Category: Nutrition

10 Reasons to Participate in the BYN 30 Day Challenge

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Challenge yourself to complete 30 classes in 30 days or 5 classes a week for 4 weeks.

We know its not easy, but committing to a regular practice is life changing and a challenge may be just the way to jump start your motivation! Signing up for the challenge is easy. Stop by the front desk to register or sign up online at https://bikramyoganairobi.com/byn2019challenge.

If you are a member you can take the challenge for free, top up if you would like to take the Transformation Challenge, or put your membership on hold.  

Once you register, for the Transformation Challenge you will receive weekly clean eating meal plans, support emails, measurement tracking sheets and access to a private Facebook/ WhatsApp group with the BYN staff, teachers and the director Karim. Still not convinced? Well, here are 10 more reasons you should join either challenge!

1.  Be Accountable

When you work with a group, or set a goal “publicly” it helps to keep our eye on the prize.  Let us know what your goals are and we will check in with you as the days go by.

2. Feel the benefits of a regular yoga practice
Use this challenge to jump start a regular practice!  The more you practice the better the results. 1-2x a week is maintenance. 3+ a week you will feel the benefits a lot quicker.  Get stronger, more flexible and reduce stress.  This practice will make you want to take care of your body more.  Because guess what? If you don’t you will feel it on the mat.  And that is okay.  This practice is not about the postures but about how you feel outside of the yoga studio too!

3. Its a great way to get started
Even if you have just started with us you can join this challenge.  Use these next 30 days to commit to the practice.  Dive in.  See what its all about.  Try different times, different teachers, different classes and see how they feel in your body and mind when you practice FREQUENTLY.

4, Create a long term habit
Once you commit to the next month, you very well may realise that you love the way it makes you feel…and why would you want to stop feeling great?!

5. Be a part of a community
You will be working with a group of like-minded people with similar goals in mind.  You will be able to see how everyone else is doing, share your frustrations, celebrate your victories…and hey, a little healthy competition isn’t a bad thing! Can you do this on your own? Of course you can, but your likelihood of success is amplified with just that bit of accountability and group dynamic!

6. Sleep better
You will.

7. Eat better
You will want to because when you don’t, you’ll feel it.

8. Take time for yourself
You deserve to take time for yourself.  And you may be surprised at how much more accomplished and focused you feel the rest of the day.  You know the routine in an airplane: you put your oxygen mask on first before you help others! Same in life.  Self care so you can be a better human in the world!

9. Feel accomplished
You know that great feeling you get when you cross something off your to-do list? There is just something about it! You will feel accomplished every time you get to check off another class that you have completed! You will be inspired by your own discipline.

10. Be a part of something bigger
People have been practicing yoga for a long time.  By practicing yoga you are part of a long lineage of folks who have found that yoga will make you feel energised and gain self knowledge.  It’s time tested.  We know it works. You will too!

For more information on the Challenge see:

https://bikramyoganairobi.com/30-day-yoga-and-transformation-challenge/

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5 reasons to replace a meal a day with a smoothie

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Smoothies have become awfully versatile over the years. In addition to being a succulent dessert and a post workout slam, they are also quite the photogenic model on social media.

But a smoothie’s talents don’t end there! The benefits contained in that blended bundle of goodness are so tremendous, that it is encouraged to replace 1 meal a day with a smoothie. That’s right, swap the eggs and bacon with a delicious blended delight and watch the magic happen.

So what is the secret behind smoothie greatness? How can you improve your smoothie-making skills? What ingredients should you use to maximize your smoothie experience?

Whether you’re new to smoothies and simply looking for the motivation to try, or you’re a smoothie master searching for some new ideas to blend with your own, you’ve come to the right place to get all your questions answered and more!

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WHY DRINK SMOOTHIES?

Maybe you’re comfortable with your eating habits. You like your granola, your sandwiches, your pastas and you have your occasional salad. Why switch it up now?

Smoothies can improve your health, your lifestyle and overall well being. And that’s just the beginning. I could go on all day listing the advantages! However, as you probably don’t have all day to weed through all there is to know, I will limit myself to the top 5.

#1. GET YOUR DAILY REQUIREMENT FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN ONE GLASS

Depending on your age and gender, you should be getting about 2 cups of fruits and vegetables a day. In today’s world full of fats, fried foods, salts, grains, meat, etc., achieving this goal can be harder than it seems.

But it becomes a lot easier when you can mix and match a couple servings in the blender and let them slide smoothly down your throat. Fresh produce you don’t even have to chew through and you can check the fruits and veggies right off your daily list!

#2. FAST AND EASY

We’ve all experienced kitchen disasters. Pork chops left long enough in the oven to bake to a blackened mess. Chicken soup so salty no amount of extra broth could save it. Carrot cake that’s a little more like carrot pudding than it was supposed to be.

But when the whole point of a recipe is to be a mess of ingredients blended into a delicious meal, you really can’t go wrong! You chop, you throw the ingredients in, you press go and viola! You’re good to go.

#3. PROMOTES WEIGHT LOSS

Most meals typically hit high on the calorie intake scale. This is why replacing one meal a day with a fruit-and-veggie-filled smoothie is a great way to get all the needed vitamins, minerals and fats and keep things low on the calorie scale!

Also, since your blender has already done half the work your body normally does during the digestive process, your body will thank you with a healthy digestive system and you can direct that extra energy towards other things!

#4. IMPROVED IMMUNE SYSTEM 

As much fun as it is to stay in all day watching Netflix from your pile of tissues, no one likes a cold.

You can keep sicknesses at bay by strengthening your immune system with blended fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C. And the money you saved from not having to pay for cough drops and doctor visits can be used for your smoothie ingredients!

#5. ENERGY SUPPLY

Food is fuel for the body. And the best kind of fuel is healthy carbohydrates, which you can get from the fruits and veggies in your daily smoothie!

Healthy carbohydrates can help regulate your energy as you need it throughout the day, which can help get rid of those mid-afternoon crashes.

GREEN VS. FRUIT VS. PROTEIN SMOOTHIES

Now that we’ve talked about the benefits, lets get into the technicalities of a smoothie. No two smoothies are the same and each one speaks to specific needs. Some common smoothie types are green smoothies, fruit smoothies and protein smoothies.

GREEN SMOOTHIES

Green smoothies are a combination of leafy greens and fruits. They are also generally dairy free with juice or water as the liquid base.

A green smoothie is a great choice of daily blended delight, because dark, leafy greens are about the most healthy things you can find on earth. Although you can get your greens in salad form, you’re a lot more likely to consume those much needed portions when they can be sipped instead of crunched.

FRUIT SMOOTHIES

Fruit smoothies have a liquid base of water, juice or milk, mixed with – you guessed it – fruit! This smoothie can be a meal replacement or an afternoon energy boost, but most often it’s a tasty offering to satisfy that sweet tooth.

If you’re looking for an smoothie for your daily routine, this may not be your best choice. Because fruits contain so much sugar, fruit smoothies can give you more than your wanted calories and also spike your blood sugar. But if you’re looking for a healthy dessert option, then a fruit smoothie is definitely the way to go!

PROTEIN SMOOTHIES

A protein smoothie is a blend of fruits and veggies high in protein. It’s also common to add a protein powder to give it an extra boost. This is a great option for a meal replacement, because protein is a lot of what your body looks for in a meal.

A great time for a protein smoothie is right after a work out. Your body can use the help rebuilding muscles, which they need protein to do. Protein smoothies are also a great option right before bed and right after you wake up. Your body could put the protein to good use by building up for or recovering from those 8 hours without food!

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT MEAL REPLACEMENT SMOOTHIE 

1) Pick Your Greens

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First thing’s first; you need a few good handfuls of greens. If you’ve been blending for a while, you probably have your favourites, but if you’re just starting out, consider a mild green like baby spinach or collard greens.

These two greens provide ample amounts of vitamins and nutrients, which will keep your immune system buzzing, but tend to blend up almost tastelessly with other ingredients.

2) Pick Your Fruits

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Again, if you’ve been blending for awhile, you know what you like, but if you’re just starting out, consider a few low sugar fruits that taste delicious, but won’t spike your blood glucose. (A steady blood sugar is the key to all-day energy,)

A few low sugar fruits include: Strawberries, raspberries, green apples, lemons, limes, blueberries, and melon.

Use about 1 – 2 servings of fruit in your smoothie (a serving is about a half cup of smaller fruits, or one whole medium fruit like an apple or orange).

Even though bananas aren’t typically classified as “low sugar,” they make a great, creamy base for smoothies (and also provide magnesium and potassium), so consider having a few frozen pieces of banana on hand to add to the mix!

3) Pick Your Protein Supplement

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Protein powder is one of the easiest, quickest ways to increase the amount of healthy protein in your smoothie. If you’ve never used protein powder before, we recommend starting with an organic, Hemp protein. Hemp protein is one of the easier protein powders to digest, blends well into most smoothies, and is often low in fat and calories.

Start with one tablespoon of hemmp protein, and slowly increase to two tablespoons (or one full scoop) depending on your tastes and energy levels.

If protein powder isn’t for you, consider adding three tablespoons of nuts (cashews and almonds work great), a half cup of plain, unflavoured greek yogurt, two tablespoons of flaxseed or hemp seed, or a half cup of rolled oats. While these options aren’t as low in fat and calories as hemp protein, the fat they do contain is good-for-you fat, and works to keep you satisfied for hours.

4) Pick Your Superfood

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At this stage, you should pretty much have everything you need to turn your green smoothie into a meal replacement, but there’s no harm in adding a teaspoon or two of your favorite superfood!

Superfoods like moringa powder and maca root powder are great additions if you want a little extra energy.

Camu camu or baobab powder are fantastic for boosting the antioxidant and vitamin C content.

Cacao, lucuma and cinnamon add a touch of sweetness without any extra sugar, as well as a pop of anti-inflammatory goodness.

Green algae like chlorella or spirulina will help boost your immune system.

Whatever superfood you choose, start with a teaspoon, and then add a little more over time depending on your personal tastes.

If you’re new to the world of superfoods, we sell Organic Superfoods from Mynawiri, the Kenyan Superfood Company that includes Spirulina, Moringa, Baobab and Neem powder.

5) Choose your liquid

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What do you want to use as liquid for your meal replacement shake? Good, old fashioned clean water is always an option! If the ingredients you add are flavorful and creamy enough, then sometimes water will do the job just fine. If you’re looking for something a little more dense than water, then we would suggest the following:

  • Almond milk. Preferably unsweetened. If you have some time on your hands, you can even make almond milk yourself!

  • Coconut milk. You can get this from a carton like almond milk, from a can, or the best option would be to make your own by blending the coconut flesh with the coconut water. Go for unsweetened versions, with as few fillers and additional ingredients as possible.

  • Hemp milk. Seems to be trending these days and is a good, nutrient-rich option.

  • Flax Milk. Contains a similar nutrient ratio as almond milk and tastes just as good. Opt for unsweetened if possible.

  • Coconut water: Another great option that is rich with electrolytes and great for hydration.

How much liquid should you include in your smoothie? Generally 1-2 cups is plenty, but you can always add more if needed for consistency.

Blend everything together.

How eating healthy makes you feel better about yourself

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Yoga consists of more than bending, twisting and turning yourself upside down. Many yogis study the eight limbs of yoga as a guide to a living a meaningful and purposeful life. Although this eight-fold path offers strategies to teach you how to manage your physical and mental energy, it doesn’t go into much detail about how to feed your body. The sage Patanjali codified the eight-fold path in the Yoga Sutras — but it was written at least 1,700 years ago. Needless to say, a lot has changed — including how we eat.

Ultimately, a yoga diet plan means being mindful in your choices and selecting foods to help you feel most connected to your yoga practice. Your diet should provide you with ample energy and nutrients; some practitioners also choose a diet that matches their moral commitment to yogic teachings and respect for the planet and its beings.

General Rules to Live By

If you eat a cheeseburger, fries, pizza, milkshake or pint of beer before you practice, chances are you’re not going to feel great. You don’t have to swing your meal pendulum so far in the other direction, though, that you subsist only on kale, green smoothies and raw walnuts. Think of your yoga diet as consisting mostly of fresh, unprocessed foods that are nourishing and satisfying.

Follow a few guidelines when designing a diet to match your yogi lifestyle:

  • Choose foods that are light and easily digested

  • Eat a majority of your foods lightly cooked or raw

  • Go for stable cooking oils and fats, such as coconut oil or clarified butter (ghee)

  • Be conscious of the ingredients you’re putting into your body

  • Stop eating when you feel satisfied, but not stuffed

     

Is Vegetarianism Required?

Some yogis take the directive of ahimsa, or non-harming, to mean eating animals is forbidden. Ahimsa is one of the niyamas, a moral teaching of how you interact with the outside world that falls under the first limb of yoga. Yogis, as a whole, are often conscious about the environment and modern factory farming, and may refrain from eating animals to support their moral beliefs.

A yoga diet doesn’t have to be vegan or vegetarian. Some well-known yogis, including the late B.K.S. Iyengar, felt strongly that a vegetarian diet supported a yogic way of being. Other more modern yogis, including Bikram Choudhury and Ana Forrest, feel that honoring your body’s needs should come first and foremost. If you find that giving up meat leaves you listless and nutritionally deficient, you must consider the harm you’re doing to yourself by denying certain foods.

Ultimately, the choice to eat meat is one you must make on your own. If you feel connected to vegetarianism or veganism and it helps you feel as if you’re taking the principles of yoga off your mat, then by all means — eat this way. But, don’t feel like you can’t be an authentic yogi if you eat otherwise. Just be mindful in your choices; that is the definition of a yogi.

If you do choose a vegetarian diet, ensure you still get plenty of nutritious foods and all necessary nutrients, including calcium, protein and omega 3 fats. It’s possible to avoid animal products, but not eat a healthy or energy-supporting diet. Chips, cereal bars and soda may be vegetarian, but they aren’t going to maximize your practice. Beans, nuts, soy protein, fresh vegetables, whole grains, seeds and fruits are nourishing ways to support a healthy vegetarian body.

A Typical Day

Every yogi is different in constitution and belief, so no one diet works for everyone. However, foods to include that maximize your energy, facilitate healthy digestion and provide optimal nutrition are:

  • Fresh leafy greens: spinach, kale, watercress, chard

  • Fresh vegetables: zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, green beans

  • Fresh fruit: berries, apples, citrus, melon

  • Plain nuts: almonds, walnuts, macadamias

  • Vegan protein: tofu, tempeh, seitan

  • Vegetarian protein: eggs, dairy

  • Whole grains: brown rice, barley, quinoa

  • Healthy fats: coconut oil, avocado, flaxseed oil

If you do choose to include meat and poultry, select humanely raised options.

Breakfast might include whole-grain bread with peanut butter and fresh strawberries; at lunch, have a large green salad topped with seared tofu, sunflower seeds, avocado and olive oil dressing. Dinner options include corn tortillas wrapped around black beans, onions and green peppers. In between, snack on nuts and dried or fresh fruit.

Defining Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is often equated with dieting, but the two are different. A healthy diet includes all the food groups, doesn’t feel like deprivation and should be sustainable for life. To improve your diet, replace refined grains with whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal or whole-grain bread. Opt for low or nonfat dairy products, choose lean cuts of meat and include fruits and vegetables in every meal. Avoid foods that are high in fat, sodium and sugar. Become familiar with your body’s cues. Eat when you are hungry, not because you have a craving. If you’re unsure if it’s just a craving, drink a glass of water and wait 10 minutes before you eat.

Turkeys and Tryptophan

A lot of chemistry goes into the maintenance of a positive mood. An amino acid called tryptophan helps your body produce another compound — serotonin — which plays a role in restful sleep and a stable mood. Tryptophan is found in protein foods including cheese, poultry, eggs, fish, meat, soy products and milk. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, meaning you have to get it from your diet. Iron, vitamin B-6 and riboflavin are also necessary for tryptophan to work properly.

Steady Energy

You rush out the door and forget to eat breakfast. By noon, you are hungry and shaky and feel irritable, confused and anxious. You are experiencing symptoms of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Your body and your brain rely on a type of sugar called glucose for energy. When you eat irregularly or make poor food choices, your blood sugar spikes and crashes and you feel miserable. Eating regular, healthy meals and snacks will give you all-day energy and will help elevate your mood.

Diverse Diet

The Mental Health Foundation reports that two-thirds of individuals who claim to have no mental health problems eat fresh fruits or fruit juices every day. Fewer than half of those who reported mental health problems enjoyed fresh produce. Similar trends were seen with vegetables, whole grains and meals made from scratch. Although you can’t blame mental health issues on diet, there does seem to be a correlation between eating well and overall positivity. To promote good mental health, the Mental Health Foundation recommends a nutrient-dense diet focused on whole foods. Avoid processed and packaged foods as much as possible.

Energy for Enjoyment

Eating well gives you the energy you need to take care of other aspects of your life such as professional development and family relationships. A healthy diet may improve your mood simply because you are able to derive more pleasure from life. With a well-fueled body and mind, you’ll also be better equipped to deal with the inevitable stresses of life.

 

Bikram Yoga and Nutrition

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Nutrition can support Bikram yoga by:

* Avoiding dizziness

* Maximising fat burn and weight loss

* Development of lean muscle

* Boosting energy

* Aiding detox

I’m often asked what the best foods to eat before exercise are and which foods to eat and not to eat for weight loss. While a pre exercise snack is not unimportant, its value should be minimal. What I mean by that is, try and ensure that the body is  well nourished and hydrated on an ongoing basis, that what is consumed immediately, or in the run up to a workout is not a major factor, fuel wise.

Did you know that 40% of our daily Stress comes from poor food choices?

Most exercise enthusiasts will benefit most from a workout when they eat clean on their off days too. What this means is avoiding – refined sugars (go instead for coconut sugar or raw honey if you have blood sugar issues), processed foods, excess caffeine and alcohol. If eating meat/fish be sure to accompany with plenty of leafy green veg for balance. If you are a vegan,ensuring you are getting good sources of plant based protein such as hemp/moringa protein powder each day. Eat a rainbow of colours each day to ensure you have enough cell protecting antioxidants on board and last but by no means last I cannot stress enough the importance of adequate hydration.

There are many nutrition silver bullet approaches that may result in small improvements in performance but studies show the greatest benefits are seen when the diet is healthy overall. A tailored healthy baseline eating plan will provide your body with the raw materials it needs to function at a high level, especially during Bikram. It’s also really important to remember that how well your digestion is functioning will determine the benefits you get from the food you eat. By this I mean the level of nutrients you digest, absorb and assimilate into the body for energy and overall good health.

I would urge you to not ignore digestive symptoms in any form as they are a sign that the balance in your gut is off. Without a healthy balance of good bacteria in our gut we will not achieve optimum health.

Whilst it is important to ensure you take a good quality probiotic (natural yoghurt, organic apple cider vinegar, Kombucha) you also need to ensure you are providing your good gut bacteria with the right foods on a daily basis such as soluble fibre such as chia/hemp, onions, garlic,leeks, leafy greens and supergreen powders, like Moringa and Spirulina  We now know an imbalance in our gut microbes plays a key role in imbalanced mood, depression, obesity, inflammation, autoimmune conditions, allergies, food intolerances….. The list really does go on.

Top tips:

  • Drink a glass of room temp water on waking with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

  • To replenish glycogen stores after your overnight fast always eat a light breakfast (at least >90 mins before your practice) Chia oats,Green Smoothie, Fruit salad.  

  • If however you do a very early bikram session and do not feel like eating beforehand make sure to have a really good meal the evening before such as sweet potato, coconut oil, sautéed leafy greens, source of protein (tofu,meat,fish) and a raw salad.

  • Consume larger meals at least 3 hours before yoga. This could be a light meal such as a handful of cashews on top of a light, leafy-green salad with a quarter of an avocado, some tofu and drizzle of olive oil, a tsp of chia seeds and ½ a sweet potato with coconut oil.

  • A Super smoothie with some protein such as hemp/moringa is also a good option as a meal 4 hours before. Remember the protein slows the release of the glucose into the blood preventing low blood sugar (tired, hungry feeling) giving rise to steady energy release before your exercise session.

  • Avoid eating heavy, fatty foods the evening before Bikram because of how long it takes the body to digest fats. However, this doesn’t mean you should avoid fats altogether. Rather, healthy fats in moderation can fill you up, stabilizing blood sugar levels and preventing hunger pangs during or after classes.

  • ** This is where your protein bomb or super smoothie comes in. Don’t miss the window or you will go into metabolic shut down, essentially becoming insulin resistant which could last up to 72 hours**.

  • Boost your intake of anti-inflammatory foods after exercise to control inflammation from tissue damage and support the immune system as exercise is a stress on the body due to free radical damage. Nuts, seeds, chia, turmeric can all be added to smoothies.

  • Boost antioxidants such as vitamin C and choose brightly coloured foods. Acai Berry and Baobab powder are rich in compounds that help minimise cell damage after exercise due to their ability to fight free radicals. Baobab Powder powder contains 6 times more vitamin C than an orange, has more iron than red meat, delivers twice as much calcium as milk and more potassium than bananas.  

  • Get 8 hours sleep each night and try to get to bed before 11 and at the latest 12 midnight the night before yoga.

  • Take an Epsom salt baths after intense exercise, the magnesium will help relax the muscles and joints.

  • Know your hidden Food allergies or intolerances: Having food intolerance is not the same as having a full blown allergy; however they can manifest in various different symptoms such as weight gain, bloating, sinus, frequent mucus build up, constipation or diarrhoea, irritable bowel, weight around the middle, fatigue, headaches, low mood and poor nutrient status due to absorbency issues. The main reactionary foods include; gluten, wheat, dairy, soya and yeast. Removing a problematic food can make a massive difference to energy, performance, weight loss, concentration and mood. If you suspect that you may have a food intolerance speak to me and I can guide you through an elimination diet or provide various testing options in my clinic.

  • Eating the wrong foods or too close to practice may lead to indigestion, nausea, bloating, diarrhoea or constipation. The foods you eat should agree with your stomach and allow you to feel good both during and after your practices. This takes practice as everyone is different.