Sarah Harry started Fat Yoga as a way to transform the images surrounding yoga, that only certain types of body can be flexible and fit. In a recent interview with Self, Harry talked about how she suffered from a severe eating disorder, and has worked hard over the years to now lead a healthy life and spread the message of how important a sense of healthy body image is.
Fat Yoga has been in business for about three years now, where she aims to create a judgement-free zone to practice yoga, and de-stigmatize the experience for curvier women.
“I started the classes about three years ago, and I’ve called them ‘Curvy Yoga’ and ‘Body Positive Yoga’ and then earlier this year I used the word ‘fat’ to describe them. I just thought this is crazy–we have to reclaim the word fat. It’s been a really important part of my life to get very comfortable with that word and understand that I’m a tall person, I’m a big person, and I don’t need to be worried about that word–it doesn’t have power over me.”