Yoga for breakfast
Yoga is a practice that has been around for centuries and has been passed down generation to generation in the Eastern world, before making its way to the West.
We are so lucky to be able to practice yoga and reap the benefits, which we will go onto shortly, but what about yoga for breakfast? Practicing when you take up is one of the most talked about concepts in the yoga world, but is it worth the early get up
There are so many benefits to practicing yoga when you wake up before you head into your busy day. For a start, your mind is free from distractions and clutter, and you haven’t been dragged into the everyday noise yet. You also get to stretch out your body and find some movement before your day has even begun, so you can move into the rest of your day feeling stretched and strengthened, and like you have already achieved something huge today! Other benefits of morning yoga include reducing stress and boosting your mood. Yoga is linked to both of those things anyway but practicing in the morning is only going to heighten those feelings.
Yoga itself comes with a whole range of benefits and one of the main ones is that you can make it totally your own. You can take it as fast or as slow as you would like and dial up the intensity or bring it right down depending on what you need and how your body is feeling. There are so many different types of yoga and poses as well, from soothing yin sessions that are slow and stretchy to vinyasa flows designed to strengthen the body and the mind.
If you are practicing in the morning, there are a range of flows you can try on MADE on demand and walk throughs of the poses if you are a complete beginner. It is worth trying out a few different ones but sun salutations are a good place to start and really pay attention to the kind of poses and the flows that make you feel the best. Yoga should feel like you are stretching but it shouldn’t feel painful or out of reach. That is one of the beauties of it, that it is suitable for everyone.
Inspiration can sometimes swiftly exit the body, so if you are stuck on what to do next or what a pose should look like, you can refer back to the videos on MADE on Demand, or many even come to a class in person at our health club in Staffordshire, if you would like to brush up on your yoga knowledge. If you do get stuck, don’t worry about it and just move in a way that feels good for you, it is your practice and you are giving up your morning for it, so it needs to feel good for you!
Sticking to the morning practices can be tough, so here are a few tips to get you going and keep you heading in the right direction
Practice doesn’t make perfect
Against the common phrase we know, but detach yourself from any end goal you may have, it is great to get the practice in and yoga should be incorporated into your lifestyle but removing any obstacles or things that you are pushing towards can be really powerful in developing a practice that works for you. Whether you want to practice daily or a couple of times a week, know that showing up for yourself is enough in itself!
Be realistic with your goals
On that subject, be realistic. Instead of saying you will practice yoga every single morning, many start with one or two mornings a week to ease you into that earlier alarm and to the practice itself. Yoga feels totally different in the morning and in the evening as your body will just be waking up, so be gentle and don’t be too hard on yourself or set goals that are difficult to achieve.
Don’t sweat it
If you miss a day or a morning, don’t worry. Life happens and gets in the way, just pick back up where you left off. We know that things crop up and there is nothing worse than beating yourself up about it, so take a breath and get back to it when you feel ready. It is designed to make you feel good, not guilty, so keep that in mind.
Remove distractions
This sounds like an obvious one but it is one that often gets ignored. Remove all distractions from your practice, including turning your phone on silent so you don’t get pings all through the session. If you have little ones at home, try and make sure they are entertained or asleep if you can so you can get the most out of this time for you! Although, if they do bust in mid-downward-dog, embrace the chaos and let them join in!
See what happens…Lean into the magic of yoga and see what happens. You may surprise yourself and you may stick at it longer than you would have imagined.
Most of all, it is important to enjoy yourself and let your body carry you through the practice. Know that some days will be all energy and flow, and other days will be relaxation and restorative poses for the entire session and both are okay. Remember to listen to your body and know that different things will impact how you want to practice, such as the food you are eating and if you are menstruating.
Yoga is a powerful practice and one that often gets underrated! If you want to give yoga in the mornings a try, set yourself a small timetable and browse the classes and poses on MADE on Demand to see which ones will work for you. Be mindful of any injuries you have and always consult a health professional if you have any queries or questions.
