10 Yoga Techniques, Ranked From Best to Worst For Eating While Doing Them

If there’s one thing I love almost as much as yoga, it’s snacks.

Snacks are great. I really enjoy eating stuff.

Like Ram Dass once said, I may be a yogi but deep inside, I’m just a chubby Jewish kid who wants to eat everything.

I do! I want to eat it all!

But can I do yoga at the same time? This life is short, guys. And if you do too much yoga you might waste away to nothing. Gotta keep up your vitality. Yep.

Vajrasana

How to perform: From kneeling, sit and rest your buttocks on your heels. Place your hands on your thighs, palms facing down.

Eating potential: This is a great asana to eat in! The Japanese eat sitting in vajrasana all the time, and look at how well they digest. It’s actually recommended in Hatha Yoga Pradipika (probably) that you sit in vajrasana for five or ten minutes after a meal. It sends blood up from your legs and helps lift the energy so you don’t feel heavy and sleepy after eating.

Sukhasana

How to perform: Sit cross-legged. That’s it! You’re doing great!

Eating potential: Also a great eating asana. Eating while sitting on the ground like this is much healthier than eating in a chair.

Gomukhasana

How to perform: Sit in vajrasana. Reach your right hand behind your back and grab it with the left hand, which reaches behind the back from above so your left elbow is sticking up. Hold and then switch arms.

Eating potential: Also as good as vajrasana, since your legs and torso are in the same position. However, since your hands are occupied you’ll have to ask someone else to feed you, so I rank this asana lower.

Savasana

How to perform: Lie on your back, arms at your sides and palms facing up. Legs should be hip-width apart. Relax deeply.

Eating potential: I guess it’s fine, if you’re into eating like a depressed Roman aristocrat. Just don’t try soups.

Bhujangasana

How to perform: Lie on your belly, placing your palms on the floor directly in front of your shoulders. Gradually push up into a backbend until your arms are straight. Lean your head back.

Eating potential: Awkward, because your neck and stomach are all stretched out, and you have to balance on one hand to reach the food. Totally doable though.

Trikonasana

How to perform: Stand with your legs wide and your arms spread. Lean over so that one hand touches your calf and the other is straight up in the air. Repeat on the other side.

Eating potential: I don’t like eating in this asana. The logistics are ok but the pose puts a lot of pressure on your core so it’s just asking for a surprise vamana dauti.

Sirsasana

How to perform: Interlock your fingers and place your forearms on the floor, elbows roughly shoulder-width apart. Rest your head on the floor, supported by your hands. Draw your legs up so they are bent and your hips are balanced on your head and arms, then straighten your legs.

Eating potential: Technically you can eat in this pose? Obviously you need someone else to feed you, but the swallow reflex works upside-down. But I wouldn’t try it. It just seems bad.

Halasana

How to perform: From lying on your back, swing your legs over your head so that they remain straight and the toes touch the floor. Rest your arms on the floor behind you, palms facing up.

Eating potential: Ugh, definitely don’t eat while doing halasana. The combination of upside-down plus squished neck plus squished belly equals horrible yogic eating experience.

Mayurasana

How to perform: Kneel and put your palms together on the ground, fingers facing back towards you. Lean forward so the pit of your belly is supported by your elbows. Use your yogic superpowers to come into an arm balance like this, I don’t know, honestly as a woman with child-bearing hips I have trouble making this asana work so maybe look it up on Google or ask a qualified instructor.

Eating potential: Really bad. If you’re masochistic you could probably put a plate of food on the floor, do mayurasana over it and dip your face like a fat bird. But since your entire body weight is balanced on your stomach, it can’t end well.

Nauli kriya

How to perform: Perform uddiyana bandha. During the void retention, churn your stomach muscles from side to side. (Ask a teacher! Really!) Breathe in and hold. Exhale through the mouth and stand up straight.

Eating potential: Oh God, no.