Fueling Your Flow: How to Prep Your Body for Hot Yoga

August 13, 2024

Fueling Your Flow: How to Prep Your Body for Hot Yoga

AUTHOR: Lulu Picart

Starting a hot yoga practice can feel a bit intimidating. The key is to remember that everyone starts somewhere, and the classes are designed to accommodate beginners. The heat can help your muscles warm up, which might make the poses feel more accessible. Plus, you can take it at your own pace and listen to your body. It’s all about gradually building comfort and confidence. Just stay hydrated, wear comfortable clothing, and know that it’s perfectly okay to take breaks whenever you need them. In fact, breaks are encouraged! 

How hot is hot yoga?

Names for classes vary from studio to studio (Bikram, Baptiste, Hot Power Yoga, or Hot Vinyasa), but hot yoga class studios are generally heated to around 85-105 degrees Fahrenheit (29-40 degrees Celsius). The heat helps promote sweating, which helps flush your body from toxins, increases flexibility, and allows your muscles to get warmer, faster.

Hot yoga can be satisfying, but challenging, so if you’re worried about it, ask a doctor before starting your journey. At any point doing the practice, you can return to a simple pose, such as child’s pose, and remain there until you’re ready to resume with the rest of the class.

There are many benefits to hot yoga. In addition to detoxification, and enhanced flexibility, the heat helps with circulation, mental focus, strength, endurance, and stress relief. It is a challenge both physically and mentally.

How to fuel yourself for hot yoga:

  1. Stay Hydrated: Hot yoga can lead to significant fluid loss through sweat, so it's crucial to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Aim for at least 8-10 cups of water daily, and consider adding electrolytes to replenish lost minerals. Many people find that room temperature water, as opposed to chilled water, is better to bring along to your yoga class, so the shock of ice water doesn’t suddenly chill your muscles, so pick your water bottle accordingly.
  2. Balance Your Meals: Eat a balanced diet with a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Carbohydrates provide energy, protein aids in muscle recovery, and fats support overall health. Try not to load up too much before class unless it’s a lighter pre-yoga snack (see below).
  3. Pre-Yoga Snack: About 1-2 hours before your class, have a light snack that includes carbohydrates and a bit of protein. Examples include a banana with a spoonful of peanut butter, Greek yogurt with fruit, oatmeal with a drizzle of honey, or cottage cheese with pineapple.
  4. Focus on Electrolytes: Electrolytes are minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium help regulate fluid balance and muscle function. Sweat loss during hot yoga can deplete electrolytes, so consider incorporating foods rich in potassium (bananas, avocados), sodium (in moderation), and magnesium (nuts, seeds) into your diet. Sports drinks, coconut water, and electrolyte powders are good and convenient sources, but they could be full of added sugars. Stick to natural foods high in electrolytes:
  5. Avoid Heavy Meals Before Class: Eating a large or heavy meal right before class can lead to a little discomfort. Stick to lighter, easily digestible foods before your practice.
  6. Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body responds to different foods and hydration levels. Adjust your diet as needed based on how you feel during and after your practice.
  7. Include Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Incorporate foods with anti-inflammatory properties, such as berries, leafy greens, and fatty fish, to help with recovery and overall joint health.

Caring for yourself after your hot yoga class is easy.

Congratulations, you made it! Honor your cool down period. Try to let your body temperature return to normal at an easy pace. Now reward your body with a post-yoga snack that includes protein to help with muscle recovery and carbohydrates to replenish energy. Options might include a turkey sandwich, a quinoa salad with beans, hummus with veggies, tuna salad on whole grain crackers, or a protein smoothie.

It’s important to listen to your body as you go. In the hours and day after your class, if you find yourself experiencing extreme fatigue or any other unusual symptoms, check in with your healthcare provider. If you’re new to intense workouts, start slow and gradually increase the frequency (and intensity)of your sessions. Enjoy the journey!