At the end of Bo Burnham’s 2015 Make Happy Tour, he sings, “I don't go to the gym, 'cause I'm self-conscious about my body. But I'm self-conscious about my body 'cause I don't go to the gym.”

As the old saying goes, it’s funny because it’s true. So many gyms, movement classes, and yoga classes will say “all welcome” or “beginners welcome” while in reality, there’s no real safe entry point if you’re not already above-average physical fitness.

My mission is to create an entry point to body movement for folks who don’t already have the kind of body you typically see in gym ads. But fair warning - this is not one of those “before and after” stories where you see someone drop half their body weight!

When I started yoga, I was fat, middle-aged, with lifelong respiratory issues and a lot of anxiety around being seen exercising. I was lucky enough to find a few caring and creative yoga teachers who made yoga accessible to me. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was in a movement class where I belonged. But here’s the thing - 6 years later, with 450+ hours of teacher training experience and multiple certifications, I am still fat, middle-aged, with lifelong respiratory issues.

My body has changed, though. I am stronger. I am more flexible. I am more aware of my body in space. I used to stumble kind of a lot, and that doesn’t happen nearly as much. Also now if I do stumble, I have better reflexes and can pull myself out before I fall. These are all concrete, tangible benefits, that have nothing to do with my body size.

Yoga is for fat people. Yoga is for old people. Yoga is for people with limited mobility and disabilities. Yoga is also for thin, young, able-bodied people, too — it’s just not ONLY for them. Yoga is for all people!

If you’re ready to try a gentle, non-judgmental yoga class where we hang out on the floor and move slowly but still get all the wonderful benefits of yoga, then I hope you’ll join me.