Hey guys! So....big news! Namaslay is the number 1 selling new release yoga book on Amazon! I am blown away and thank you so much for the support! Don't forget that if you screenshot your review of the book to @ybcsneakpeek, we'll send you a free gift in thanks. Today, I'm off to Boston today to lead a yoga workshop tonight and go to the book signing tomorrow before taking off for the rest of the book tour. There are still spots open at tonight's workshop, so come if you're local! xo Candace
In today's Workout Wednesday, I'm sharing a reader question.
Reader Question: I wasn't sure where to ask this.... a lot of yogis (almost all) say it's best to practice on an empty stomach or eat very light. Have you found that since you've been on the IIFYM flexible diet that it's affected your practice by making you feel heavy and not able to create space? Protein is heavy and harder to break down. I'm struggling with my diet, lifting, and yoga practice. To top it off I need to up my macros to maintenance numbers as it is I'm having a hard enough time meeting my protein. My point is trying to balance my diet and yoga. Any tips? Thank you!
Answer: When I was trying to heal my gut from longterm antibiotic use for Lyme disease, I learned a lot about digestion, nutrition, and how the body breaks down our foods for optimal nutrient absorption. Yes, protein on its own is heavy and hard to break down, but you might want to look into food combining to see what you could eat with protein to aid your body in the digestive process. I personally learned a lot from the GAPS book, but even a quick google search about food combining should help you on your way.
For me personally, I haven't felt at all full or heavy from the IIFYM flex diet. In fact, I feel really even, if that makes sense. I never really feel hungry or full when I hit my numbers. But I think it's really important to take a close look at what you're eating. While I love IIFYM, I think some people get too dialed in to just hitting the numbers, and don't look at what they're actually eating. For example, people choosing to eat a few Oreos at 8.5g carbs instead of eating half an apple for around 15g of carbs.... Like, clearly the better choice is the apple instead of the lab-made Oreo even though the apple has more carbs, you know what I mean? I'm not saying you're doing that at all - I hope you're not offended - I'm just suggesting that maybe you could take a closer look at what you're eating, and seeing if there are better choices to be made, or some food combining that could be made to help yourself feel a bit better.
I hope that's helpful! Here is a look at some recent meals of mine:
Typical breakfast:
A lunch out - hamburger with cheese, tomato and fresh salad.
Another lunch out with my mama:
I try to drink bone broth every day or every other day. It's amazing for digestion and boosting the immunity. You can buy it at Whole Foods in the frozen dept or easily make your own.
I try to drink a fresh, cold pressed green juice first thing in the morning at least once a week.
Let's talk: What do you guys typically eat for breakfasts, lunches and dinners? Do you follow a particular diet? Do you feel like what you're doing now in terms of eating gives you enough energy for what you do throughout your day?