I have a confession to make. Before I started doing yoga because of Kino MacGregor +Beachyogagirl’s  #mayibeginyoga instagram challenge, none of my yoga pants had actually ever gone to yoga. They were perfectly fine doing other things. For example, making late night trips to the drive through at Taco Bell or serving as a comfort blanket while  I binge watched Netflix for days on end. But, definitely not yoga. “Namaste” was more like “na…maste in bed this morning.”  instead of their intended plus size yoga use.  Getting started was a life changer with me,  but it took a lot of learning to start seeing progress. Now that I’m going on two months straight of daily yoga, I’ve put together my best tasty, delicious, bite sized nuggets of advice for any girl who is trying to get her plus size yoga on.

1. Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize!
First and foremost, you want to make sure you have the right equipment to get the job done. Yes, you can do yoga on your living room floor, or even on hardwood floors in the kitchen like I sometimes do! However, using a good yoga mat will help to give you a non-slip surface to work on as well as to absorb some of the shock of poses. Another tip that I sometimes use is a foam block under the voluptuous bootay to help ease seated poses and ensure a straight spine. Lastly, invest in a strap. Some poses will be challenging without one in the beginning.

2. Modify your poses when necessary
It’s totally ok if you can’t do the poses exactly as you see it the first time. No need to throw your spine to the other side of the room or dislocate your knee to get that perfect position! For instance, if your wrists aren’t strong enough yet you can use your forearms in planks and downward dog. Also, consider that some standing stretches can be done on the floor and be just as effective. YouTube also has lots of great modification tutorials to get you started.

3. Avoid trying to do a pose too deep too fast (That’s what she said)
Just because you’re not as bendy as Silly Putty Sally next to you in class doesn’t mean you can’t get a good stretch on (get your stretch on, get your stretch on!). Take things at your own pace and dont feel you need to force your body into shapes it’s notcomfortable with yet. You don’t need a pulled muscle in your life, trust me. Instead of depth of pose, focus on form and breathing A wide downward dog with raised heals, solid breathing and good form is better than a deep one with an arched back and shallow breath. Focus on doing the best you can, rather than being perfect. Perfect doesn’t exist… but a good stretch does!

4. Expect soreness
Look, you’re going to feel like you went through some sort of inhumane medieval torture after you first day. Soreness is good, soreness is fun, soreness puts hair [errr glitter?] on your chest. Repeat this mantra! It’s going to be a part of the process. As you stretch and grow in your journey through yoga, your body will be sore along the wat. Plan for this and work in rest days. Remember: sore today, strong tomorrow!

5. Dress the part
This tip is my favorite for obvious reasons! Being able to combine yoga with fashion is basically the best thing in the world! Ok, maybe not the BEST thing. I mean there’s still chocolate lasagna to consider. Maybe this is a close second. Regardless, looking sassy while doing yoga is just plain fun.  It’s also critical. the right clothing will make movement easier; the right accessories will make you WERK. Buy a rainbow tutu, pull up those sparkly knee high socks, throw on that ironic tank top you couldn’t find a reason to wear. Go for it! Some people even use purchasing new workout clothes as a reward system. Do yoga for two weeks straight, get a new shirt! A whole month and you’ve earned some exotic compression pants!

6. Look for special plus size only introductory classes

If going about this alone is overwhelming, check online and see if there is a yoga studio in your area that offers classes that cater to the larger ladies. It will be a great benefit to the yoga beginner to learn modifications and find a teacher who has experience working with bigger bodies. Once you have the hang of things and you’re ready, then you can proceed on your own. I love these programs in Nashville,  Austin, NYC, + Minneapolis.

There you have it! Six steps to help the plus sized gal to get started on her yoga journey. Because I am so nice I also have a teensy weensy bonus tip.  HAVE FUN! Initially, the struggle may be real but I promise the end result will be worth it. If you’re looking for some tutorials to start I highly recommend this channel on youtube and this instagram account

Namaste bitches!