How to adjust meal times to yoga practice

27 Sep How to adjust meal times to yoga practice

If you wonder how you should adjust your meal times to your yoga practice, I am here to help you out with this challenge.

Before yoga classes

Practicing yoga with a full stomach is not only unpleasant but, if done regularly, can cause discomfort in a form of heartburn or can even lead to quite dangerous reflux disease. I know that it is not so easy to plan your day in such a way that you eat your meals well ahead of your yoga classes. Yet I strongly recommend putting a little bit of effort into scheduling your meals, so that  they don’t interfere with your yoga.

The basic rules below are my very own, based on my own experience:

• eat heavy, difficult-to-digest non-vegetarian or vegetarian meal at least 4(!) before your yoga practice
• eat large yet easy to digest vegetarian meal at least 3 hours before your yoga classes
• eat salad or light and easily digestible vegetarian meal 2 hours before yoga
• eat fruits and veggies 1 hour before yoga classes
• don’t drink anything at least an hour before yoga
• in case you are extremely hungry just before yoga classes and you know you won’t be able to handle another 1,5h of physical exercise on an empty stomach, eat one tablespoon of honey, a bit of chocolate or tablespoon of peanut butter. Such small snacks will give you an energetic boost without heaviness in your stomach.

During yoga classes

During your yoga practice you should neither eat nor drink anything.

Yet, there is little exception to this rule. If your yoga practice is very intensive or it’s very hot, you can lightly water your mouth with just a few drops of water. But please be aware that a lot of yoga teachers are more restrictive than I am and do not allow that during their yoga sessions.

After yoga classes

After your yoga you most probably not only feel tired but also hungry, since your stomach has been empty for quite a while. The best option is to choose something filling yet light, so that your depleted energy level is restored, but you don’t feel heaviness in your stomach. You can choose either a salad, asmoothie or classical sandwich. You can also be creative and experiment with other options.