Are you struggling with losing weight? Here is how Ayurveda can help you.
Maintaining healthy body weight is crucial for preventing diseases and boosting your overall health. Ayurveda provides several easy and effective lifestyle tips that can stimulate healthy weight loss. Additionally, it also lays out dietary recommendations that are not too difficult to follow.
Ayurveda says that balancing Tridoshas is the key to losing excessive weight. Therefore, the Ayurvedic diet for weight loss usually aims at pacifying the dominant Dosha to create harmony in the body.
What are the Dietary Recommendations for each Dosha?
What to Eat if you are Vata-Dominant?
- Sweet and juicy fruits
- Cooked Vegetables
- Dairy products
- A good amount of nuts and seeds
- Sesame oil and ghee
- Grains and rice
What to Avoid if you are Vata-Dominant?
- Dried and astringent fruits
- Raw and frozen vegetables
- Nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes and eggplants
- Excess amount of sugar
What to Eat if you are Pitta-Dominant?
- Raw vegetables and salads
- Legumes and lentils
- Sweetened dairy products
- Dry cereal
What to Avoid if you are Pitta-Dominant?
- Non-vegetarian options such as meat and seafood
- Nuts and seeds
- Spicy food
- Coffee and alcohol
- Sour fruits
What to Eat if you are Kapha-Dominant?
- Leafy and green vegetables
- Astringent fruits
- Pungent or bitter vegetables
What to Avoid if you are Kapha-Dominant?
- Dairy products
- Food with a high level of fat
- Protein-rich food
- Nuts and seeds
- Food procured from animals such as meat
What are Some of the Diet Tips Mentioned in Ayurveda for Weight Loss?
Eat slowly and quietly
Increase mindfulness and concentration while eating. Avoid talking and other distractions to truly encourage an experience of satisfaction. Let your body absorb all the nourishments, tastes and textures of the food. This practice will help you avoid unnecessary cravings.
Eat heavy meals during the day and lighter meals during the night
The digestive capacity of the body is the highest during the day. Therefore, you must eat a heavy meal during the day. The natural detoxification process occurs during the night. Hence, you must eat light and have an early dinner to allow your body to remove toxins overnight.
Begin your morning with lemon water
Lemon is a natural detoxifying agent with innumerable benefits. It enhances metabolism and aids in the digestive process. Drinking warm lemon water in the morning helps your body lose excess fat.
Practise Yoga and Meditation
A daily exercise routine or yoga is recommended in Ayurveda to boost the process of weight-loss. It increases the rate of metabolic activities, hence aiding in the process. Stress and anxiety have been proven as one of the leading causes of weight gain. Meditation and Pranayamas help alleviate stress and reduce weight.
Eat at regular intervals
The digestive fire inside the body needs to be adequately stimulated. It works efficiently when it is given only one meal to digest at a point of time. Hence, to maintain a healthy metabolism, it is essential to avoid snacking in between meals and to eat at regular intervals. Taking a long gap between meals also hinders the course of metabolic activity.
Create a healthy sleep cycle
Disturbed sleep can lead to weight gain. Hence, try to take a sound sleep of 6-8 hours. Time your sleep-cycle with the natural circadian rhythms. Wake up early in the morning and sleep early at night to maintain a balance between hormones, especially cortisol, which leads to weight gain. Adequate rest is very important to let the body undergo a natural detoxification process.
Go for a walk after each meal
To stimulate digestion and metabolic activities inside the body, take a short walk after each meal.
Follow Ritucharya
According to Ayurveda, one must eat according to the season and the region one belongs to. This seasonal regimen is called Ritucharya. Not only does it aid in the digestive process but also helps in the effective absorption of nutrients, thereby aiding in the weight-loss process.
Takeaway
Weight-loss can not be accomplished in a short-duration with Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a holistic form of living life. It involves a routine change in the complete lifestyle. The effects of weight-loss are deep, durable and efficient. With just simple dietary changes, based on the Dosha, one may see a significant effect on their health and weight.
This article is reviewed by Dr. Sunanda Ranade
