I’ll admit that I’ve done a sun salutation or two with thoughts of chocolate running through my head. I’m fairly new to yoga and am still learning how to turn off my mind during class, which happens later in the evening (during the dessert hour, if you will). But by the end, when my body’s been challenged and stretched into a relaxed and blissful state, the craving’s almost always gone. At that point, I’d rather shower, get into bed, and have the most peaceful sleep imaginable. But according to David Romanelli, creator of the “Yoga for Foodies” movement, that’s the best time to truly enjoy a meal.
I can’t imagine eating on the same mat I put my bare feet on for an hour beforehand, but perhaps that’s being close-minded. Supposedly, these “Jam Sessions” open your mind and body not only to the teachings of yoga, but to the teachings of food sustainability and eco-friendly farming as well. Romanelli’s taken two of 2009’s hottest trends, yoga and the foodie movement, and combined them successfully in 2010—but how does he make it work?
Awakening Minds and Mouths
Romanelli—or, as he calls himself, “Yeah Dave” (a nickname friends gave him because of his inquisitive nature)—has always steered clear of the beaten path when it comes to yoga. He cofounded At One Yoga in Arizona, a studio that gives yoga a modern, funky spin. His Web site describes his version as “one part health club, one part nightclub, and two parts spiritual sanctuary.” Rather than playing Enya and meditative music during classes, Yeah Dave prefers to pump the Grateful Dead through the speakers. He also came up with yoga retreats that include two things rarely associated with the practice: chocolate and wine. Romanelli, a Yahoo! Wellness expert and author of Yeah Dave’s Guide to Livin’ in the Moment, believes that doing yoga can enhance the pleasurable experience of tasting wine and chocolate. Because people are better connected to themselves, they’re better connected to what they’re eating as well.
That’s where he got the idea for Yoga for Foodies. He noticed that people are becoming less mindful of everything around them, especially what they put in their bodies. “When we move in a frenzied way through the day, we don’t eat, we ‘feed,’” he explains on his Web site. “This high-velocity lifestyle diminishes the flavor and essence of life.” That’s why the end of each of Romanelli’s sessions features restaurant chefs from around the country talking about the importance of eating locally and organically, as participants dine on food prepared with those same tenets in mind.
