What to Eat Before Hot Yoga? What to Eat After Hot Yoga?

As we all know, hot yoga practice involves movement likes stretching, twisting, and turning. The last thing you want when you are busy flowing through sequences is to experience a stomachache, bloating or gas. This is super uncomfortable and annoying. But it is really hard to fuel our bodies correctly, many yogi ask the same question – what to eat before hot yoga? Sometimes we accidentally eat gassy vegetables before hot yoga class and other times we do not remember to drink an adequate amount of water.

Doing yoga with a full meal may lead to a stomachache, gurgling, bloating and embarrassing gas. When it comes to the question – what to eat before hot yoga? The general rule for most practitioners is that there is no eating two hours before class. This helps to get rid of painful digestive problems. What you eat before class should be a small portion of a meal made with whole foods. These could be some fruits, a salad or even heathy fat.

Related reading: What to Wear to Hot Yoga?

What to Eat Before Hot Yoga Class?

It is not suggested to do hot yoga on either a full or a total empty stomach. If you fail to fuel your body right, cramping, dehydration, nausea, and the occasional fart can occur. So it is crucial to be careful on foods to eat before and after hot yoga classes. A light snack before hot yoga can help your body handle the heat and its impact.

Fruits

Fruits, a source of potassium and sodium, are a healthy choice of what to eat before hot yoga class. For instance, bananas, make an ideal snack to restore the electrolytes lost from sweating during class. Also raisins, apples, apricots and water-rich plums and peaches also make for healthy yogi snacks.

Fruits contain low level calories and have little to zero fat, making them an ideal snack to eat that won’t weigh you down or leave you feeling heavy. Additionally, fruits contain carbohydrates and serve as a natural source of sugar to offer you the energy needed to perform poses and concentrate during hot yoga class.

Healthy Fats

Yogis should avoid heavy, fatty foods because it takes long time to digest fats. But, this doesn’t mean you should avoid fats altogether. Food that contains healthy fats like a handful of nuts hours before hot yoga class or leafy green salad with a quarter of an avocado or a drizzle of olive oil are perfect options of what to eat before hot yoga classes.

Healthy fats in moderation can create a feeling of fullness, which is important for stabilizing blood sugar levels and preventing hunger pangs during hot yoga classes.

Whole Grains

Different from refined carbs, whole grains contain fiber, which slows down the rate at which energy is released into the body. Hence whole grain is a great carbohydrates source that provide enough energy to get you through a 90 minutes hot yoga class. Eating whole grain food helps keep blood sugar levels steady, avoiding fluctuations that lead to energy crashes and hunger cravings. 

It is perfect to enjoy a serving of oat meal topped with a few nuts for added protein and healthy fats  a few hours before hot yoga class. Alternatively, pair carbs such as a sweet potato or cereal with lean protein before hot yoga class to restore glycogen and help with muscle performance.

What Not to Eat Before Hot Yoga Class

• Anything too heavy or filling, such as burger, fries, or pizza
• Anything that contains alcohol.
• High fiber foods- these will likely make you feel bloated.
• Anything that contains too much sugar such as milk tea, soda and else.

What to Eat After Hot Yoga?

After your hot yoga session, eat foods high in magnesium, potassium, and calcium – electrolytes that will help rehydrate and replenish you.

Nuts

You’ll find magnesium in many nuts such as almonds, cashews, peanuts, a handful pile of nuts is perfect option for refuel after hot yoga class.

A cup of smoothie 

Did you sweat buckets at hot yoga? Obviously, you’ll want to drink lots of water. A cup of smoothie combining spinach, avocado, bananas, and milk (known for their potassium content) is an excellent choice for post hot yoga recovery.

Light snacks or meals

Light snacks or meals helps to support the body’s recovery after hot yoga classes. Fuel with oats or avocado toast, or a bowl with rice, sweet potatoes, chicken or eggs, avocado, and broccoli can not be more perfect.