Ayurveda attributes being overweight to having excess Kapha Dosha. One of the key principles of Ayurveda is that like increases like while the opposite balances. There are similar characteristics of excess weight and kapha. Both of them are heavy, slow, cool, oily, dense, soft, stable and substantive.
This therefore means that the kapha in the body can easily be triggered by being overweight and also having excess also trigger gaining of excessive weight.
To create balance between excessive weight and Kapha, you need to introduce something of the opposing influences. The things to be introduced need to be sharp, rough, hot, dry, liquid, mobile and subtle.
This means that weight loss is available to everyone; the journey might take time but the results are worth the wait. Ayurveda weight management approach does not focus on short term gains that are short-lived such as starving yourself for some time from your favorite foods. It instead introduces you to a clear, time-tested path to health that is sustainable.
This approach will need some level of discipline especially in the beginning since the body is not used but within no time the body will automatically adjust to the new norm. The unhealthy cravings will be replaced by more balanced cravings that will be working for the body.
The Ayurveda diet plans encourages and points out to the importance of eating healthy and balanced meals in the weight loss journey. In order to lose weight, the experts recommend you to take three meals with enough calorie content in a day. These three meals are the breakfast, lunch and supper.
Food with low levels of calorie can lead to slow metabolism. It is however highly discouraged from snacking in between these three meals.
Ensure that you take these meals consistently at the same time every day since this ensures there is predictability in the routine. This works for both your metabolism and nervous system.
Ayurveda approach recommends taking your breakfast at 8 am, lunch at 12 pm and supper at 6 pm. However, this might not be ideal according to your daily routine and it is therefore it is advisable to create meal times that are compatible with your routine.
The digestive fire is at its best between 11 am to 2 pm and therefore it is advisable to take your lunch or heavy meal at this time for your body to benefit more. The dinner should be light and this will be the biggest support to your weight loss process.
As you start your weight loss journey, taking 15 minutes of Yoga might seem as a minor step but it plays a key role in the process using the Ayurveda approach. Yoga is a crucial body practice that does not only benefit the body but also the mind and spirit.
Yoga ensures the body is awake, lubricated and cleansed. It also massages the organs of digestion and elimination, tones the joints and muscles, ensures the circulation increases, kindles the internal healthy heat, activated the digestive fire and ensures the body detoxifies.
Therefore, for successful weight loss, you need to take 15 minus every day for Yoga. This will set stage for a successful day that is influenced by clarity of mind and a natural inclination to honor your body and yourself in general. If you are able you can do for more than 15 minutes but ensure that you do it for at least 15 minutes.
To eliminate the amount of cortisol in your body make it a routine to take at least 10 minutes every morning and evening to meditate. The cortisol is the stress hormone and once it is eliminated from your body, the body will, be able to burn more fat.
Eating is a sacred act of love and therefore it is important to ensure that you eat in a calm and peaceful environment. When you eat with peace you are able to tell clearly when you are full.
According to the Ayurveda diet charts it is important to consume seasonal foods that are available locally in order to promote normal digestion. During the fall and winter it is recommended you eat plenty of roots vegetables. Avoid potatoes and sweet potatoes, nuts, stored grains and seeds.
Eat lots of leafy green vegetables, spouts and fruits during the warm season.
Consuming kapha is one of the causes of excessive weight gain and it can also cause greed, attachment, excessive sleep, resistance to change, congestions, heaviness in mind and body, slow metabolism among other things. To help clear the excess kapha from the system and effects change in the body it is important to eat kapha pacifying diet.
Kapha pacifying diet helps in neutralizing the excess kapha by emphasizing foods that are light, dry, warm, rough and easy to digest. Please avoid consuming processed food, cold or stale foods and instead opt for freshly prepared ones.
It is important to always remember that Ayurveda approach to weight loss does not require one to completely drop the food you love taking but instead requires you to moderate the food you consume for easy balance restoration in the body.
The Ayurveda weight loss approach recommends one to follow a fixed routine to create a soothing effects to the nervous system. This will also help in reducing stress and in turn enable weight loss.
In your daily routine ensure that you:
Every weight loss strategy needs aerobic exercise as one of the core components. In additional to the Yoga practice engage in excises that is refreshing, doable and fun to you.
If you find yourself so busy and have less time to exercise, ensure that you commit a few minutes of your time for at least three days a week. This will be help a lot in your weight loss journey.
The Ayurveda approach recommends doing exercise during specific time for the best results. It is more conducive for this between 6 am to 10 am and between 6 pm to 10 pm. This is because during this period the atmospheric conditions allows an extra strength to the body stamina and the system. Therefore, to get the maximum benefits of exercise it is advisable to plan during this period. If your schedule does not allow you, you can plan for the convenient time.
You can also exercise by cycling, walking, hiking, swimming, yoga and cardio workout at the gym. When engaging in intense physical activity ensure that you have some recovery period in between these intense activities. This allows the body to rest and avoid physiological stress thus benefiting from the efforts.
Lemon water is a popular detoxifying component that has a lot of benefits to the body when consumed regularly. It is advisable to take large grass of lemon juice with warm water every day in the morning so as to boost the digestive system and also help in weight loss.
The purifying properties in lemon taken along warm water helps in enhancing metabolism and breaking fat. Lemon juice and warm water also gives you a fresh start in the morning and you feel energized throughout the day.
Meals normally makes one lethargy and sleepy and therefore for effective Weight loss it is important to take a short walk after meals so as to speed up the digestive process.
On top of the program, you will be given Ayurvedic herbs to supplement the diet adjustment. These herbs help in balancing the Kapha and managing weight.
Here are some herbs used for Ayurveda weight loss:
After successfully following the Ayurveda program, apply Panchakarma therapy to cleanse the body and remove toxins. The type of therapy to be used will depend on your choice and also the condition of your body.
Vamana therapy, for instance, which is medical induced vomiting removes excess Kapha Dosha from the body. This will help you in balancing the Kapha Dosha in the body and you will lose the excess accumulated fat.