Balancing weight the Ayurvedic way
Have you been trying different diets for years with no consistent results? Do you experience bloating and sluggishness, or symptoms of fluid retention? Are you sick of your weight yo-yo-ing? Ayurveda may be the answer for you!
Perhaps it’s time to take a different approach to weight loss. An approach that is focused on long-term permanent change, rather then short-term and transient results. There is a more effective and compassionate approach to losing weight than ‘fad diet's’ - and that is the Ayurvedic way.
In Ayurveda, doshas are the three bioenergy forces that govern all physical and mental processes in the body. These three doshas are called Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Imbalances in the doshas can lead to health problems, and Ayurveda aims to restore balance to the doshas to promote healthy weight.
In Ayurveda, having excess kapha can cause weight gain. While kapha isn't the only factor to consider when it comes to excess weight, it is most definitely a vital element at play. ‘ Like increases like,’ and ‘opposites create balance’, are two fundamental principles in Ayurveda. Kapha and excess weight share similar qualities including being oily, heavy, slow, dull, sluggish and dense. With this, excess kapha can lead to weight gain and weight gain aggravates kapha in the body. In order to regain a healthy balance, we want to bring in opposing and opposite qualities and influences such as those that are light instead heavy and dense, energetic and moving instead of sluggish and slow, sharp instead of dull and drying instead of oily.
In addition to excess kapha as a cause of weight gain, excess vata can also lead to unhealthy weight. There are ways in which you can differentiate kapha and vata weight.
If there's a vata imbalance, weight gain is distributed in different parts of the body – perhaps in the thighs/butt or weight is all in the chest/belly. Kapha dosha constitutions, on the other hand, gain weight evenly throughout the body. They might look a bit stocky when they’ve put on weight.
Vata-dominant people usually have issues around their digestion – constipation, bloating, and IBS. They are also prone to mental stress as they tend to overuse their minds and have the habit of eating irregularly. Irregular eating and mental stress leads to digestion problems and poor nutrient absorption, resulting in the production of ama (toxins) which cloggs the channels. Clogged channels then leads to weight gain.
When it comes to losing weight, Ayurveda does not only focus on short-term results There's no need to unrealistically limit your portions or starve yourself. Nor will you need to try extreme dieting in order to lose kilos which can do more harm than good to the body. Putting stress on the body, will only lead to weaker digestion, toxin buildup and further weight gain!
Instead, the Ayurvedic way involves following a slow and steady approach, that balances both the mind and the body to find optimal weight. A process that you will actually enjoy, and achieve the results that you are after.
Check out the Ayurvedic recommended practices below to achieve weight loss:
Ayurvedic Diet and Healthy Eating Practices
Drink Hot Water
Start your day by drinking warm water with a squeeze of lemon. This ignites the entire digestive system and provides a fresh start to your day. Throughout the day, avoid drinking excessively iced or cold beverages as these will slow down your metabolism, and trigger indigestion and toxic accumulation in your gut. Drinking warm to hot water will gently flush out the system, and boost metabolism and digestion.
Three Meals a Day, Avoid Snacking
Have a medium-sized breakfast between 7:30 and 9:00 am. Lunch should be your biggest meal of the day and eaten around midday.
Make dinner the smallest meal of the day, as early as possible, perferably before 6:00 pm. This is because digestion is slowest in the evening.
A Healthy Ratio of Food Groups
Having a healthy ratio of food groups will satiate you without feeling heavy after each meal. Increase the number of vegetables on your plate and reap the benefits of minerals, vitamins and fibre. Have a decent portion of lean proteins as they are quite filling and are low in carbs. When you eat starchy or carb-rich foods, choose lighter whole grain options. This should also be the smallest portion of your meal.
Ideal ratio for each meal:
Light whole grain carbs should be 20% or less
Light, lean protein should be 30%
Colorful veggies should be 50%
Incorporate All Six Tastes to Your Diet
Ayurveda recognises six tastes: pungent, astringent, sweet, bitter, salty, and sour. Try to always incorporate all six tastes into your daily diet. Since salty, sweet and sour are anabolic, or building, balance them out with bitter, astringent and pungent, which are catabolic or burning in nature. When you include all 6 tastes into each meal, you ensure that your body's nutrition is adequately met. You also prevent yourself from consuming unhealthy foods which can cause a variety of health issues.
General Tips for Weight Loss
Exercise
Getting at least 20 to 30 minutes of movement each day is not only beneficial for your weight but your mental health as well. If you haven’t gotten into the habit of exercising, you will have to slowly incorporate this activity into your daily routine. You could start with your favorite activity like hiking or biking. Exercise reduces the risk of diseases, boosts your brain health, strengthens the bones and muscles, and enhances your ability to do everyday activities.
10 Minutes of Peace in the Morning
At the start of your day, set aside 10 minutes of peace and quiet so you can practice yoga or meditation. These mind-body practices can elicit a relaxation response in the body, help lower stress levels (which is one of the causes of weight gain) and encourage you to be more present.
Regular Ayurvedic Detoxing
Regularly undertaking an Ayurvedic detox is one of the best ways to remove excess weight. Detoxing, or cleansing, is beneficial for weight loss as it can help to remove toxins and waste products from the body. By eliminating these toxins, the body may function more efficiently, and weight loss may occur. Additionally, a detox diet or program may help to reduce inflammation in the body, which can also contribute to weight gain. It is important not to do any extreme or restrictive diets or detox’s - this will only exacerbate the problem in the long term. An Ayurvedic detox gently, safely and effectively detoxes toxins from not only the physical body, but also the mind and emotions. You can click here to join our next 3 Day Ayurvedic Detox.
Mindful Eating
Practice mindful eating. When you eat your meal while distracted with other things, you'll have a tendency to overeat. Also, you might eat more unhealthy food than you realize. Avoid scrolling on your phone, watching TV, reading the newspaper, or checking emails on your laptop. Mindful eating habits will help you slow down and focus on your food, producing an intentional act instead of just rushing to finish your meals.
Manage Stress
Stress does a number of harmful things to the body so it's important that you know how to cope when things feel overwhelming. When you're stressed, healthy routines like exercising regularly and eating healthy can easily come to a halt. Remember that you cannot control stress but you can control how you respond to it. Kinesiology is an amazing therapy that can help you to relieve stress from subconscious areas of your brain. Click here to book in for an appointment. Stressguard is a great natural herbal blend full of potent Ayurvedic herbs for managing stress and anxiety.
Find your Supportive Community
Having a supportive community can be extremely beneficial when trying to lose weight. Research has shown that social support can play a key role in weight loss success. Some of the ways that a supportive community can help include:
Providing accountability: Having people who are counting on you to show up for workouts or make healthy food choices can help you stay on track.
Offering motivation: When you're feeling down or unmotivated, your community can remind you of your goals and why you started.
Giving feedback: Getting feedback on your progress can help you make necessary adjustments to your plan.
Providing education and resources: A supportive community can offer information and resources to help you make healthier choices.
Creating a sense of belonging: The sense of belonging can help to increase adherence to your weight loss goals.
It is important to find a community that aligns with your values, goals and lifestyle. Check out my 12 week program, Healthy Habits Healthy Life, to kick start your weight loss journey with a supportive and like-minded community who are also inspired to a healthier, more radiant life.
In Summary
Maintaining a healthy weight can seem to be challenging, especially if you're new to the way of Ayurveda. However, the benefits can have a lasting effect in your life. Since managing your weight is a lifetime commitment, it's important to go at a sensible pace and not pressure yourself to lose weight fast. Nourish yourself and in time, your routine will become second nature and radiant health is easily attainable.
In time, the wisdom of Ayurveda can help you in reclaiming you health and well-being. Taking charge and committing to your wellness journey will let you have a renewed sense of enthusiasm for life, and will greatly contribute to a much more radiant you.
Not sure where to start? Book in for a FREE 30min Body Goals Session. I can help you to get crystal clear on your health and wellbeing goals, and a solid plan to achieve them.