30 Aug How To Eat Mindfully For Your Best Yoga Practice Ever
Yoga is all about connecting to your body, finding balance, and listening to your body. The mindful practice of yoga doesn’t stop once you have stepped off your mat. However, when it comes to what food, how conscious are we fueling our bodies?
We all know, having quickly eaten something to fuel your body before stepping on the mat might have resulted in a belly ache or more sloth-like movements through a vigorous vinyasa flow. Happens to the best of us, don’t worry. As a general rule of thumb, we know to allow ourselves up to two hours to digest after a light snack. And two to three hours to digest after a light meal before your yoga class.
We have gathered some straightforward nutritional tips with what foods to fuel your body consciously — healthy food choices for you before and after a yoga class. So you can flow through class and focus on nailing your crow pose instead of worrying about your full stomach.
Conscious food choices before a yoga class
Before you practice, you want to aim for snacks that are easy to digest, and that will help you stay loose while you exercise. Of course, what works for your body is unique and personal. Therefore, we asked multiple experts to get you the primary information you need to make good choices. Here are their recommendations:
1. Simple carbs.
Some favourite pre-yoga snacks are our beloved avocado toast, banana or apple with peanut butter, or crackers with hummus. “Think simple carbohydrates with small amounts of protein, fat, or fibre for staying power and energy,” says Kara Lydon, registered dietitian, yoga teacher, and author.
2. Energising snacks.
“It could be fruit and nut butter, a smoothie, toast with avocado, or anything that feels energising to you,” says Lauren Fowler, a registered dietitian nutritionist and yoga teacher.
3. Easy-to-digest foods.
“Before yoga, choose foods that digest easily and give you balanced energy, such as a combination of whole-grain carbohydrates, protein, and fat for staying power,” says Kat Brown, a registered dietitian and yoga instructor.
4. Avoid spicy, fatty, and acidic foods.
“These can upset your stomach, says Temples. “You’ll also want to avoid foods that digest slowly”, says Brown, as they could make you uncomfortable while you practice.
How to fuel your body after yoga class
You have just finished a sweaty and strong vinyasa class so, most likely, you are not craving substantial food at all. Make sure you refuel your body with plenty of water, especially if you have been to a heated class and sweated a lot. When it comes to food, having a balanced meal or snack with some carbohydrates, proteins, and fats will help re-fuel body and mind.
Choose carbs plus protein.
You’ll want to refuel with a meal or snack that has a 3-to-1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein, especially after a strong class. According to Lydon, this can help repair muscle tissues and restore energy levels. Some of her favourite post-yoga snacks include a quinoa bowl with veggies, tofu, or legumes or a smoothie with frozen wild blueberries, banana, mint and kefir or silken tofu. Give these three vegan post-yoga recipes by Deliciously Ella a try next time you come home from class. Sounds super delicious to us.
On the contrary, eating mindfully before and after you hit the mat is part of the yoga. You will flow more lightly and freely. Your complete practice will benefit from a more mindful food choice. Above all, listen to your body when and what it needs to perform at its best.
Now that you have your best healthy and mindful food choices for your best yoga practice, sorted check out the timetable of your nearest Power Living studio and opt for your practice of choice today. Don’t have a studio near you?
Perhaps had too much food or not the right meal for a vigorous vinyasa practice? No worries, we have got you covered. Plus, you won’t even have to leave your home for that. Put on some comfy clothes, roll out your mat, tune into yogaholics Power Liviving’s online studio. Maybe today it’s time for a juicy yin practice. Let Lisa Clark guide you through a yin for digestion sequence. You will feel like a new yogi afterwards.
See you on the mat, yogis!
Written by Gina Tomaine for Yoga Journal
