Effective Ayurvedic Tips for Weight Loss

Working from home, lack of regular exercise, irregular and unhealthy eating habits, most of us have borne the consequences of these lazy excesses with that weighing scales taunting back increased numbers! Apart from (unnecessary) vanity, weight gain can be harmful to health… obesity, heart troubles, hypertension are some of the serious effects that can plague you when those scales start tilting heavily.

The market is flooded with quick fix weight loss programs and techniques which can be dangerous, as any weight loss needs to be systematic, consistent, healthy and must follow medicinal guidelines.

Ayurveda or the science of life, the timeless wisdom from India, believes in promoting holistic health through a harmony between mind & body. The easiest Ayurvedic medicine for weight loss is adopting a natural, constant, and reliable method which excludes any chemicals or processed foods as well as drastic weight loss diets.

Here are some very effective ayurvedic tips for weight loss

• Drink warm water with lemon juice in the morning is highly beneficial as lemon is a natural detoxifying & purifying agent that aids digestion and boosts metabolism. Also, the warm water helps the body get rid of ama (a sticky waste product which can result in indigestion) or toxin.
• Eating healthy, seasonally, and regularly. As per expert Ayurvedic advice, the number of meals that you should have depends on your prakruti, the ritu and your appetite/hunger. So, eat only when you feel hungry, in enough quantities (don’t overeat) and only after the previous meal has been digested.
  Breakfast or the first meal of the day should be 90 minutes after you wake up and should not be delayed beyond an hour and half. Lunch at noon, and light dinner before 7:30 are ideal mealtimes. Make sure your diet is a good mix of leafy green vegetables, lentils, fresh seasonal fruits, nuts etc. as these foods keep you energized and fresh. Ayurveda stresses the importance of having a diet as per the season or ritu as it enables better absorption of nutrients in the body.
• Kapha dosha slows the metabolism resulting in lethargy and weight gain. Include foods with katu (pungent), tikta (bitter) and kashaya (astringent) rasas and avoid foods with madhur (sweet), amla (sour) and lavana (salty) rasas as a healthy diet for Kapha dosha.
• Having a regular exercise regimen is crucial to our fitness. Ayurveda believes that weight loss happens when we sweat, so a daily schedule of around 1 hour including active workouts combined with yoga & meditation can help both physical & mental fitness. Also, make sure you take a walk after meals as that speeds up the digestion process.
• As per Ayurveda, sleep is important for good health and that the ideal sleep timings should be between 10 pm to 6 am.

Ayurveda believes that weight loss is a gradual process that requires a diet & lifestyle of moderation and lots of persistence and patience to achieve the desired results.