Two weeks ago I talked about what to eat before yoga, so this week I’m covering what to eat after yoga.

What you eat after yoga is important because it helps your body recover and absorb the full benefits of your yoga practice.

I don’t know about you, but after yoga class, I am what I like to call “yoga stoned”. My body feels great, my legs are a little wobbly from all of the warriors and my mind is totally relaxed from my shavasana nap.

When you are “yoga stoned”, it can be really tempting to stop for munchies on the way home. For some people it is fries, but on my way home I pass a waffle place that I swear wafts the amazing smell of freshly made waffles covered in strawberries and whipped cream into the street.

What to eat after yoga to make sure you don’t dig into sugary waffles or salty fries the way home

1. Hydrate

After yoga, I recommend waiting about 20 minutes for your body to assimilate the effects of your practice before eating. During this time it is important to drink lots of water to re-hydrate your body, especially if you were in a hot yoga class. This will also help with any munchies you are craving.

Lots of plain water will do the trick but, if you did a hardcore or hot yoga class, I recommend coconut water to help replenish your electrolyte levels.

2. Eat Protein with a Complex Carbohydrate

The key to a speedy recovery (ie. no sore muscles the next day) is to eat between 20 to 60 minutes after yoga. I recommend enjoying complex carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores and protein to repair damaged muscle fibers.

Some of my favourite things to eat after yoga are:

• A baked sweet potato with almond butter (sounds weird but it is soooo good!)
• Quinoa Salad
• Sautéed Kale topped with a fried organic egg (Kale and Egg Hash is a new recipe that will be in the cookbook I’m creating)
• Protein-Packed Smoothie
• Apple Slices with Nut Butter
• Granola with Nut Mylk
• Gingerbread Protein Balls (recipe coming next week)