However,
there are some things you should keep in mind if you plan to eat before
your training session. At our institute of Yoga teacher training in UK I
teach yoga using less vigorous and less difficult moves for those
students who have never done yoga before.
Try and time your meal the right way. If you know that you will he
heading off to a yoga class then plan ahead and eat at least two or
three hours before your yoga class. This timing is ideal if you really
feel that you must eat beforehand. These two to three hours will allow
your body time to digest most of the meal, or all of it if you eat a
light meal. Eating light also assures that you won’t get an upset
stomach, which is important for any style of yoga. The core of the body,
in any style of yoga, is “moved” to its maximum. Also the Udyana Bandha
puts additional pressure on the small intestine, leading to discomfort.
In order to eat light, you should avoid carbohydrate heavy meals.
Stay away from meat, pasta, rice or anything else that is difficult to
digest. Most vegetables, steamed, are good. Lightly poached fish is a
good option, or perhaps an omelette. You could also stay away from
spicier foods. These can cause major heartburn and other stomach issues
during your practice, which can be very unpleasant, both for you and
your classmates.
Yogurt, mixed in with soft fruit is a great food to eat before your
yoga class, especially if your only option is to have something to eat
directly before the class. It is easy to digest and does not leave you
with that bloated feeling.
Yogurt is known to aid digestion, and can ease some abdominal
discomfort if you have eaten a late lunch. Have a small container
anywhere from one hour to thirty minutes before your yoga class for the
best results. Your yoga teacher course includes different yoga postures
that will work with every joint in your body.
Fruits like banana, apples and pears are also excellent, especially
if you also add a handful of nuts and seeds to fill-the-gap before you
start your yoga training. The nuts and seeds will help with slowing down
the digestion of the soft fruits, and keep your energy levels high, and
will help keep the glucose levels in the blood in a steady state.