Last updated on August 21, 2024 by Dr. Subashri Thanigaivel
Weight- weighing you down ladies?
Feel like your weighing scale got struck once you hit your thirties and it is nowhere coming down? And the so-called weight-loss diets like keto, paleo, plant-based, intermittent fasting, and whatnot. Nothing gives you the desired results. But you have never tried the ayurvedic weight loss strategy, right?
When you age, the body’s metabolism lowers down. Along with this women have to juggle work and family responsibilities. And top of it is the menstrual symptoms that might lead to fluctuating weights in the late thirties.
But this doesn’t mean that you can’t lose weight. There’s a way to do it, in fact, a healthier way- The Ayurvedic weight loss strategy.
Ayurvedic outlook on weight
In Ayurveda, excess weight implies excess Kapha dosha predominant people are more prone to weight gain. But this is not the sole reason for weight gain. Although it is an important factor.
Being overweight can provoke Kapha in our body and excess of Kapha in the body can lead to being overweight. Thus it is necessary to balance this state.
To achieve balance include opposing factors to Kapha in the body. Kapha is heavy, slow, cool, dense, and stable. So we need light, fast, mobile, hot, and subtle.
This is how the Ayurveda outlines the Ayurvedic weight loss journey.
Read further to know how you can implement this.
Ayurvedic weight loss do’s and don’ts
Do: Drink warm water
Drinking water keeps you hydrated. But drinking warm water heals your body. It provides digestive powers and reduces metabolic waste built up in the body. It is most beneficial if you drink water throughout the day and not just in the morning. Make sure that you keep decreasing the water intake as the day progresses.
Warm water increases the metabolic rate and also breaks down the fat molecules. Thus, making it easier for the digestive system to work. This is how it aids in weight loss. You can even add lemon or honey to enhance the impact of warm water.
Don’t: Be idle, start exercising
It is natural to feel tired after a hectic day at work and home. And working out seems like an impossible task. But exercising is a must if you want to lose weight. Remember consistency is very important.
Exercising not only helps in losing weight it also improves mood. It reduces the risk of metabolic diseases, and promotes better sleep patterns.
Do: Have a meal on time
Eat three meals on time. One of the major reasons for weight gain is erratic eating habits, don’t skip meals. Skipping will lower the body’s metabolism and cause less burning of calories.
Also do not stuff food just because you are getting late to work or there’s a pile of work pending. You should chew your food properly.
Try to keep your caloric intake for the day within a 12-hour time frame. This helps in proper digestion and keeps weight under control.
Don’t: Snack between meals
Snacking between meals disrupts the digestive fire. To maintain a healthy metabolism, ignition of digestive fire is necessary. The solution is by eating healthy, digestible meals without snacking in between.
The digestive process slows down when you snack in between meals.
Do: Include Kapha pacifying diet
Kapha pacifying diet consists of freshly cooked, whole foods that are light, dry, warm, and easy to digest. That should include pepper, ginger, cloves, horse gram, millets, garlic, carrot, bitter gourd, and coriander. And fruits like apples, mangoes, lemon, berries, apricots, and pomegranate.
Include dairy products like ghee and buttermilk too.
Don’t: Drink fruit juices
Eat fresh whole fruits and mainly seasonal ones. Whole fruits contain fiber and vitamins that get lost when it is juice. Eating whole fruits decreases calorie intake and chances of gaining weight.
Don’t mix fruits with milk because they are incompatible and increase your weight.
Ayurvedic therapy for weight loss
We all know surgeries like Liposuction and Abdominoplasty are for weight loss. This costly surgery proves to be beneficial with lots of side effects.
In Ayurvedic weight loss, there is a therapy without any side effects that is Udvartana therapy.
Ayurveda manages excess weight with a few panchakarma therapies like Udvartanam, Podi kizhi, Vasti, Dhanyamla dhara, and many more.
Udvartana is an ayurvedic weight loss therapy without any side effects. It is a refreshing full-body massage done in a rhythmic motion in an upward direction (opposite to body hairs – pratiloma) with the use of herbal pastes and powders. This massage also helps in improving muscle tone and circulation along with cleansing and nourishing skin.
The powders used for this therapy have ruksha (dry), ushna (hot),theekshana (penetrating), and laghu (light). Due to increased friction to all parts of the body, ushna (heat) is produced, it reduces the medas (body fat) and reaches the cellular level to correct the Agimandhya (improper digestion).
The beta-3 receptors present in the adipose tissue of subcutaneous fat are stimulated. This results in the triglycerides breaking down into fatty acids. These fatty acids are then carried to the liver for energy conversion.
Udvartana therapy is helpful in metabolic diseases, neuromuscular diseases, and beautification purposes.
Conclusion
Losing weight is a long process that requires constant effort. You can’t achieve the desired result without a peck of effort. Just because you chose the Ayurvedic weight loss journey, you won’t lose all the weight overnight. Adapting to the Ayurvedic lifestyle is a slow process, the result will be gradual. Only if you try to put in the effort, will you be able to see results.
