I've been it hasn't been easy for me so Ii quit I was just too big to get on the floor but I'm looking forward to it

Hi! I'm very interested to practice yoga I'm only 4 months post-op.

When should I be able to start for basic yoga?

Thank you.

I started yoga at six weeks out. Practice daily now at home and 2-3 classes a week.

Look on YouTube for videos also!