Yoga is among the best exercises for body stretching and can help calm the mind as well as improve one’s health. It is like pampering ones body each day, or treating them to something they wouldn’t expect. But there’s one question many people have:
“What is the recommended gap between the time that I consume food and the time that I take my Yoga positions?”
You would think I’m asking a very basic question but no, it’s vital for your success. When you eat the body actually uses energy to digest the food with the stomach playing the leading role in digestion. Yoga, in contrast, entails use of some stretches and movements that are discomforting when embarked on in the course of a full tummy. So, let’s discuss the most appropriate time that should be maintained between the meals and exercising through yoga.
Why Should You Wait After Eating Before Doing Yoga?
Whenever you take food into your stomach digestion begins. Digestion is a complex process that takes place in stomach and intestines and involves merely mixing of the food particles so that the body can take it and use it to support energy. This takes time and you would find that the body and maintaining the body burns a lot of calories. This is why it is recommended that you should not partake in any physical exercise such as yoga immediately after taking a meal because it will only cause the feeling of heaviness in the stomach, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
In yoga, we make our bodies assume various postures and this is through learning new angles for the positions we make. At times we inclined forward, some other time we gain an angle by twisting and sometimes we need to lie flat on our abdomen. It is also important to note that if your stomach is full these poses become uncomfortable almost painful. It is very much like attempting to fold a particular balloon that has already been inflated with some air!
Self massage and stretching, an important component of Yoga also lay much emphasis on proper and deep breathing. Most importantly, if you’ve just eaten, it may be rather difficult to draw deep breath inhaling due to occupying the stomach with digestion.
How Long Should You Wait Before Doing Yoga After Eating?
Well, how much time is required to pass between take and yoga break? The answer depends on what you took and the quantity you took with regard to what you consumed.
1.After a Big Meal:
Of course, the degree of pack intensity is very individual: some people feel discomfort during yoga even after a slight movement, while others, on the contrary, during the carrying out of any complex asanas, the stomach loudly grumbles. Big meals take a longer time to settle in the stomach while the body takes sometime before it becomes relaxed for it to start moving and stretching.
2.After a Small Snack:
If you’ve only had a light meal such as only eating a fruit or some nuts or a yogurt you can wait in between 1 to 2 hours before practicing yoga. The snacks are however small in portion size and the total mass as compared to meals, they do not take a long time to be digested.
3.Light Snacks Before Yoga:
At times, they prefer to take something which is less spicy and not so heavy as they feel the urge to consume something before taking in to yoga. If so, it is better to have something that is not heavy and solid, like a banana for example or several almonds. Best to wait about fifty to one hundred and thirty minutes of heavy exercise before engaging in yoga.
What Happens If You Don’t Wait Long Enough?
If you don’t allow several hours after eating and try to practice yoga, the body will not feel normal. You could. experience:
Stomach Cramps:
The muscles in your stomach have motion drills to churn food in the stomach while exercising especially when stretching.
Nausea:
That is, you could feel nauseous, or even vomit because the stomach is full and you are doing certain poses that apply pressure on it.
Feeling Sluggish:
But doing yoga may make you feel more sluggish than ever because your body is using fuel to digest it.
Gas or Bloating:
Sometimes while practicing yoga, twisting and bending may in certain occasions result to stomach churning or gastritis if your stomach is full.
Best Time for Yoga: Before or After Eating?
This is a common question that most individuals ask themselves especially the times they want to practice yoga. Here’s what you need to know:Here’s what you need to know:
Yoga in the Morning:
Yoga is mostly practiced early in the morning when you have taken no breakfast or you are still hungry. But in the morning you wake up and you are active and it is not the right time to eat either. If you are really raven, then about half an an hour before you practice yoga you can eat some fruit or have a small portion of something like a banana. While asleep the body heals so doing morning yoga will make you get up and feel energized for the day.
Yoga After Eating:
If you wish to perform yoga in the evening then make sure that you do not perform it immediately after having food. The best time to have yoga is usually several hours after the meals and this can also be possible after taking a light meal.
What Foods Are Good to Eat Before Yoga?
In case you need to take some food before doing yoga, I recommend you to eat light meals. These foods won’t affect your digestive system and hence allow you to move and perform stretches with ease.
Here are some good options-
Fruits:
Fruits such as bananas, apples that are rich in fiber and berries, which are a rich source of Vitamin C are ideal. These products provide you with a quick boost and do not really have a long time to pass through the system.
Nuts:
A little serving of almonds or walnuts in form of a small cup can provide you with a little energy other than feeling hungry.
Yogurt:
Such foods have to be avoided; plain yogurt with a little honey or pieces of fruit is much better. It’s light but filling.
Smoothies:
A normal fruit smoothie taken with lesser quantity of milk or water can be taken as snack before engaging in yoga exercise. It is essential only not to make it too bulky.
Yoga Exercises Exercise and Yoga are another way of keeping oneself active and fit hence foods that are prohibited before yoga include
Certain foods are heavier and perhaps will make you feel uneasy during exercise especially if you are doing yoga. It’s a good idea to avoid these foods before your practice:It’s a good idea to avoid these foods before your practice:
Fried or Greasy Foods:
Foods such as fries, burgers, or fried chicken are usually thick and they make you feel so lazy.
Spicy Foods:
Some of the foods that you should avoid since they are likely to make you have upset stomach, especially if you are going to twist in yoga.
Sugary Foods:
Of course, sugar gives you instant energy but a few minutes or half an hour later you start to feel sleepy or sluggish.
Carbonated Drinks:
Soda drinks and sparkling water contain gaseous substance that can lead to bloating and this can make you uncomfortable especially when practicing yoga.
Can You Drink Water Before Yoga?
Of course you can drink water before yoga, but do not take too much liquid just before a session. Taking water is allowed but taking too much makes one feels bulky and this is due to the retained fluids in the body. One should drink water in the course of the day so that he or she does not feel thirsty during yoga practice. If you have been particular with the type of yoga you took by doing their hot yoga or practicing a very rigorous routine, ensure that you take a lot of water after the class.
Listening to Your Body
It is important to remember that at the end of the day, every individuals’ body is unique. It is common to have dinner and wait for an hour and do yoga while others will take a long time after having a meal. That is why the best thing that you can do is try to hear what your body is telling you. If you find that you are stuffed, simply tell your digestive system to digest at a slower rate. If you are hungry you had better eat something small and wait for a few minutes before doing yoga. With time, you are able to master what suits you most In the process, you find the best way to do things most effectively.
Conclusion
So, one should avoid practicing yoga immediately after having a meal and it is better to wait for some time. If you have been eating a lot such as taking a big meal, then wait for 3 to 4 hours as you take a nap. If you have had small amount of food maybe a snack, 1 to 2 hours are adequate to get the value. If you are going to be eating light food only then one and half to two hours will suffice. Thus, your body will be able to digest the food well and you will feel better while practicing yoga as a result. Picking more digestible food items if you feel the need of snacking before yoga and touching the body’s signals.
