Valerie Sagun loves yoga so much, she wants to begin training to become an instructor. The 27-year-old has been practicing the activity for almost four years. She understands she does not have the standard or expected physique of someone who follows the ancient method. Nonetheless, the self-described *bigger bodied person* has not let that stop her from following her passion. Her mantra after all is, “anything you can do, I can do almost.” Sagun has her own Instagram account, [Big Gal Yoga][1], with 100,000 followers. She shares her intense poses like balancing on one leg on a yoga wheel to a headstand. The yogi has received some negative feedback, but the overall response has been positive. “I’m humbled by the fact that people are really enjoying the visual look of my yoga practice and that I’m inspiring them to try something they never thought they could try,” says Sagun. [1]: https://instagram.com/biggalyoga/. Sept 7th – Day 29 of the #FlexinASweat Yoga Wheel challenge with @gypsetcity and @biggalyoga Sponsors: @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 @laviebohemeyoga Wow, last day of the yoga wheel challenge!!. It’s been fun learning and trying out new things with the wheel this month that I wasn’t sure of trying before. Still being suprised and proud of myself for accomplishing new types of practice.
So happy that you joined with @gypsetcity @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 and @laviebohemeyoga for this challenge, and you all rock. Just FYI I fell off the wheel so many times practicing this ?. Got to really find that center balance. Thank you all for participating in the challenge. ❤ How to join in: ● Follow hosts @gypsetcity and @biggalyoga and sponsors @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 @laviebohemeyoga ● Share flyer to help promote. ● Post a photo or video of yourself in the daily pose (With or without a yoga wheel). ● Tag #FlexinASweat in your post as well as the hosts and sponsors. Yoga Wheel by @breakin_a_sweat 12″ wheel. Mat by @laviebohemeyoga. Bralette by @torridfashion. Shorts by @lineagewear. #BASyogawheel #breakinasweat #yogachallenge A photo posted by @biggalyoga on Sep 7, 2015 at 12:09pm PDT.
Dear self, you are enough and you are loved.
Sometimes I have to stop to tell myself that over and over hoping it will stay for as long as it can. #summerlovig Photo Credit: @rue.north A photo posted by @biggalyoga on Jul 8, 2015 at 12:50am PDT.
Glad to be back home from my trip in Portland and Montana. Though I will be traveling to NYC real quick and heading back. Lots of travel time ✈ Words can’t describe how much love I have for you guys. Sometimes I don’t feel like I’m fully immersed into the community enough, but I still care about all of you. I’m excited that there are such generous people out there to help me out with my yoga teacher training journey.
I also think that I want to take @amber_karnes and @diannebondyyoga’s body positive course as well. Even though i’m a bigger bodied person and understand how bigger bodies work, it would be great to learn from some experienced amazing body positive yoga teachers. Also loving my new rad sea creature leggings from @personalrecordofficial. Glad that her shop has finally launched and she’s having great business. Leggings by @personalrecordofficial. Mat by @laviebohemeyoga ? A photo posted by @biggalyoga on Sep 22, 2015 at 9:02pm PDT.
Aug 24th – Day 15 Aug 25th – Day 16 of the #FlexinASweat Yoga Wheel challenge with @gypsetcity and @biggalyoga Sponsors: @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 @laviebohemeyoga Doubling this for day 15 and 16 since I really love this pose. Love opening and massaging my back with the yoga wheel. How to join in: ● Follow hosts @gypsetcity and @biggalyoga and sponsors @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 @laviebohemeyoga ● Share flyer to help promote. ● Post a photo or video of yourself in the daily pose (With or without a yoga wheel). ● Tag #FlexinASweat in your post as well as the hosts and sponsors.
Yoga Wheel by @breakin_a_sweat 12″ wheel. Top by @Prana. Mat by @laviebohemeyoga. Leggings by @lineagewear. #BASyogawheel #breakinasweat #yogachallenge A photo posted by @biggalyoga on Aug 25, 2015 at 10:19am PDT.
Aug 24th – Day 15 Aug 25th – Day 16 of the #FlexinASweat Yoga Wheel challenge with @gypsetcity and @biggalyoga Sponsors: @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 @laviebohemeyoga Doubling this for day 15 and 16 since I really love this pose. Love opening and massaging my back with the yoga wheel. How to join in: ● Follow hosts @gypsetcity and @biggalyoga and sponsors @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 @laviebohemeyoga ● Share flyer to help promote. ● Post a photo or video of yourself in the daily pose (With or without a yoga wheel). ● Tag #FlexinASweat in your post as well as the hosts and sponsors.
Yoga Wheel by @breakin_a_sweat 12″ wheel. Top by @Prana. Mat by @laviebohemeyoga. Leggings by @lineagewear. #BASyogawheel #breakinasweat #yogachallenge A photo posted by @biggalyoga on Aug 25, 2015 at 10:19am PDT.
“The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities.” – Steven Hawkings It’s been a little overwhelming traveling around and meeting new people who have been interested in my yoga journey. Last week I traveled to New York for the first time, and on the plane I was watching The Theory of Everything. As we came into New York, the movie was ending and I felt kind of overwhelmed with tears of happiness to new and interesting things coming up in my life.
I’m not a person who see’s that far into the future and can be very content with what I’m comfortable with, but I’m happy at the thought of new adventures. Just need to focus even more on my personal practice to help with being too overwhelmed. Leggings by @personalrecordofficial ? A photo posted by @biggalyoga on Sep 29, 2015 at 10:01pm PDT.
Sept 5th – Day 27 of the #FlexinASweat Yoga Wheel challenge with @gypsetcity and @biggalyoga Sponsors: @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 @laviebohemeyoga Happy that I actually got up on the wheel without holding onto anything. All that slacklining has helped me with my balancing. Wish I could have gotten my leg fully straight, but it was still slightly terrifying balancing on the wheel. How to join in: ● Follow hosts @gypsetcity and @biggalyoga and sponsors @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 @laviebohemeyoga ● Share flyer to help promote. ● Post a photo or video of yourself in the daily pose (With or without a yoga wheel).
● Tag #FlexinASweat in your post as well as the hosts and sponsors. Yoga Wheel by @breakin_a_sweat 12″ wheel. Mat by @laviebohemeyoga. Bralette by Torrid. Capris by @abombapparel. #BASyogawheel #breakinasweat #yogachallenge A photo posted by @biggalyoga on Sep 5, 2015 at 8:59pm PDT.
Aug 26th – Day 17 of the #FlexinASweat Yoga Wheel challenge with @gypsetcity and @biggalyoga Sponsors: @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 @laviebohemeyoga I cropped it out, but I definitely could only get on the wheel using my chair as support of my hands. Stood on one foot, and brought the other foot onto the wheel. Then I could Squat down into Malasana. How to join in: ● Follow hosts @gypsetcity and @biggalyoga and sponsors @breakin_a_sweat @fractal.9 @laviebohemeyoga ● Share flyer to help promote. ● Post a photo or video of yourself in the daily pose (With or without a yoga wheel).
● Tag #FlexinASweat in your post as well as the hosts and sponsors. Yoga Wheel by @breakin_a_sweat 12″ wheel. Top from Target Mat by @laviebohemeyoga. Leggings by @rainbeaucurves. #BASyogawheel #breakinasweat #yogachallenge A photo posted by @biggalyoga on Aug 26, 2015 at 10:07am PDT.