Yoga Diet Plan for Yogis: Meaning, Benefits, and Foods to Eat
They say a healthy outside always starts from inside. Even if you might have joined yoga classes to build a flexible, brawny body and strong core, optimal health is just as much about what’s on the inside. A good yoga diet plan can help you boost healing, balance, and inner peace.
A lot of yogis, especially those who are new to the yoga world, have no idea about the benefits of a yoga diet meal plan. If you are one of them, keep reading!
In this blog, Ekattva Yogshala will tell you about the health benefits of switching to a yoga diet plan from a regular one. We will also share a list of foods to enjoy and completely avoid during your yoga training.
Let’s start with the meaning first!
What is a Yogic Diet?
As the name itself suggests, a yogic diet is a special diet plan based on the yoga principles of purity and cleanliness (saucha), non-violence (ahimsa), and state of equanimity (sattva). Created by Yogi Bhajan, it involves eating whole, unprocessed foods with sattvic qualities, which boost energy and help you develop a balance in mind and body.
Just like athletes need to eat a healthy balanced diet for enhancing their athletic performance, yoga practitioners need to follow a yoga diet meal plan to promote spiritual and physical health and align with yogic philosophy.
What Makes a Right Yoga Diet Plan?
A lot of yogis and yoginis, mostly beginners, think that switching to the right yoga diet plan will immediately help them do away with their physical and mental health issues. The first thing they need to know is that even though it is referred to as a diet, it will not temporarily or quickly help you fix your weight loss, improve yoga flow, or eliminate anxiety.
We bet most of you right now are thinking, “okay, it’s just like following a healthy gym diet while keeping expectations low. But what exactly makes the right yoga diet plan?” Well, for that, you should outlook the principles below as a drawn-out solution to leading an overall healthier yoga lifestyle.
While making a provision for principles of saucha, ahimsa, and sattva, your right yoga diet plan should include:
Vegetarian foods
Sattvic foods
Organic foods (free from chemicals)
Fresh foods
Eaten at regular intervals
Fasted for at least a day
What are Benefits of Following Yoga Diet Plan?
Our experts say that a yoga goal without the right yoga diet plan is just a wish. Proceeding with a plant-based, whole food yoga diet will help you build a strong foundation and nourish all systems of your body. The following are some benefits of switching to a yoga diet plan:
#1 Better digestion
According to a study from Viva, plant-based vegetarian styles of eating are beneficial for digestive health. Not only do they promote healthier gut microbiomes but they also help you reduce intestinal inflammation. Fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber tramp over your system in less than a day and help your digestive track run more dexterously.
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#2 Boosts metabolism
One of the biggest benefits of following a yoga diet plan. Since a yogic diet involves plenty of raw foods, you don’t have to worry about your metabolism. Scientists say that people who consume vegetarian foods and sattvic foods during their yoga training have lower resting metabolic rates. Meaning, you will feel lighter and burn more calories the whole day, even at rest.
#3 Increases energy
Most foods involved in your yoga diet plan have a low glycemic index (GI). During your yoga training, they get ingested slowly and generate a steady stream of energy within your body. Following a good yoga diet plan also fuels your cells with the micronutrients they need to run properly.
#4 Removes toxins
Another known benefit of following a yoga diet plan. It helps you detoxify your systems. A yoga diet also improves removal of toxins on a regular basis in the form of feces, urine, and sweat. Since you will consume less amount of toxins during your diet, your body will feel active and healthy.
#5 Aids weight loss
A yoga diet primarily focalizes on fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and plain food. These foods are so high in fibers that they will help you control hunger for longer. Also, food items involved are nutrient-dense. All this together culminates in healthy weight loss.
#6 Reduces risk of chronic diseases
Due to high intakes of plant-based, antioxidant-rich foods involved in a yoga diet plan, men and women will have lower risks of diabetes, cancer, and other chronic health conditions. It also helps people cope with the symptoms and side effects of these chronic diseases.
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What are Healthy Foods to Involve in Yoga Diet Plan?
In order to switch to a yogic diet, one needs to start by planning meals and snacks that incorporate the right amount of protein, carbs, and fats. We know planning a yoga diet is very challenging. That’s why Ekattva Yogshala has decided to help you out.
We have prepared a list of some healthy foods to incorporate into your diet. Adding the following foods will help you get the most out of your yoga class:
#1 Pears
A wholesome fruit with tons of health benefits, pear is packed with phytonutrients known as flavonoids that help your body function more efficiently while protecting it against everyday toxins and stressors.
Provided with care by mother nature in different colors - green, red, yellow, and brown, this fruit is a rich source of fructose and sucrose that gives an instant energy boost to your body inflow for your next yoga class.
#2 Whole grains
Whole grains have a high fiber content that will not only aid you with digestion but will also reduce the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Yoga experts often ask you to consume foods rich in carbohydrates and low glycemic index. Eating a piece of whole-grain toast an hour or two before your yoga class is the best option to meet these criteria.
#3 Leafy green vegetables
One of the most important foods to include in your yoga diet plan. Dark leafy greens like kale, arugula, and spinach are amazing sources of B vitamins, protein, iron, calcium, and fiber. Known well for alkalizing the blood, they will give your body good nutritional support to keep it going during yoga classes. Incorporate leafy green vegetables into your yoga diet plan either in the form of a smoothie or salad for a post-workout meal.
#4 Dairy products
According to Ayurveda, dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt have special and unique nutrition that cannot be derived from any other food. When consumed and digested properly, dairy products nourish all the tissues, promote balanced emotions, and help you balance all doshas. Therefore, make sure to include these foods into your yoga diet plan.
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#5 Pecans
We know most of our readers right now are thinking, “why pecans?” Well, this sweet-tasting tree nut is rich in B vitamins like B1 and B6 that can help your body convert food into energy. Pecans also comprise antioxidants and monounsaturated fats to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Our yoga experts highly recommend adding it to your yoga diet plan.
Yoga Diet Plan: Final Words
Above are the best foods to include in your yoga diet plan in 2022. Keep in mind that kickstarting and abiding by a yoga diet can turn out to be challenging for some men and women. It is highly recommended to take things slow and worm your way into them.
Take small steps. Make just one or two changes to your diet and see if it works. Do the groundwork slowly and add more changes as you proceed further. Make certain that your yoga diet plan does not cause stress or imbalance in your life.
Got any queries to ask? Send them to info@spiritualpunditz.com and have them answered by our yoga experts.
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