1. Home
2. 
3. Wellness
4. 
5. Nutrition
6. 
7. What to Eat Pre and Post Yoga?

Yoga is a beneficial regime in itself, but when complemented with the right diet and dedicated schedule, it spikes up the health benefits significantly. As we approach International Yoga Day, Ms. Honey Thaker, Head Nutritionist - Fitness Science & Nutrition, Purenutrition.me, explains what diet you should have before and after you do Yoga.

The ideal time and way of doing yoga is early morning and on an empty stomach, but today’s hectic lifestyles have left us with no option but to squeeze in our workout session whenever we find the time. Therefore, the least we can do is keep a check on what and when we eat, as eating the right food before and after yoga becomes crucial for the success of the practice.

Pre-Yoga Meals

Heavy meals before a Yoga session should be avoided. If you do end up eating heavy food, allow 2-3 hours to pass before starting your practice. If you had a light snack, wait for 1-2 hours and 30-45 minutes if you’ve had juice or fresh fruits. If you can practice yoga early in the morning, shortly after waking up, doing it on an empty stomach will be the most effective.

However, if it starts 1-2 hours after waking up, you should consider your metabolic rate and food requirements. It is suggested to have easy to digest food like milk with cereal, yogurt, fruit smoothies, and fresh fruits. However, avoid having high fiber and fat dense food as it may cause gastric discomfort.

When yoga cannot be done in the morning, the second-best time in the evening. If you decide to come back home and do your practice, make sure you eat something on your way back home as it will save you time and give you energy for your practice. Again, make sure it is something that can be easily digested - like fruit, some “makhanas”, a handful of nuts, etc.

Post Yoga Meals

Never skip a post-exercise meal because doing so can cause loss of muscles and may even slow down your metabolism. After any physical activity, your body gets dehydrated, therefore the first thing that you must give your body after an amazingly intense yoga session must be water. It will help rehydrate your body and avoid you from overeating later. If drinking plain water makes you queasy after your practice, try squeezing some lemon or lime in it. You can also store coconut water in your fridge to drink it post-yoga sessions.

After the yoga session, you may feel sudden, intense hunger, but never eat immediately after. Give your body at least 30 minutes to re-acclimate itself. After that, ensure you are providing your body with the right kind of recovery meal which generally would be a combination of protein + carbohydrate. Opt for fast digesting protein sources like Egg whites or skimmed milk, you can also incorporate a protein supplement here for quick recovery as they are formulated in a way that it provides you with the right form of protein without any excess of fat, carbohydrate or fiber. In regards to carbohydrates it is always recommended to have simple carbohydrates to provide your body with glucose, hence have a serving of fruit or fruit juice, coconut water, etc.

If you practice yoga in the evening, make sure your dinner is light with plenty of protein-rich food as it will keep muscle soreness to a minimum. If you plan to indulge in the yogic lifestyle, an ideal yogic diet would consist of grains, dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, etc. To make sure that your practice and diet are working for you, you must give up on aerated drinks, oily foods, overly salty or fried foods, alcoholic beverages, and everything else that adds little to no nutritional value in your diet and contributes to the feeling of tiredness and sluggishness.