Can?t Reach Your Weight Goals? Try This Ayurvedic Weight Loss Strategy

The Ayurvedic Perspective on Overweight

According to Ayurveda, aggravated Kapha causes weak digestive fire (Mandagni), which may lead to incomplete digestion of food. This gives rise to a mucus type of substance known as ama which slows metabolism and may contribute to the problems of overweight, water retention, excessive sleep and even depression. To address these problems, it is necessary to adhere to a Kapha-pacifying and ama-cleansing diet and lifestyle that we will explore shortly, but first this.

What’s special about an Ayurvedic Diet Plan?

Ayurveda, in itself, is a wholesome system of wellness that aims to offer long term health benefits. So be it medicines, lifestyle advices or fitness recommendations, Ayurveda shows a path that leads to long-lasting results. There are no half-baked theories that make you a guinea pig to someone’s experiment or unrealistic goals that are impractical to follow. The Ayurvedic approach to weight loss and fitness is time-tested and practical, which makes it very easy for anyone to follow and that is why many are turning to Ayurveda for weight loss.

All you need is to make 5 simple changes to your lifestyle.

#1 - Start your Morning with Honey Lemon Water In our kitchens when we have dirty pots, we use warm water to clean them. But sometimes only warm water alone may not work and then we use lemon. Similarly, in order to clean ama (the by-product of undigested food particles in intestines) the recipe of warm water with lemon and honey is very effective. This cleanses ama, opens up body channels (Shrotas), pacifies Kapha and also generates energy.

#2 – Do Not Eat All The Time Nowadays, we have food in our cars, homes, office – everywhere. Munching on food all the time is unhealthy and can lead to indigestion. It is advisable to eat three wholesome meals a day. Eat a light dinner since Jatharagni (digestive fire) is weak after sunset. In between meals if you are hungry do not snack on salted packaged chips or fries, instead choose fresh fruits. This will keep your metabolism high and help in burning calories.

Fasting once in a while is also helpful. This gives time for Jatharagni (digestive fire) to burn up ama or any undigested food. This aids in metabolism and is beneficial in losing weight.

#3 - Keep your Kapha Pacified Aggravated Kapha leads to being overweight, makes you lethargic and slows down your metabolism, so in order to avoid that keep your Kapha pacified.

The right diet is a combination of food that is light in nature and that has been freshly cooked, minimally spiced and served warm. Choose a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and legumes, minimize sweets and avoid alcohol. Cut down on your consumption of cheese, pasta, breads, deep fried foods and red meat. It is also very important not to overeat and give your complete attention to what and how you are eating. Choose a cool and calm environment for your meals and do not overeat. A little space in your stomach will help in proper digestion.

#4 – Workout Everyday Walking and jogging are simple exercises that you can do to stay fit. If you prefer you can hit the gym too. Ayurveda suggests working out to only 40% of our body’s energy. If nothing else, you can do light aerobic and cardio exercises at home for about 20 minutes a day. This will keep the kapha in balance and give a fit and lean look.

#5 - Follow a time-table (Dincharya) Our body works in a rhythm and when our activities are according to that rhythm, the doshas stay in balance and Shrotas are clear. Keeping a proper schedule for waking up, exercise, eating your meals and going to bed helps in maintaining that rhythm. The best time to wake up is before 6 AM because after this to 10 AM it is considered the Kapha-dominant time of the day. Similarly, the time after sunset to 10 PM is also considered Kapha-dominant, hence ideally you should be in bed before 10 PM in order to let your body get complete rest and wake up early next morning, completely refreshed and reinvigorated.

Quick Tips

1. Keep the tongue clean: Clean tongue in Ayurveda represents no ama in the gut. So make sure that the tongue is clean. Besides being a good oral hygiene practice, cleaning the tongue every morning aids digestive and metabolic functions of the body.

2. Chew a piece of ginger: If you want your digestive fire to be strong, chew on a piece of fresh ginger just before eating meals. To improve the taste, add a pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon.

3. Warm water helps digestion: Warm water helps digestion and promotes regular bowel functions. It also improves blood circulation and flushes out toxins. You can also drink Jiva Slim Tea instead of regular tea. It improves digestion, metabolism and helps in weight reduction.

If you are worried about your weight, please approach a Jiva ayurvedic doctor to discuss and find the right diagnosis. You will be recommended lifestyle and dietary changes and if necessary your doctor may also prescribe ayurvedic medicines for weight loss.