There’s no escaping it now. Summer is officially around the corner and there’s still time to get into fighting shape by Independence Day. But before you think you need to literally hit the pavement running to drop a few extra pounds, consider something a little less stressful on the body and a whole lot better for your chi—yoga.

More than just a fleeting trend, yoga was founded on the aim to use meditation to attain salvation but the byproduct of practicing yoga isn’t too bad, either. Leaner arms and a toned core can happen after just a few weeks of holding a Warrior Two and repeated chatarungas. Maya Haile (AKA Mrs. Samuelsson) maintains an avid yoga practice and we can vouch for her flexibility and composure (there were a lot of held poses at the Vogue shoot for Yes, Chef).

There’s not much talk about what you should eat before and after a yoga session, but we got Lara Land of Harlem’s Land Yoga to break down the best foods to make for your very best practice.  Read More