What Should You Eat Before And After Yoga

In the recent past decades, yoga has gained immense popularity worldwide as a natural and healthy medium to improve all areas of health with different-different yoga posses that target specific body organs and improves their strength and productivity. Experts say that yoga is the best way to create a healthy balance between your mind and body.

This healthy practice teaches you the way to live more mindfully in all areas of life. But do we all get the same level of benefit from our regular, effortless still hardcore physical level practices? The honest answer will be No. This is because not every one of us is taking care of some important things that need a focus in order to reap the highest possible benefit out of your everyday fitness session.

Most of us simply don’t know what we should eat before and after yoga or we do not care to think about this considering it is not that important. This is absolutely a wrong attitude because what you eat before and after your yoga classes play an important role in creating and absorbing the benefits out of your yoga practice.

Your body is much smarter than you think of it. So it knows well what is good for it and what is not. The necessity is only to pay your wise attention to listen to it so that you can eat intuitively. However, to make your work easier here we have enlisted some experienced-based food lists that you should eat before and after your yoga practice.

This will no doubt increase the benefit of your practices by dual rate. So read this article till the end and start utilizing our truly effective suggestions by today itself without waiting for tomorrow.

Important Things to Consider When You Eat Before Yoga

It’s best that you practice yoga very early in the morning with an empty stomach. However, if it is not possible for you then you must take care of few important things while selecting your meal that you are planning to eat before your yoga classes so that it won’t interfere with your body’s ability to puts your best while performing different yoga asanas.

• If you can’t resist eating before your yoga classes then to avoid the negative impacts of the meals that you eat before yoga make sure that you have them at least 2 hours before the yoga classes. This will give enough time to your body for digestion. However, this time may vary depending upon the food you include in your meal.
• Avoid eating spicy and fatty foods before your yoga classes because these kinds of food may upset your stomach. Also, these foods take time in digesting so it can make you feel uncomfortable while practicing yoga poses.
• You must avoid eating foods with high acidic content as it can cause heartburn problems making you uncomfortable and disturbed while you practice yoga. Foods like orange juice and coffee are some common examples of foods highly acidic in nature.
• Make sure that you eat only a small portion of any food that you choose to eat before your yoga class. When your body will remain light without any load in the stomach, your body turns and twist will be much easier and sustainable.
• You should avoid eating heavy meals just before your yoga classes. This is because heavy foods take a long time to digest and may impact your metabolism that you need to keep boosted especially when you are about to indulge in rigorous yoga asanas. Instead of that eat only light foods that are digested quickly.
• Try to eat only foods with a low glycemic index value. Also, avoid eating foods that contain high sugar in any form. Foods that you should exclude in your before yoga meal routine includes fizzy drinks, junk foods, spicy foods, etc. This practice will help you in reaping optimum benefit out of your yoga practice.
• One common mistake often people do that they drink plenty of water or juices before their yoga classes. This is absolutely wrong as you may get stomach cramps or feel nauseous while practicing yoga if you drink plenty of water or juice before yoga. So to avoid these concerns, drink only a small amount of water or juice to keep yourself hydrated and refreshed.
• If you have to attend your yoga class in the morning then avoid drinking lots of alcohol in case you are attending a night party. This may dehydrate your body as well as you will be left out with a hangover. So in such a state, it is no way possible to concentrate and practice well your yoga asanas.
• It is always advised to have food before a few hours of your yoga class. However under certain circumstances, if it is not possible for you even then also try to eat a minimum one hour before attending the yoga class.

Meals To Be Eaten Before Yoga

You should practice to include snacks as your before yoga meals as it is easy to digest and will keep your body loose and free when you practice yoga poses. No doubt the food menus may vary based on the individual body, health, and specific requirements. However, based on different experts’ view we have enlisted some healthy meal choices that you can consider to eat as your pre-yoga meals.

Easily Digestible Foods

Choose easy-to-digest foods as your pre-yoga meal menu. These meals are digested by your body quickly and give you a quick energy boost that you need to invest in your yoga practice. Foods that come in this category include a balance of protein, fat, and whole-grain carbohydrates that give you power.

Energy Boosting Snacks

A reputed dietitian and nutritionist say that before yoga sessions people should eat only energizing snacks as these are digested in the body easily and generate enough amount of energy that you need while practicing long yoga sessions. Some best and effective energizing snacks include smoothie, nut butter, a toast with avocado, etc.

Simple Carbohydrates

The carb that is not complex such as simple carbohydrates rich foods combining with fat, fiber, and a small amount of protein is a good menu for energizing your body and staying in your full power throughout the yoga session. Some best simple carbs and protein or fiber or fat combination foods include an apple or banana with peanut butter, avocado toast with carrots or crackers.

Green Smoothie

This is one of the best and effective pre-yoga meal options. The green smoothie is the powerhouse of nutrients and offers a quick burst of energy. However to make your smoothie healthy make sure that you keep it as simple as possible. Though by mixing lots of ingredients in the smoothies it may get much healthier but your body takes a long time to digest it and then you have to wait for getting and feeling energized.

So keep your ingredients minimum possible and simple enough so that your body can digest easily and you get enough amount of energy in no time. For the best result, it is advised to finish your smoothie at least 20 minutes before your yoga class so that you won’t feel burdened and can practice freely.

Green Juice

Green juice is another simple and effective pre-yoga meal option that a yoga practitioner can include in their routine without any risk of its negative impact on their performance level. Juice prepared with freshly cut and pressed ingredients will keep your body light so you won’t feel energy drained even after long yoga sessions. The chlorophyll level existing in the green ingredients increases the oxygen level throughout your body. Hence offer you natural energy boost instantly.

Banana and Nut Butter

If you are looking for an easy-going food option that would take almost no time to prepare it then there could be nothing better than the bananas covered with nut butter. Bananas are the powerhouse of energy with its essential nutrient content. Also, it is beneficial for all areas of health.

In this particular diet option you are getting quick energy solution with bananas, and with nut butter including peanut, almond, or cashew will work as natural sugar which will help in sustaining your energy derived from bananas. This will not let you feel exhausted within 15 or 20 minutes as usually happens with people who practice with a low level of energy without having a healthy pre-yoga meal. For the best result, have this meal before 30 minutes of your yoga session.

Avocado and Whole Grain Toast

This is another best pre-yoga meal option containing lots of nutrient essence and benefit of energy burst. Avocado is a source of healthy fat whereas whole-grain toast contains complex carb that digests slowly in the body. Hence this diet will not let you disturbed while practicing some yoga poses like Savasana.

Have this diet if your yoga class is about to run for a long duration or the dinner is a quite long time away. For enhancing the taste of your diet you can sprinkle lemon juice or salt on its top.

Empty Stomach

If possible go for your yoga session without eating anything as it is also beneficial to optimize your benefit out of your yoga asanas practices especially, if you practice yoga early in the morning. Yoga practices with an empty stomach are in use since ancient times and practiced by yogis of different ages. This does not impact your health any way negatively under the condition you are not a person with a special health condition or you can’t survive practicing yoga with your empty stomach.

Another benefit of yoga practices with an empty stomach is that it doesn’t generate irritating gurgling sound, bloating, stomachache, and gas-related embarrassing issues which are very common with people who go for yoga with a full belly or heavy meal.

Meals To Be Eaten After Yoga

There are lots of meal options available to consume after finishing your yoga classes. Foods rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and fats along with some snacks which are satisfying one or a balanced meal are recommended to eat after the yoga practices. These foods will replenish your energy level that you have expended just before in different yoga asanas and will ease your fatigue, repair tear tissues, and muscle pain issue. Also, it will re-energize you for attending the next day’s class without any difficulty.

Pick Carbs Plus Protein Meal

Choose carbs plus protein meals after a vigorous yoga session. The dietitians and nutrition specialists suggest refueling your body with a snack or a meal having a ratio of 3:1 for carbohydrates and protein. This is the most effective post-yoga meal suggestion as it helps your body to repair damaged tissues and restores your energy level.

Some good post-yoga snacks include Greek yogurt with fruits, granola, and nuts, a smoothie with frozen blueberries, mint, banana, silken tofu, or kefir.

Fruit Juice

This is one of the easiest meal plans and highly nutritious one that you can make with freshly available fruits at your home. Have a large glass of fresh fruit juice after your yoga class to reenergize your body by a quick boost to your metabolism. Fruits have their special properties that help in improving your health in many ways.

However, for the best result, you should avoid mixing additional sugar and enjoy the natural sweetness of the used ingredients as fruits have their own natural sweetness. You can add some ice cube in your glass as it will dramatically increase the taste and luxury of your fruit juice. It is advised to avoid packaged fruit juices consumption available in the market as they can’t compare the benefit of freshly prepared homemade fruit juice.

Drink Plenty of Water

Your body gets naturally dehydrated after a vigorous yoga class so along with replenishing your energy with some after yoga foods it is equally important to rehydrate your body by drinking lots of plain water. However, for variation you can mix few lemon drops in a glass of plain water or add honey as these ingredients will enhance both taste and nutrient essence of water. Drink 2 to 3 glasses of water minimum. Water is a great energy booster and an effective source to boost your mind and body.

Drink Green Tea

Green tea is well known for its versatile health benefits, out of them its benefit for boosting your metabolism and energy level is one. It is obvious to feel tired and lack of energy after a long yoga session. However, if you want your daily life regular activities will not get disturbed any way then this is the best solution for you. This beverage is much beneficial and safe than many other commonly available hot beverages.

The benefit of having a green tea drink after your yoga classes are that the natural antioxidant content existing in this tea easily circulates throughout the body as after yoga your blood circulation level turns quite high. Also, it acts as a stress buster. So no way you will feel stressed or exhausted after having a cup of green tea after returning from the yoga class. This is really a great advantage of this post-yoga beverage.

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable soup made at your home is another effective and healthy post-yoga meal. As your body has burned enough amount of calories during the yoga session so it is vital to replenish this gap with a good amount of nutrients and calories. For this, there could be no better option than a homely prepared soup made up of different fresh vegetables. The ingredients that are healthy for your soup recipe include spinach, cabbage, carrots, celery, tomatoes, etc.

For enhancing the taste of your soup you can add ginger, black pepper, and salt to taste. It is advised to avoid already packaged ready to heat soup packets available in the market as these readymade products often contain an excessive quantity of sodium. Moreover, it cannot provide the nutrient essence existing in freshly chopped and prepared homemade vegetable soup ingredients.

Toast with Almond Butter

You have lost enough amount of your energy in your yoga classes so it needs its healthy replenishment so that you won’t remain energy deprived for the day ahead. For this purpose, this meal option is best as it simply boosts your energy level without increasing the daily calorie count.

You need to take a whole grain toast and bake it in microwave or toaster whichever is available to you. Now spread a good amount of almond butter on it and top it with the banana slices. In this single snack, your body will get a good amount of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.

Vegetable Salad

This is another quick energy lifting post-yoga diet tip. Gorge a bowl of fresh vegetable salad after coming from the yoga classes. In this particular diet, you will get a variety of nutrients existing in different freshly chopped vegetables.  Some vegetables that you can use to prepare your salad include dark leafy vegetables and choose the organic ones.

To enhance the taste of this plain salad you can add pepper powder, cilantro, and pour few drops of extra virgin olive oil on top. Mix them well and grab this highly nutritious and energy lifting salad.

Tuna Fish Dishes

Tuna fish is a great source of essential nutrients such as omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins, iron, and minerals which are healthy for your body in all respect. There are lots of recipes that you can prepare with tuna fish that tastes amazingly delicious along with nourishing your body with its nutrient essence and a good amount of energy level.

The tuna fish dishes have many health benefits including its benefit to reduce cholesterol level which is the root cause of cardiovascular diseases. You can prepare a tuna fish sandwich or can prepare some other dishes as per your wish. This dish option is best to get enough amount of protein that keeps you energized throughout the day.

Toast with Scrambled Egg Whites

This is another best post-yoga diet menu for those who practice yoga in the day time. This post-workout snack will energize your body instantly. Egg whites are a good source of protein and free of cholesterol.

For toast choose only whole grain bread as it contains complex carbs that will keep your body energized for a longer duration. This snack can also be eaten along with veggie salads to get more amounts of nutrients in your diet and also to make it more filling.

Try the above-mentioned tips and suggestions regarding what we should eat before and after yoga classes as it will take you a long way and with a minimum effort, you can reap maximum possible benefits out of those tough but effective yoga asanas.

Yoga is no doubt safe and beneficial for everyone’s health however if you are a blood sugar patient having an issue of frequent blood sugar imbalance then first consult with the doctor regarding the yoga practice appropriateness in your case and especial diet suggestions for you if you practice any of the yoga asanas.