EAT LIKE YOU TRAIN.
Fueling Your Practice
F*** Diet Culture
Eating your fruits and vegetables is important but are you eating enough of them? Are you getting enough calories to support your lifestyle and your practice? Start with slowing down and checking in with your body. How are you feeling? When are you eating? How are you performing mentally and physically and what is the value structure you are making these decisions based on?
As a society we are constantly sold the belief that we are overeating, but does that narrative match your lifestyle demands? If you’re getting to class frequently and or have physical hobbies on the side… then probably not. As active practitioners we need to make sure we are eating frequently and enough to keep our blood sugar and hormones at a steady place. 500- 800 calories per meal is what you really need. Please do not consider “snacks” like a granola bar a meal.
How Can I Be Ready To Workout In The Morning If I Can’t Eat A Full Meal?
Working out on a full stomach sucks for most of us. So, if you’ve got an early morning class then grab a banana, a hard boiled egg or spoonful of nut butter before getting on the mat. Drink as much water as you can comfortably up to an hour before your workout. Anything after that won't be effectively absorbed by the body for you get on the mat. But feel free to keep sipping and that water will be helpful in your recovery.
*Hot tip from Sarah Curry, owner of Blaze Hot Yoga & Pilates* Be wary of pre workout shakes - they are often loaded with caffeine, which can lead to blood sugar crashes and protein deficits that your body will have to subsidize with your hormones. This in turn leads to cortisol spikes which brings on massive sugar cravings later in the day.
Please note that your pre workout food serving in this case is simply a snack and not a meal. After your workout you need to have a real breakfast, which should be roughly 500-800 calories. Try to eat that meal between 30 minutes to an hour after your workout so that your body doesn't start eating muscle.
Are You Fueling Like You Are Training?
If you’re carving out time for yourself on the mat, it’s important to make that same time outside the hot room to take care of you. One of the first places to start is feeding your body WELL. Think of it like refining your form in a mountain climber. You have to start with your plank and then work your way to speeding up those knee to elbow movements; while continuously checking in with how you feel. The same rules apply to getting proper nutrition. Get those veggies, diversified proteins and healthy carbs. Make time for your meal prep and experiment with what types of foods/ meal times work for you.
Macronutrients, (carbs, fats and proteins) and meal timing directly impact your blood sugar regulation. So, if you’re hungry between meals, your blood sugar might be off. This can leave you feeling exhausted, depressed, anxious, foggy, sweet “cravey”, (is that a word?) or unmotivated, just to name a few. If any of those seem like you, play around with incorporating more protein, cutting some carbs or adding them. Make time for your meal prep and eat at consistent times so that you can better monitor and balance your blood glucose. Tune into how you feel and adjust accordingly by experimenting. Remember everyone's body is different and so are their needs so the best tool you have for identifying what those needs are for you is to listen to your body.
Want More Info On Blood sugar, Nutrition & Gut Health?
*Follow Erin Holt Health & The Funk’tional Nutritionist Podcast. Tune into episode 55 here to learn more about blood sugar and how to tell if yours might be off. *