Too Fat For Yoga

I found a new dance/fitness place that is just opening in my favorite mall, Savage Mill. I was so excited about taking classes there that I immediately signed up for one. Because I have a lot of bulk around my middle and have been really sedentary until just last week, I decided to start with yoga. I have arthritis in my hip and need all of the flexibility I can get.

I went to the first class last Thursday and everything went well, or so I thought. I was the only student in the class since this place is so new, and my only complaint was that the teacher was babying me too much and I actually prefer less attention for the teacher rather than more. Anyway, towards the end of class the teacher excused herself, supposedly to use the restroom.

After the class I felt nice and relaxed and all stretched out. The teacher and the owner of the place and I chatted about stuff like Ren Fest and the owner's plans for the studio. Then, just as I was about to leave, she asked me to stop and talk with her about something.

She sat me down and told me that I am TOO FAT FOR YOGA!!!

I was so shocked and angry that I could feel my eyes filling up, so I grabbed my stuff and left instead of telling her what an idiot she was right then and there. Needless to say, I dropped out of the class and will not be going back. This is the same woman who told me, during my tour of the facilities, about a student she has who is mostly blind, half-crippled and 70 years old. My weight is high, but I am NOT crippled, or mentally handicapped, which is how she spoke to me.

I know that women practice yoga all through pregnancy until they actually give birth. Is she saying that my stomach is more of a handicap than that? I firmly believe that they just didn't want an unsightly fat person in the class. If I had been skinny and just as uncoordinated and sedentary, they would never have said anything.

I probably should have fought them and insisted on attending the class since they saw me when I signed up and I actually asked them point blank, "Is this class for fat chicks, too," but I wouldn't want to give them my money. I found a new yoga class just down the street for less than half the price. I'll let you know if they say I am too fat for yoga. Somehow I doubt it.

I get so angry at the prejudice people of my size get in this country solely because of our current fitness level. It's not just that we get less whistles from men, we get lower salaries, reduced respect and insensitive remarks from people who either would not or could not do the same if we had any other difference. People of minority races and the disabled are protected from this kind of thing. Can you imagine being told, "You are too black for yoga?" "You are too stupid for yoga!" "You are too short for yoga." "You are too deformed for yoga." See, don't those sound ugly and horrible? Then why is "You are too fat for yoga" acceptable? It shouldn't be and hopefully some day it won't be. In the meantime, I'll watch and wait for this studio to fail. With an attitude like that, they are bound to.

Happy Monday!

I have to start blogging more often because I have too much to say for just one entry a week.

First, the good news, my big project launched successfully today. Yay! This is the one that has kept me at work for 12-13 hours at a time. The one that I thought would never get done. There is still a lot to do, but those things can be done post-launch. I'm so happy.

This weekend was nice and quiet. My parents were busy on Saturday with my dad's brother, so I took the day and used it for all of the errands I have been putting off, combining them with shopping, of course.

Back in December I bought four pairs of glasses at Penneys so I could use up my whatchamacallit money that had been deducted from my paycheck for medical expenses. I should have used that money for the dentist or doctor, but I put it off too long and I really did need new glasses. Unfortunately, out of four pairs of glasses, four of them were defective. So, I took them back to be fixed and she was able to fix two pairs on the spot and will send the other two in for repairs. While I was in Penneys I went in and got my hair cut, something I've been putting off for 6-7 months. It's nothing special, she just cut off a couple of inches of split ends.

I was way overdue for an oil change on the TinkTerra, so I stopped at a Jiffy Lube near the mall. While they changed my oil I walked over to a bookstore nearby. It wasn't really my kind of bookstore, it had all of this weird new agey stuff, but I found a ring and bracelet I liked. I can shop just about anywhere.

Mom had given me a message that the game I had ordered at the game store had come in, so I drove over to my favorite mall, Savage Mill, and told them that I didn't know what I had ordered, but whatever it was, I wanted it! They checked their records, but I hadn't ordered anything since the Shut the Box game I bought for Dave (coworker) for Christmas. Turned out later that it was the Game Stop store calling about a Nintendo DS game, not the Savage Mill game store. It worked out ok, though, because I finally managed to be there on game night and I played a game with some total strangers. The game, whose name I can't spell, was a lot of fun, but the people were annoying. Still, I had enough fun that I might go back.

While I was at Savage Mill I ran into the woman who owns the dance studio where I've signed up for a yoga class. She gave me and a couple of other women a tour of the studio. It's beautiful, I can't wait for class to start on Thursday.

Sunday was quiet in comparison to Saturday. Mom, Harley and I went swimming at a friend's pool in the afteroon. Well, I swam, Harley doesn't like it and Mom didn't feel like it. In the evening we played a new game I bought at the game store on Saturday. It's a card game and it's called Showbiz Shuffle. The object of the game is to produce movies while giving each other production problems like tempermental stars and drinking problems. I liked it, but it's going to take time before I am completely comfortable playing it. There are a lot of rules to remember. Dad was having trouble reading the fine print, but seemed to enjoy it, ok. I think we'll try it again. I should have bought the game I played at the store, but I had already gotten the card game and didn't want to spend any more money.

Just so you know, Harley did great at obedience class. He sat, he walked on his leash without pulling and he actually played with one of the other dogs. I told Mom that we ought to think about getting him a little sister, but she wasn't excited by the idea. We did agree that if we did get him a sister, she would have to be called Scooter. I'll wait a year and then we'll see. I don't really want another puppy until Harley is fully trained and I'm sure I'll have time to spend with a fourth dog. I offered to give Indiana to a good home, but she didn't think much of that idea, either. You never know, maybe I can get Scooter for my birthday next year.

Finally, for now, my diet is going really well and I've posted a hefty loss for the first week. Double yay!

Harley is sick

Harley ate something that didn't agree with him or he picked up something at the obedience class Friday night. He's had the runs since Saturday night and is getting dehydrated. He felt well enough to play with bubbles yesterday but then was sick again during the night. If he's not better tonight, I'm taking him to the vet. There is no vomiting and he has a good appetite, so I am trying not to overreact, but it's hard not to when you love a dog so much.

In other news... I plotted out twenty or so new scenes to add to my book. Some of them aren't true scenes, just extra bits and pieces, but I think they'll round it out a little bit. I'll start working on the writing of those today on the way to work.

And finally, I'm restarting the South Beach diet today for real. I have "restarted" before but didn't make it past day three. This time is different. This time I am fully, 100% committed to it. I am going on Phase 1 and won't go off until I've gotten rid of these crazy carb cravings. I know how to lose weight, I just haven't cared more about losing weight than I did about my next chocolate or fast food fix. I appreciate any support or prayers you have to give. I know exactly how hard it will be, I've done it before. But, I also know how rewarding and exciting it is when my weight starts to drop. I have too many reasons to lose and only one reason... addiction... to cheat. Wish me luck.