Farmer’s Market Minnetrista, Muncie, IN

Lotus Yoga Off The Mat Challenge
Day Three: Yoga and Nutrition

Scenario: Tired, hungry, stressed.

We know we need food,

so we grab the quickest thing available.

Hello Yogis!

Day three of the Lotus Yoga Off The Mat Challenge theme is yoga and nutrition. How does yoga impact your nutritional choices? How does what you eat impact your yoga practice?

We’ve all been in that scenario presented above. And when hunger strikes, gripped by fatigue, what foods are most accessible?

Vending machines, drive-thru fast food chains, junk food. Even the “good” stuff isn’t really that good for us. And the really “good” stuff takes more energy to think about, find, and prepare. Even when we try to make better choices, the options at the grocery store are also overwhelmingly somehow, “wrong”. Our food choices are full of preservatives and they come wrapped in plastic, foil; they come packed into cans or boxes.

No amount of determination or will-power can overcome these foods on a regular basis. Sure, it’s a lifestyle change, right? I’ve tried to make that lifestyle change and no matter what, I struggle. Especially in that stressed-out moment when I know I need food, I realize I haven’t made that lifestyle change my own yet. So, what to do in the meantime?

Well, I noticed something: as my body/mind/soul began to merge through yoga practice, it became easier to make different food choices. Even grabbing the most convenient thing available became easier. Somehow, the way yoga made me feel during practice began to spill out off the mat and into a desire to feel that way off the mat as well.

How do you think yoga is impacting your food choices? How do you think you can use yoga practice to support your food choices in the future?

I look forward to hearing your stories! You can post on the Lotus FaceBook page until we can get the comment feature glitch here sorted out. Pictures on Instagram are also encouraged! Be sure to include the hash tag: #lotusyogaoffthemat in your comment.