Plus-Sized Workouts: Review of Yoga - Just My Size DVD

Are you more than a size 8 and tired of yoga instruction that doesn't really understand your body type? Are you a full-figured woman who has tried to explain to yoga teachers that you aren't being lazy when it comes to certain poses but that you need to modify them for your body?

Yoga instructor and plus-sized model Megan Garcia understands where you're coming from. She has teamed up with the Just My Size clothing line to offer an alternative to your average yoga instructional DVD in Yoga - Just My Size.

The DVD consists of mainly 3 parts to the session - the warm-up, workout and deep relaxation. This a short introduction to stretching and deep breathing.  It clocks in at under 30 minutes.

The warm-up portion begins with seated poses and gradually moves to standing poses for the workout. Megan gives clear instruction, though she moves too quickly through the poses for my taste. For instance, she will tell you to take 5 deep breaths and then she moves on after about 2.

This is not an intense workout. While the creators claim that it's geared towards plus-sized people, it will probably disappoint those looking for deep stretching or who want to work up a sweat. There are plenty of plus-sized people who are strong and healthy and can handle a harder workout. There are two groups that I can think of that would disagree with me about the intensity of the workout:

• Those who haven't done yoga or worked out in a long time.
• Older people or those with some health problem such as arthritis, chronic pain, etc.
  

I'm not knocking the fact that this isn't a more athletic workout. On the contrary, it might be just the introduction to yoga that you need. I've been to introductory classes that seemed to expect the students to be gymnasts and we all ended up hobbling home.

This DVD has jump started my exercise routine and helped ease the transition from no activity to more aggressive exercise. It's up to you to judge your fitness level and if a more gentle routine is what you need right now.

The end of the yoga session consists of a deep relaxation section. Unfortunately, like some of the deep breathing throughout the workout, Megan moves too quickly through this portion. She will tell you to concentrate on different areas of the body while "breathing in" and "breathing out." But you will have barely breathed in before she has moved on. It would be best to memorize the technique she is using and then turn off the DVD and do it in your own time.

With that being said, I still get a relaxation benefit from Yoga - Just My Size. I sit at a desk all day and this has helped my muscles feel less cramped throughout my workday. I also feel like I'm paying more attention to my breathing and feel more clear-headed. I would rate this DVD a 3 out of 5 stars for introductory yoga instruction. It could be better but it has its strong points for the average user.

While I stated that this isn't an intense workout, the poses may still be difficult for different people. For this reason, Megan has a section with tips to help modify the poses to suit your needs. She shows you what props to use to make the workout easier including pillows and chairs.

I suggest watching this section first before you attempt the workout if you're worried about health conditions such as problems with your joints. However, if you're really worried about any workout, then consulting your physician is the first thing you should do.

Megan's personality is friendly without being fake or sugary sweet, and she appears to be around a size 18. This is inspiring to women of all sizes who are bombarded with unhealthy images of women's bodies that suggest we should all conform to a certain size to be happy.

Megan Garcia is confident in herself and she exudes that. This pours over into her plus-sized modeling career and her own yoga instruciton business where she hosts classes for beginners and advanced practitioners alike. She also trains others to be plus-sized yoga teachers. Learn more about this inspirational role model at the interview linked above.