A yogi needs to be constantly aware of the food that he consumes, and this is where the role of yoga diet comes in. The food that we eat is food for our soul. It is believed that the food that we eat is the basic source of the life force that brings vitality as well as health and hence we should be wise enough to choose the right kind of food for our body. A person cannot develop spiritually if he does not choose the right diet. Let us explore what type of yoga food diet a yogi needs to observe and what food to eat and avoid for the right spiritual development.
Healthy Yoga Diet Plan:
- Foods to Eat in Yoga Diet
- Foods to Avoid in Yoga Diet
- Tips for Yoga Diet
- Recipes for Yoga Diet
- Asanas for Yoga Diet
Here is some commonly recommended food as part of yoga and diet.
What Foods To Eat While Doing Yoga:
1. Satvic Food:
Satvic food are those that purify the mind, body, and soul. Cooked food which is recommended to be consumed within 3-4 hours are called Satvic food. Some examples of Satvic food are fresh milk, fruits, nuts, vegetables, grains, and certain kinds of spices. A Satvic diet will encourage peace, love, wisdom, spiritual evolution, and light and hence is considered as the best diet for yoga. This is considered as the best diet for yoga.
2. Rajasic Food:
Rajasic foods are those foods that drive the body to perform certain actions. They cause disequilibrium, sleeplessness, anger, hyperactivity, irritation, speed, agitation, and emotional fluctuations. Hatred and disgust are generated from Rajasic foods. They are overcooked or are over tasty. For example, food cooked with onions, garlic, tea, coffee, and different spices. These come under the yoga body diet.
3. Tamasic Food:
Tamasic foods are stale foods that have been reheated or contain artificial preservatives. They cause dullness in one’s mind and cause lethargy, ignorance, heaviness, depression, etc. Some examples of Tamasic foods are oily or sugary foods, excessively fatty, or fried items.
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What Foods To Avoid While Doing Yoga Practice:
1. Foods to Avoid:
A yoga diet is very strict and does not allow the consumption of certain items that can cause damage to your health. Some of them are drugs, alcohol, stale food, eggs, onions, garlic, fried and fast food, animal flesh, and food that are cooked. The major chunk of yoga food diet consists of root vegetables, fruits, grains, and dairy products such as ghee, milk, and sugar.
Yoga Diet Tips:
1. Balance:
Any diet calls for moderation or balance. This is not only about the quantity of food one should intake but also about the flavouring in it. Food that is full of heavy spices, too much grease or abundance of flavour is not a part of any yogic or healthy diet. Overloading your plate with unhealthy foods is not what a yogic lifestyle would call for.
2. Considerations:
It is also important to know how you should consume your meals. Cooking and consuming with love, joy, peace, and awareness is vital. Those who practice yoga daily are very much aware of this. Eating or preparing food while you are in a bad mood leads to some negative results (including stomach upsets). Therefore it is important to bless your meals before you eat them.
3. Exceptions:
Because of certain health reasons, it is sometimes impossible to maintain a strict yogic diet. There are several yoga variations where one can eat fish or meat to stay healthy and active. It is important to listen to the needs of the body and tailor to it accordingly rather than following a plan that will eventually make you sick.
4. Why is The Diet Essentially Vegetarian?
Current researches have shown that yoga diets are essentially vegetarian because it is healthier. It increases physical endurance and longevity. It is full of goodness and purity, which makes life easier and active for all of us.
[See More: Best Yoga For Glowing Skin]
5. The Yoga Diet Is a Part of the Practice:
Doing pranayama and yoga asanas are just not enough; following the yoga diet is also considered to be crucial. It is all the part of a practice. It is of no doubt that practising yoga will heal major diseases, but if one keeps consuming food that is unhealthy, then he is misguided. Therefore it is important to eat right in yoga.
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Yoga Diet Recipes:
It is nowhere said that healthy food had to be boring. Here are 5 delicious yoga diet control chart recipes which are very tasty yet healthy and satvic. Check them out right here:
1. Matcha Lime Smoothie:
This is one of the easy and tasty yoga diet recipes that will help you detox your body.
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups of water.
- 1 cup mixed fresh greens such as arugula, spinach, lettuce, etc.
- ½ cup ripe avocado pitted, peeled and sliced.
- 1 pitted date.
- 4 Brazil nuts.
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice.
- 2 tbsp flax seeds.
- 1-1/2 tbsp hemp seed.
- 1 tsp chopped ginger.
- 1 tsp matcha green tea.
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon.
- A dash of sea salt.
Method:
- Add all the required ingredients in a blender and puree until you get a silky smooth paste.
2. Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk:
Get ready to slurp on this healthy and tasty vanilla almond milk, which can safely be a part of your yoga diet plan for weight loss.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of raw almonds.
- 6 Medjool dates pitted.
- ½ vanilla bean or 3-4 drops of vanilla essence.
- 6 cups of water.
Method:
- Soak the almonds overnight.
- Soak the dates and vanilla bean also overnight, but separately.
- Reserve the vanilla bean.
- Transfer the almonds, dates and dates water to the blender and pulse the blender to break the almonds.
- Now blend all these mentioned at a faster speed for a couple of minutes.
- Now sieve the milk through cheesecloth, scrape the vanilla bean into milk and whisk to combine.
[See More: Diet Recipes for Weight Loss]
3. Vegan Cashew Cream:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw cashews.
- ½ cup + 1tbsp water.
- 1/8th tsp kosher salt.
Method:
- First, you need to soak the cashews in a bowl of water for 10-12 hours.
- Drain the water and add it to the food processor.
- Add water and salt to the food processor and grind until it is a smooth paste.
- Vegan cashew cream is ready to serve.
4. Golden Moong Dal Soups with Greens:
This is a quite a tasty and easy recipe and must be a part of your yoga diet meal plan.
Ingredients:
- 2/3rd cup moong dal.
- 1 tbsp and 1tsp ghee.
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
- 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds.
- 2/3rd cup basmati rice.
- 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds.
- 1 tsp sea salt.
- 2 tbsp chopped spinach.
- 1 tbsp olive oil.
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper.
- 2 tbsp cilantro.
Method:
- Pressure cook moong dal, 1 tsp ghee, turmeric, and 6 cups water.
- In the meanwhile dry roast coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan until dark brown in colour. Remove from pan and grind coarsely.
- Cook rice separately.
- Add the roasted spices and salt to dal and beat with rotary beater until smooth. Add the greens and let it wilt.
- Heat the remaining ghee in a saucepan. Add the ginger and cook until golden brown. Pour it on the dal and cover immediately. Let this mix soak for a couple of minutes and serve with rice.
[See More: Simple Diet Recipes]
5. Roasted Broccoli with Harissa, Cloves, and Rose Petals:
Including this recipe in your yoga diet for weight loss is definitely going to help.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil.
- 1 head broccoli with florets separated.
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves.
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (Harissa).
- 2 tbsp food-grade rose petals.
- ¼ cup coconut cream.
- Salt to taste.
Method:
- In a large saucepan heat 1 tbsp of olive oil.
- Add broccoli, salt, cloves and cover it with lid. Turn occasionally until the broccoli turns golden brown and soft.
- In a small bowl, begin to mix tomato paste, remaining oil and dot it over broccoli. Add coconut cream to the mix and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
- Sprinkle the rose petals and serve hot immediately.
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Best Asanas for Weight Loss:
Yoga can be considered as an effective way of burning fat without a sweat. The following are the 5 asanas that will aid in weight loss quickly and easily.
1. Naukasana:
Yoga is a boon for mankind in modern times when our lifestyle has deteriorated our health physically, mentally, and spiritually. Naukasana, as you see, is the shape of the boat that helps you in getting rid of those extra kilograms by strengthening your core and back muscles.
Steps:
- Sit on your yoga mat.
- Press your hands at the back of your hips and try to lift your legs while slightly leaning towards the back.
- Try to sit on the tripod of your sitting bones and tailbone.
- Stretch your arms parallel to the floor and hold as long as you can.
2. Matsyasana:
This asana instigates proper absorption of the nutrients in the body and aids in weight loss. It also tones the pituitary glands, pineal glands and parathyroid. As the blood flow increases, this asana makes you more focused and resilient. This is how you can do this asana.
Steps:
- Lie down flat on the yoga mat with legs straight and hands comfortably placed beside your body.
- Put your palms under your hips and bring your elbows closer to your waist.
- Breathe in and lift your chest and head in a manner that your crown touches the floor.
- Make sure that your elbows take the weight of your body and not your head.
- Hold on as much as you can while breathing normally at all times.
3. Bhujangasana:
This is the 8th pose of the 12 poses of Surya Namaskara. As the raised head bent resembles the raised hood of the Cobra, this pose is also known as the Cobra Pose. This asana makes the spine stronger and strengthens the organs of the lower abdomen, thereby stimulating the digestive and reproductive system.
Steps:
- Lie down slowly flat on your stomach with your toes touching each other and pointing outside and your hands by your side.
- Now move the hands by your side and put them in the line of your shoulder with the palm facing the floor.
- Now raise your head and trunk and straighten the arms.
- Arch your neck backward.
4. Baddha Konasana:
Doing Badha Konasana gives your inner thighs and groin a nice stretch. It increases your flexibility and improves the blood circulation in that area. This is the way you can do this asana:
- Sit erect with your legs stretched out.
- Exhale and bend your knees and pull your heels towards your pelvis.
- Bring the soles of the feet together and drop your knees to the sides.
- Pull both your heels as close to the pelvis as you can then hold both the toes of your feet together with your thumb and index finger.
- Do not force the knees to the ground. Instead, try lowering the head of the thigh bones, and this will automatically lower the knees.
- Try to hold in this position as much as you can.
- Inhale as you lift your knees and extend the legs.
[See More: Best Weight Loss Yoga Poses]
5. Anjaneyasana:
This asana improves your flexibility and improves the digestive system of the body. It increases your concentration and improves awareness, which helps you reduce weight.
Steps:
- To begin this asana one must get into the adho mukha svanasana pose.
- Now exhale and bring your right foot in the front just beside the right hand, keeping the right knee and ankle in one line.
- Lower the left knee slowly and place it on the floor.
- Inhale, lift your torso and raise your arms above your head like in the picture above.
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Yoga diet is a very healthy diet that can improve your mind, body, and soul. To reap the maximum benefits from this diet couple it with the asanas for weight loss as mentioned above and see a magical change in your body. You will feel more energetic and calm, so begin to follow the yogic diet right away and also share the same with your friends and relatives.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers:
Q1. What is DDP Yoga Diet?
Ans: The full form of DDP yoga diet is the Diamond Dallas Page yoga diet. In this, the diet is divided into various phases with the ultimate goal of moving you from unhealthy and fake food to real and healthy foods. There is plenty to eat, and you do not need to starve. This is what is taught in the DDP yoga diet.
Q2. What is Ashtanga Yoga Diet Plan?
Ans: Ashtanga yoga diet plan means following the diet plan inconsistency with Ayurveda. According to Ayurveda, by following a satvic diet, the yogi is fueled with the right type of energy that helps them store and balance their energy body in its optimal state. For doing ashtanga yoga, your tummy needs to be in perfect shape, and it can be achieved by following a satvic diet.
Q3. What is Power Yoga Diet Plan?
Ans: Power yoga is a form of workout that feeds the muscles. It works on your core muscles as well as stamina. However, for effective and speedier results of power yoga diet plan needs to be followed, which included more real food and less of fake and unhealthy food like fried foods, and fast food. This is the power yoga diet plan, a diet plan that is teamed with power yoga.
Q4. What is The Hatha Yoga Diet and Hot Yoga Diet?
Ans: Hot yoga diet or the Bikram yoga diet as it is popularly known does not have any fixed guidelines as to what to eat and what not to eat. However, it is advised to follow a yogic diet for best results from hot yoga. Which means you need to keep the consumption of fatty foods, refined foods, caffeine, and dairy products to the minimum. This is also the guideline for hatha yoga diet.
