AYU: An 8-Week Nutrition and Lifestyle Shift for Yoga Students
- Michelle Rae Sobi
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
Discover a gentle, Ayurveda-inspired 8-week nutrition and lifestyle program for yoga students designed to enhance energy, digestion, and mindful living.
Find your balance through the AYU 8-Week Nutrition + Lifestyle Shift. Blending Ayurveda, modern clean eating, and intuitive awareness, this program invites yoga students to reconnect with nourishment as a form of practice—one mindful habit at a time.
Program Promise
The AYU Program is an eight-week journey toward balanced energy, improved digestion, gentle weight wellness, and mindful eating. Designed for yoga students, it blends the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda with the practicality of modern clean eating and intuitive awareness.
Scope and Safety
AYU offers general, non-medical nutrition education, portion guidance, and lifestyle practices appropriate for yoga and wellness settings. It does not prescribe individualized diets or medical nutrition therapy. Students with medical conditions should consult a registered dietitian or physician before beginning.
Weekly Overview
Each week centers on one new habit, one Ayurvedic digestive support, and one mindful ritual.
Week 1 — Foundations: Calm Plate, Calm Pace
Eat to 80% full and sit while eating. Support digestion with warm, spiced meals and take five breaths before your first bite.
Week 2 — Hydration with Intention
Hydrate between meals with warm or room-temperature water. Begin each morning with a cup of warm water to awaken the system.
Week 3 — Protein and Plants at Every Meal
Include protein and two fists of vegetables at every meal. Use gentle spices like ginger, cumin, and fennel to support digestion.
Week 4 — Smart Carbs for Steady Energy
Choose mostly intact carbohydrates such as oats, quinoa, beans, and fruit. Enjoy warm, moist meals that sustain you throughout the day.
Week 5 — Gentle Fasting Rhythm
If appropriate, create a 12-hour overnight eating window. A lighter, earlier dinner encourages better rest and digestion.
Week 6 — Mindful Food Combining
Keep meals simple and avoid difficult combinations. Eat fruit alone and skip mixing dairy with salty or sour foods.
Week 7 — Intuitive Portions and Hunger Awareness
Match your portions to hunger and energy levels. Adjust textures and spices to align with the current season.
Week 8 — Integration and Personalization
Keep the habits that serve you best. Recognize your dominant doshic pattern—vata, pitta, or kapha—and use this awareness to refine meal timing and seasoning.
Daily Rhythm
Morning: Warm water, five deep breaths, gentle movement or pranayama.
Breakfast: Include protein, plants, and a smart carbohydrate.
Lunch: Make this your largest meal of the day and enjoy it mindfully.
Snack (optional): Fruit with protein or yogurt with seeds.
Dinner: Keep it light and finish eating two to three hours before bed.
Evening: Enjoy herbal tea, gratitude journaling, and screen-free time.
Hand-Portion Reference
Protein: 1–2 palms
Vegetables: 2 fists
Carbohydrates: 1–2 cupped hands
Fats: 1–2 thumbs
This flexible system encourages self-awareness over calorie counting, honoring your body’s signals.
Shopping and Preparation
Proteins: Eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, tempeh, lentils, chicken, salmon, cottage cheese Plants: Leafy greens, crucifers, carrots, squash, berries, apples, onions, garlic Smart Carbohydrates: Oats, quinoa, brown rice, beans, potatoes Healthy Fats: Olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, ghee Spices for Agni: Ginger, cumin, coriander, fennel, black pepper
Program Flow
AYU unfolds one habit at a time, creating meaningful and sustainable change. The approach honors seasonal rhythms, mindfulness, and nourishment as an act of self-care. Through small, steady shifts, yoga students learn that what happens on the mat begins with what they bring to their plate. Download the program overview now.
Students enrolled in Edge Yoga School may earn hours attending this event. All are welcome. This is a perfect way to develop new habits that will be ready for you come New Year's Day.
Want to dive into our training while following along the eight-week journey? Enroll now into our Health Coach certificate. We plend wellness habits, Ayurvedic lifestyle, and back that with the American Council on exercise. Please be sure to work with your medical team prior to beginning any wellness journey. We will see you on the mat!
