I'm 5'2" and 265 pounds. I have been that weight for years and years. What I twit myself over is how unbendy I am. I just need to accept that my first few attempts at yoga etc are going to be awkward as hell and I'll feel like a particularly ungainly flailing cow until I can touch my toes again.

Connie, you might look around for classes that are intended for non-lithe bodies. They have some around here and I've been thinking of trying it out. I call it fat yoga but I can't remember what term they actually use.

I have a yoga DVD called "Megayoga" that's for fat people. It came with a book that's even more helpful because it has tips for how to modify poses if your belly is in the way (Child's Pose) or your boobs want to do their own thing (Downward Dog). Of course, my skinny, flat-chested mother stole* the book from me when she took a course to become certified to teach yoga.

*(I say "stole," but really I loaned it to her, because I figured she doesn't have the experience of trying to do yoga in a fat body, or even a medium body but with big boobs, and because of that, probably hadn't considered ways to modify poses for fat people. And she's used it quite a bit, so that makes me happy. But she hasn't returned it, which is why I stand by "stole.")

That's kind of awesome that she's using it, teppy! I can never figure out why I have the worst time moving from one particular position to another (don't remember the names) and have never determined if it's that my belly is too big or my arms are too short or I'm just moving slightly wrong of what.

Good for your mom, Steph. My last yoga class was taught by a small, slender person who led me into a position that took skin off my elbows. I asked for modifications to prevent that, and her response was, "Well, that never happens to me. So, I don't know what to tell you." Go yoga teachers looking beyond their own body types!

The yoga instructors I have had both when tiny and huge have always been very accommodating and encouraging. I went to a class a week or so ago, but there were so few positions I could do comfortably that I am going to be awhile before I go back. I KNOW I shouldn't be discouraged by the people around me 'flipping dogs' and standing on their heads, but it was just too much contrast.

Go yoga teachers looking beyond their own body types!

I did have to prod her on my own, though. I don't think her certification course (which took a year) covered that, which is sad.

May I contribute something cheerful? The National Zoo has a new baby seal.

Followed by a multi-zoo cuteness challenge.

I have some seated exercise DVDs that I should be doing. If I take yoga, it really needs to be private lessons because everything needs to be modified. I don't have the money or the childcare help right now to do that. Also I need to stop stress eating.

That zoo pile-on was amazing. Definitely one to keep for when the stress gets too much.