Healthy Nutrition for Yoga Students

During our yoga program, we’ve been discussing how to stay healthy in mind, body, and spirit. We’ve discussed various tools, resources, and support systems we need to have in place to help us along our wellness journey. We’ve explored ways to stay hydrated both before and after yoga. And now we’re going to dive deeper into what sorts of intake yogis need to stay healthy!

Nutrition is Vast

OK. So, the world of nutrition is a vast topic. In fact, I won’t begin to call myself a nutritional expert. While I did go through a coaching program with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in 2011, I realize that was over a decade ago! The world of food and health has expanded, regressed, exploded, and changed over those years. And will continue to do so.

In fact, you can search out any type of fad diet you want and try to fit it into your lifestyle. Maybe you have some success. Maybe you don’t. That’s actually one of the key takeaways I received from my time with the IIN.

Diets don’t work. There’s a word embedded in the word DIET. Do you see it?

Die.

Diets don’t work. And why is that?

Yogis & Yoginis are Unique Beings

Just like we learn from our yoga practice, all people are unique human beings. We all have individual physiques, body makeups, sizes, shapes, colors, and DNA. We are all different, inside and out.

So, no one diet is going to work for all. There are no one-sized fits all way of eating. My food might be your poison, and vice versa.

I’m not going to go too far into this, as you can explore more on your own if interested, but if we look to the field of Ayurveda, we may get some answers to these individualized body types.

Some people gravitate towards a carnivore diet. Others need more greens to feel well. Still other people might explore detoxes and then go back to eating a well-rounded plate. It’s all individual preference!

Which leads us to the next yoga teaching point…

Honor the Body

In yoga class, I’m often telling the students to honor the body. What I mean by this is that they explore the poses I am cueing for themselves. Some poses they may want to take further. Others they might need to back out of. We all must listen to and honor the body.

Same goes with eating.

We need to eat what makes us feel well. If after eating a juicy, bloody hamburger you feel nauseated, then maybe beef isn’t for you. On the other hand, if another person eats that same burger and afterwards feels energized, then obviously their body needed the meat.

It’s important for us to eat mindfully. How often do you grab something you can hold in your hand, jump into your car, and devour it while you drive? Did you even taste the food? Did you notice how you felt while eating it? How about five minutes after? 30 minutes later? Before it was time for your next meal?

Or, how about this… are you eating because you’re actually hungry? Or are you eating for some other reason? (i.e., boredom, sadness, anger)

To me, one of the most important nutritional tips we can learn is to eat what we need. Notice how we feel after eating. And take in more of the foods that make us feel well.

Nutritional Tips for Yoga Practitioners

So, keeping in mind that everyone’s nutritional needs are different, and we must figure out what makes us feel best, here are some nutrition tips that might be helpful for you as you explore your wellness journey.

• Eat around the rainbow. 
  Try not to have a plate filled with white stuff. Sure, one slice of homemade bread is great, but couple that with bright green kale. Eating around the rainbow will ensure you are not only getting macronutrients that are common, but you’re also getting micronutrients that our bodies often lack. Eat red strawberries, oranges, yellow squashes, green spinaches, blueberries, and purple eggplant. Not only is it good for you, but your plate will look especially pretty!
• Eat with the seasons.
  There’s a reason that tomatoes taste BLEGH in February. They’re not in season! Just as our forefathers did, we should try our best to eat off the land. It’s not always easy and it takes some learning and growth but learning about what foods are in season when and trying to eat those will do a body good. An additional reason for eating with the seasons is that our bodies change with the time of year. Ever heard of the term “comfort food?” That’s not really about eating something to make us feel better when we’re sad, but more about eating root veggies and hearty soups in the single digits of winter. We’re comforting our insides with foods that will warm us up on cold days!
• Eat locally.
  These days it’s getting easier and easier to eat locally. With the amount of farmers markets, side of the road farm stands, and even growing our foods ourselves, we can eat from our community. The longer the food has to travel the more it breaks down. The longer the food has to travel the more preservatives and pesticides are added. When you bite into a carrot that was grown right down the road (or in your backyard) you’re going to TASTE the difference. Trust me!
• Eat what you’ve made.
  Yes, it’s fun to go out and enjoy some fine dining from time-to-time. But it shouldn’t become a daily ritual. When we make the foods ourselves, we know what goes into them. Have you ever looked at the back of a bread bag? How many ingredients are in that store bought bread? When you make the bread yourself, there might only be 3-4 ingredients that go into it!
• Eat in moderation.
  Sometimes we want to eat out. Sometimes we want to take a break from eating healthy. Sometimes we have parties to attend and non-healthy foods to eat. And all of that is OK. It really, really is. In moderation. Here’s a tip I learned from the IIN. When we eat, we should eat with joy. All of it. Good. Bad. And neutral. If we’re having a piece of cake, let yourself enjoy it and eat it with glee. Don’t beat yourself up or criticize yourself for having chocolate cake. Talk nicely to yourself. Allow yourself to like it. And know that you’re not going to eat the entire cake in one sitting.
• Eat with balance.
  Some days you eat well. Others, not so much. Sometimes you can eat around the rainbow. Other times you have to buy food from stores. It’s not an all or nothing. That’s why so many people yo-yo diet. They try to rigidly stick to something that is never going to work. Only to set themselves up for failure in the long run. Try to enjoy healthy eating as much as you can and be gentle with yourself.

What about you? What tips do you have to share regarding healthy nutrition?

And, of course, we’d love to see you in a future class! Check out our yoga schedule and sign up for a future program.

About the Author: Elizabeth Scala MSN/MBA, RN, RYT (200) is a holistic nurse, registered yoga instructor, and reiki master.

Elizabeth received her dual master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. She is a certified coach, nature lover, and avid meditator.

Elizabeth lives in Maryland with her supportive husband and playful pups. She enjoys gardening, jigsaw puzzles, baking, music, and hiking.