Yoga Practice and Low Energy Levels

by Shivani Agarwal
(Delhi, India)

Hi..I went through your site, the way you handle queries is just amazing. I have a query that I have been practising yoga for last 2 months regularly. I haven't really reduced weight, but the weight has fed away from wrong places. My body is toned. When I am done with yoga I feel extremely fresh but as the day passes by I start feeling low physically.

I am a vegetarian and eat fruits and nuts everyday. I take one meal a day. I can not eat much since beginning only. I never eat anything junk. I always take daal and vegetables but yes only once a day. I eat 2 apples, 2 peers, 2 banana, one bowl makhana, some almonds and 2 chapatis with daal and sabzi everyday. Also 2 cup tea with some chana. Is it too less food I am taking that I start feeling low gradually.

There is no specific reason I feel tired for. In fact I have been noticing it only for last few days otherwise I am always active. I feel extremely good when I am done with yoga every day. It's only for last few days I feel by the end of the day that I am getting tired. Everybody keeps telling me that I eat very less. I eat once because I can't eat too much food. I eat only when I feel hungry otherwise I don't. Therefore, I thought of checking it over Internet and came across your site and when I found you are so generous to respond to queries I thought of writing to you.

I learned yoga couple of years back but now practicing on my own. I do each asana 3 times, I really don't know whether it's too much or just sufficient. I am quite friendly with yoga but it's for the first time I am consistent with my practice and I could see a very positive change in my body while working for a few days only. I get proper sleep. I am healthy person over all with no health issues. I have only one physical problem which is very bad migraine but with help of yoga I am not having attacks of migraine now.

I am 37 years of age, my weight is 66 kgs. My hemoglobin is 14 and I regularly donate blood. I am a working women and I can spare two hours for yoga practice.

I practice the following asanas and pranayama.

Asanas : Pawanmuktasana, Markatasana, Halasana, Setubandhasana, Chakrasana, Naukasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana, Dhanurasana, Tadasana, Ardh chakrasana
Suryanamaskar 30-40, Virbhadrasana, Vrikshansana, Natarajasana, Mandukasana, Shashankasana, Cow pose, Lion pose, Downward dog, Ardh matsyendrasana and Ushtrasana and Head to Knee pose.

Pranayama: Bhasrika, 30 Anulom Vilom, 200 Kapalabhati, Bahya Pranayama and Bhramri.

Meditation : 60 minutes

I can feel my body is fitter and more flexible but getting low physically by the end of the day is bothering me.

Kindly suggest if any modification in diet or asana is needed.
Thank you so much..


Editors Note

Hello Shivani,

Thanks for providing a detailed analysis of your daily routine and yoga practice. You are having an intense yoga practice and must keep on with it as you are already familiar with yoga. Here are my suggestions:

Do not worry about weight loss, with your current practice and controlled diet you will surely lose weight. Aim for gradual weight loss over 5-6 months and thereafter keep it stabilised.


Too much Yoga
You are doing yoga and taking adequate sleep, therefore your stress levels should be under control unless you have a very busy or hectic work schedule.

Hope doing lot of yoga is not making you feel tired. Yoga practice looks simple but it can make you tired if you do too much yoga. Listen to your body. If you feel tired, tone down your yoga practice a bit for time being. Do not do yoga if you feel your body is dead tired or exhausted after a working day.


Also, with your yoga practice, you may need more energy. Taking one meal a day is not recommended. You must take light breakfast and two meals a day. You can take any healthy snacks, fruits, nuts or dry fruits in the evening. If there is too much gap between your eating, your blood sugar levels may drop. So ensure that you eat something every two hours or so. Also, you may take green tea with honey if it suits you in place of normal tea with milk and sugar.

Rather than doing yoga empty stomach you can take lime juice with honey before yoga practice. Do not start yoga in case you are feeling hungry. Take some fruit or fresh fruit juice or a glass of milk 30 minutes prior to yoga practice.

Include sprouts, leafy vegetables, green vegetables, salads or nuts in your diet. You can also include a bowl of curd with your lunch. Otherwise do drink a glass of milk before sleeping or take oatmeal or dalia with milk in breakfast.


Yoga Practice
Based on the asanas you do, I am suggesting a yoga sequence. For each pose, the duration of holding of pose is suggested. Depending on your expertise levels you may vary the duration of holding of a particular asana.

You may take rest in shavasana during your yoga practice whenever you feel tired. Shavasanas are suggested at various places, you can adjust as per your convenience in the yoga sequence.

Yoga Practice

Warm Up

Asanas

~ Suryanamaskar 30-40

~ Shavasana (2 minutes)


Supine Poses
~ Pawanmuktasana (15 sec)
~ Markatasana (15 sec)
~ Setubandhasana (15 sec)
~ Naukasana (10 sec)
~ Ardh chakrasana (10 sec)
~ Chakrasana (10 sec)
~ Halasana (10 sec)

~ Shavasana (1 minute)


Prone Poses
~ Shalabhasana (10 sec)
~ Bhujangasana(20 sec)
~ Dhanurasana(10 sec)
~ Cow pose,(15 sec)
~ Downward Dog (15 sec)

Seating Poses
~ Mandukasana(15 sec)
~ Shashankasana(15 sec)
~ Ardh matsyendrasana (15 sec)
~ Lion pose(15 sec)
~ Ushtrasana (15 sec)
~ Head to Knee pose(15 sec)

Standing Poses
~ Virbhadrasana,(15 sec)
~ Vrikshansana(15 sec)
~ Natarajasana,(15 sec)
~ Tadasana (15 sec)

~ Shavasana (2 minutes)


Pranayama
~ Bhastrika
~ Kapalabhati (200)
~ Bahya Pranayama
~ Anulom Vilom (30)
~ Bhramri

~ Aum recitation (5 times)

Shavasana (2 minutes)


Meditation : 30-60 minutes (As per your convenience)
Meditation can be done after yoga asana and pranayama practice or any other time of the day.

In case there are more queries, for better appreciation, you may attend one or two free trial classes in my regular yoga classes at Dwarka, New Delhi. If required a separate one to one class can be arranged.

Hope it helps
Daljit