Lifestyle
What to Eat Before and After Yoga
You did it. You got yourself to take time out of your busy day to relax and connect with yourself for a whole hour. You got your sweat on, you mellowed out, and you probably took a much needed mini-nap during your savasana--props. There's one issue though: you can literally hear your stomach growling while everyone else is meditating.
As a lover of both yoga and food, I am here to share with you some of my favorite fuels to help you get the most out of your yoga experience.
Before Yoga
Picking a snack to eat before yoga is honestly a challenge. You certainly need enough fuel to get you through a sweaty vinyasa flow and nail that headstand. On the other hand, yoga is all about flexibility and mindfulness, so a gurgling stomach is definitely not what you need.
Trail Mix
Trail mix is the perfect snack because it's easily portable, small, and energy dense. Pack a combo of nuts and dried fruits to give you that energy boost you need on-the-go. My personal fave mix is almonds, pistachios, peanuts, dried blueberries, and coconut shreds.
Banana and Peanut Butter
Let's be real: anything with peanut butter is a win. But there's something special about the PB and banana duo that just gets me. Maybe it's the sweetness of the banana mixed with the saltiness of the peanut butter... Regardless, this is another perfect and portable snack to give you some long lasting energy without making you feel bloated.
#SpoonTip: Lots of brands are making on-the-go nut butter packets that you can bring with you in your bag to pair nicely with your stolen banana from the dining hall! Check out Justin's for some dope flavors like honey peanut butter or vanilla almond butter.
Greek Yogurt
Not a personal favorite of mine, but I can respect the health benefits here. Greek yogurt is a protein-rich, easy-to-digest snack that will undoubtedly help you kill it in your yoga class. It's also a great breakfast option if you're getting in that sunrise flow.
After Yoga
You got through your zen session, and now you're ready to grub. I've totally been there. Often times though, I'm running to my next class and don't have time to get a nice, sit-down meal. Here are my go-to snacks that fuel me through my next class.
Veggies and Hummus
True life: I am addicted to hummus. Luckily, many marketplaces on campuses and even Target and Trader Joe's sell individual-sized hummus containers. All I have to do is bring a ziplock baggie of some carrots, cucumbers, jicama, or celery sticks, and I've got myself a delicious snack.
Green Juice
There's nothing better than feeling good about yourself after doing a workout. When you add a green juice to the equation, it's impossible not to feel like actual #fitspo. Two of my favorites are Nekter's Calming Greens + Ashwagandha and Suja's Uber Greens. Just make sure to pair it with nuts or a different protein source to get your nutrients and make the most out of your workout.
Smoothie
Desperate to fit the west-coast-yogi-hipster stereotype? There's literally no better way to do that than order yourself a smoothie or whip one up in your dorm room Nutribullet. A killer combo is peanut butter, banana, protein powder, almond milk, and spinach, if you're a fan of that chunky monkey flavor. If you have a Sunlife Organics near you, I highly recommend the Wolverine or the Mystic which are both incredibly tasty.
Protein/Nut Bar
I'm usually not an advocate for protein bars because I would much prefer to eat real food, but we all know that's just not an option sometimes. Check the label and try to keep the protein high and sugars low, while avoiding those weird af chemical sounding ingredients. A few favorite bars of mine are Bulletproof Bars, Larabars, and Rx Bars which are all made from legit ingredients.