Healthy Diet For Yogis: What To Eat And When To Eat?

Yogis must pay special attention to their diet. A healthy diet not only provides yogis with adequate resistance but also serves as a motivator for the training process. So, how should a yoga practitioner's diet be planned? What principles should be kept in mind? Everything will be revealed in the article below by Olaben.

What is a healthy diet?

According to the World Health Organization, a healthy diet should include a lot of green vegetables, fiber, whole grains, legumes, and limited foods high in sugar, salt, processed meat, and junk food. A healthy diet will help provide the body with essential nutrients while also protecting us from chronic infectious diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

As a result, a healthy diet is especially important for yogis, not only because it has a direct effect on health, but also because it affects the effectiveness of yoga exercises.

What are the principles of a healthy diet for yogis?

Quality trumps quantity every time

Many yogis, without a doubt, used to be calorie-obsessed or always strict in counting calories per meal. The true essence of a healthy diet, however, is choosing fresh, clean, minimally processed or processed foods. In fact, meditators can eat less food each day and still be healthier than us. Instead of focusing solely on the quantity of food, yogis should consider the composition and quality of the food.

Eat fresh, natural foods and limit the intake of processed foods

Yogis are encouraged to eat fresh foods that do not require much processing or cooking. Processed foods and fast foods, such as pizza, chips, jams, soft drinks, and so on, are the leading causes of elevated cholesterol levels in the blood, making us sluggish and less flexible. When these foods are consumed, the digestive system must work harder to eliminate harmful substances from the body.

Limit the intake of salt, sugar, as well as spices

All things in nature, according to Yoga and Ayurvedic philosophy, have three coexisting natures: Raja (spicy, hot, fast), Tama (slow, dull, bland), and Satvva (peace, balance, purity). Satvva food is suitable for yogis because it helps to nourish the body, purify the mind, and maintain a state of peace. Not only should the food be fresh, but yogis should avoid using a lot of salt, sugar, and spices in the dish.

It is highly recommended to follow a vegetarian diet

To cleanse the mind and body, yogis should eat a vegetarian diet. If you are not a vegetarian, try to limit your consumption of animal meat so that your body does not accumulate too many toxins, which can lead to high cholesterol and blood pressure. Replace meat protein with good plant-based protein such as chickpeas, tofu, peas, and so on.

Eat slowly and chew thoroughly to protect the digestive system

Eating quickly can lead to overload, indigestion. Eat slowly and thoroughly to ensure that saliva flows evenly and that food is easily digested. Furthermore, eating slowly reduces calorie intake and aids weight loss during your practice.

Don't eat too much or skip meals

According to many nutritional guidelines, we should only fill 50% of our stomachs with food, 25% with water, and the remaining 25% empty. Yogis who follow this rule will feel lighter and more flexible. Eating too much causes the abdomen to tense and the body to become sluggish, and push-ups become more difficult when practicing reverse bending yoga movements. On the contrary, skipping meals for an extended period of time will cause yogis to become weak, tired, lose resistance, have pale skin, and lose strength.

Eat at certain times 

Yogis should eat at specific times of the day to help their bodies get used to it and digest it more easily. It is important to note that you should eat about 2 hours before yoga and 2 hours before sleeping.

Drink plenty of water every day

Drink 10 to 12 glasses of water per day, whether you practice yoga or not. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning, 30 minutes before eating, and avoid drinking water with meals. Because water makes up 70% of the body, we must ensure that we provide enough water for digestive activities and yoga practice.

Do not consume alcohol or smoke.

"Alcohol is a nutrient thief," they destroy and deplete nutrients in the body. Furthermore, these foods weaken yogi both mentally and physically.

Best healthy foods for yogis

What to eat before yoga?

- Nutritional nuts: Oats, almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, cashews, and others contain a variety of beneficial nutrients for yogis. You can add nuts to your salty or vegetarian meals in particular. Refer to Granola nutritional cereal with up to 12 different types of seeds here.

- Green smoothie: Drinking fruit smoothies with green vegetables before yoga provides you with energy for a more effective workout.

- Fresh fruits: Bananas are high in potassium, magnesium, and other nutrients, making them an ideal snack before yoga practice. 

What to eat after yoga?

- Vegetable salad: Making your own vegetable salad is the best way to replenish your energy after each yoga practice. Tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, and beans are common ingredients in a nutrient-dense vegetable salad. To add more vitamins and minerals, combine vegetable salad with Granola.

- Vegetable soup: Vegetable soup, like vegetable salad, is a great dish to have after yoga, especially for people who have weak stomachs.

- Fruit juice: After yoga class, drink 1 glass of juice to supplement the natural sugars found in fruit. Do not use white sugar or bottled juices that contain a lot of chemicals.

Simple one-day meal plan for yogis

Breakfast 

• smoothie (banana, avocado, and yogurt) + fruit/oatmeal + yogurt
• 3-4 teaspoons Granola Lunch

Lunch

• Brown bread, hummus sauce (a bean, olive oil, and lemon juice sauce...).

• Salad greens with cereal and a few slices of butter

Snack before yoga: 1 banana 

Dinner

• Soup with vegetables

All of the information about a healthy diet for yogis has been shared previously. Olaben hopes you find this information useful. Don't forget to check out Olaben.com for your favorite yoga wear. Thanks for reading!

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