Ayurvedic Tips For Weight Loss

Most people share a common desire - to lose excess body weight and maintain a healthy and fit body. In an attempt to achieve this, they go on diets and fasts. But quite often, these diets can be too strict to follow, especially for people living hectic lives. And they may also include ingredients that are expensive or hard to find.

However, Ayurveda says that an individual gains weight not only because of their food habits but because of several factors, including lack of sleep, absence of exercise, lifestyle habits, stress, and unhealthy diet. Ayurveda is a wellness system that can help people get rid of those extra kilos and achieve optimal health with just a few lifestyle changes.

An Ayurvedic guide to weight loss:

Here are a few things that you can do regularly to lose weight and keep your body healthy.

Lemon water

Start your day with a glass of lukewarm lemon water. This detoxifying drink can boost digestion and enhance metabolism that will easily break down fat. It can also keep you energized.

Exercise after waking up

Ayurveda suggests that 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. is the best time to exercise as the earth and water elements in the environment are high. This proactiveness will warm your body and ensure fresh blood flow to the brain. For the best results, it is recommended to exercise for at least 40 minutes each morning.

Meditation

To combat the effect of stress and depression on weight, 10 minutes of daily meditation is advised. This body and mind relaxation technique will calm the body and alleviate stress. It also makes us more attentive throughout the day to make better decisions.

Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner – no snacking

The body produces insulin every time you eat and transfers sugar into the cells to keep the blood sugar level balanced. Sugar fuels energy for about three hours. Only after that time will the body start to burn fat to provide additional energy. But if you keep snacking, the body will never find the opportunity to seek fat stores for energy. Thus, three well-balanced meals without snacks are the ideal way to stabilize energy levels and burn fat.

Include all six tastes

Ayurveda stresses on six flavors for an optimal diet - sweet, salty, bitter, pungent, sour and astringent. Including a small portion of each of these tastes in your meals is essential.

• Sweet – Sweet fruits, nuts, dairy, legumes aid muscle growth and provide energy
• Sour – Citrus fruits, yogurt, pickle, etc. cleanse the body
• Salty – Sea salt, fish and ocean vegetables stimulate digestion and nutrient absorption
• Pungent – Peppers, mustard, ginger, cloves, onions, and other spices boost metabolism
• Bitter – Coffee, leafy greens and cacao are detoxifying agents
• Astringent – Green tea, garbanzo beans, and pomegranates tone body tissues and reduce unnecessary heat and inflammation.

Eat seasonal food

In summers, we need foods that are high in carbohydrates, such as fresh fruits, while in winter, root vegetables, nuts, and seeds can protect us from the cold. And during the monsoon, detoxifying foods like sprouts are ideal. Thus, eating according to the season and region helps in better digestion and absorption of nutrients. This, in turn, regulates body weight and fat.

Sip hot water through the day

Toxins known as ama accumulate within the body due to external agents such as pollution and internal factors like stress. Hot water helps to dissolve ama. So, sipping on warm water through the day is a good practice.

Walk after a meal

Meals make us sluggish. Hence, the best way to control weight is by taking a short stroll after your meals to fasten your digestion.

Following an Ayurvedic routine can have a profound impact on your life. It will allow you to maintain a healthy weight and improve your physiological functioning as well.