Not complaining but wondering why I don't have much appetite after class

Hi Jacquie and Gabrielle,

Great question!!

I’m also fascinated by the change in my appetite in the last few months of my practice, especially since I’ve begun averaging many, many more classes than I used to. And I have noticed remarkable, surprising differences. Gabrielle, I know you’ve addressed this in threads having to do with weight loss, and I completely agree with you that the more and more you practice, the more likely you are to start subconsciously making better food choices. It’s the strangest and greatest thing!

Here are some of my observations (sorry if I get wordy…like I said, I’m really intrigued with this whole issue):

– I’m never hungry after class. Ever. I’m thirsty, and all I want are cold, cold, cold beverages. Sometimes, the thought of food actually makes me sick to my stomach.

– I get fuller faster, especially if I try to eat within an hour or two of finishing class. Those big salads I used to wolf down? Nope, can only get halfway through one of them now. Even a hearty bagel and hummus sometimes seems like too much.

– I am 1,000-times more cognizant of the effects of what I eat. For example, if I go to a 6 p.m. class and want to get up and go to the next day’s 6:15 a.m. sunrise class, I’ve learned my dinner needs to consist mostly of liquids (water, protein shake, vegetable juice, etc.), or one protein (a little bit of chicken or tuna) and one carb (toast or naan). Veggies and fruit give me digestive issues the next morning, plain and simple. The same goes for days when I attend 6 p.m. yoga and am trying to figure out what to eat for lunch.

– I’ve never been a full-blown vegetarian, but I can count on one hand the number of times I eat red meat each year. And that number has even gone down since taking up Bikram yoga. My gag reflex for meat is ridiculous now. I don’t necessarily mind this, but I also recognize I need to force myself to eat chicken/fish/turkey otherwise I’m not getting nearly enough protein in my diet.

– My body processes food completely differently. I’m a fairly healthy eater to begin with, but now, I’ve noticed that when I eat a heavier, fatty meal, it literally takes days for my body to recover, in and of the studio. So, I’ve found myself choosing much lighter, healthier fare whenever I’m out or at the grocery store simply because I can’t stand days and days of classes where my system feels out of wack.

– I don’t crave sweets anymore. And I’ve always had a ridiculously strong sweet tooth.

Ohhh, I could go on and on. I think what it comes down to, though, is that a consistent yoga practice inevitably leads you to greater body/health awareness. So, yes, of course you’re going to start making better dietary decisions. You’re learning to love your body, and you always want to nurture and take care of and be good to the things you love. In this case, that means eating well, making smart food choices, and listening to your internal system’s wants and needs.

Okay, I’m done. Sorry. I can’t wait to hear what other people have to say about this topic, too. 🙂

Hannah