Plus-Size Pole Dancer Is Beating Obesity One Spin At A Time

“Pole dancing makes me feel confident and strong, sexy, sensual—everything.”

For Eda Marbury, the journey to self-love and health started with a single spin on a pole. Just two years ago, Eda couldn’t bear to look at herself in the mirror. Today, she’s an internet sensation, inspiring thousands around the world with her courage, energy, and unapologetic joy.

A Rocky Relationship With Her Body

Growing up, Eda’s relationship with her body was fraught with pain. From seventh grade through college, she battled anorexia. “I just didn’t eat,” she remembers. “I would prepare food and pretend I was going to eat it, and convince myself I was sick. But I wouldn’t touch any of it.”

After meeting her husband Terrik in college, Eda began to eat again—but her relationship with food spiraled out of control. She soon weighed 380 pounds, and her confidence plummeted. “I was a very closed-off person,” Eda says. “I didn’t discuss the issues going on in my life. I was in denial about my weight—I refused to believe I’d gained so much.”

Her isolation kept her from living. “That mindset prevented me from doing a lot of things like going to concerts with Terrik or going to baseball games. I just didn’t want to be around people.”

Finding Strength—And Herself—On The Pole

It was then that Eda decided to take her life back. She signed up for a pole dancing class, and after just a few weeks, she was hooked. The sport became her passion, her therapy, and her lifeline. So far, she’s lost 65 pounds—and gained a new sense of self.

“At first, I was afraid people would laugh at me or make fun of me,” Eda admits. “But once I started going, and the weight fell off, I felt more confident. It didn’t matter what people said.”

Her husband Terrik was her biggest supporter. “From the first day, she always enjoyed it. Now she has a big group of friends she loves to work out with.”

Eda’s transformation wasn’t just physical. Her friends noticed the change too. “She’s a lot more confident and so much fun to be around,” says Chelsie. Jennifer adds, “It’s amazing to see her grow—physically, emotionally. She’s now really living life to the fullest.”

Confidence, Community, and Courage

Pole dancing changed everything for Eda. “It’s changed me in my everyday life, my marriage, my job. I’m more confident. I’m happier. I love the way I look. I look in the mirror more often, I take more time for myself. I don’t say no to a lot of things anymore.”

When Eda shared her dancing videos on Facebook, she braced herself for reactions—but nothing could have prepared her for the flood of responses.

Facing Negativity—And Rising Above

Some comments were cruel. “People said I was unhealthy and should lose weight before posting videos. Someone even told me I should commit suicide. I got messages like, ‘Every time I hear this song, I think of your talentless fat butt doing nothing useful around a pole. What are you trying to prove?’”

Her husband Terrik wishes people would “just read about your journey and not just talk.”

But the overwhelming majority of feedback was supportive. “I’ve received countless messages from people telling me their stories, or commenting that they’re so happy I’m doing this, that it’s what they needed to get a boost.”

Eda’s courage has inspired more people than she ever imagined. “People look at me and say, ‘Holy crap, I want to be like this girl.’ But they don’t even realize how inspiring they are to someone like me.”

Spinning Toward Self-Love

Eda Marbury’s story is proof that you don’t need to fit the mold to feel strong, sexy, and alive. With every spin, she’s beating obesity, breaking stereotypes, and building a global community of support—one pole dance at a time.

Her message to anyone struggling: You are not alone. There’s a place for you, a community waiting to lift you up—and sometimes, the first step is simply to dance.