The pandemic had a negative effect on people’s weight. There was no more going out and working out. People were in their homes, eating and sitting at their desks. Here, instead of going on crash diets and working out only once in a couple of weeks, one must adopt a lifestyle that can be done frequently, is fun and brings long term benefits.

Ayurveda is an ancient system of healthcare from India that has tips for diet, stress management, exercising and more. These can be learned at a dedicated Ayurvedic college like MAMC. Alternatively, one can refer to the following for some ways to lose weight.

Losing Weight in the Ayurvedic Way

Ayurveda categorises all people into three groups, Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Each of these is a combination of the five elements, earth, water, air, space and fire. These doshas determine the mental and physical condition of a human being. Based on the dosha, Ayurvedic doctors will recommend diet, exercise plans and medical treatments.

To be overweight, according to Ayurveda, means there is an excess of Kapha dosa. Too much of any dosha is dangerous and it must be balanced out. Ayurvedic recommendations are for mindful eating, reducing stress and an overall healthy lifestyle. When done routinely with daily exercise and yoga, Ayurveda can lead to weight loss.

For help with weight loss through Ayurveda, one can approach an Ayurvedic hospital in Bhopal. The professionals there would recommend one of the following tips to help lose weight.

Best Tips to Lose Weight Through Ayurveda

There are several tips and tricks one can adopt from Ayurveda that will help one lose weight. It is important to note that not each tip will work for everyone and one must visit a professional for more help. However, to get started, the following are some weight loss from Ayurveda.

Dosha Specific Diet: As specified above, there are three doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The diet and food recommendations for each dosha are different. With regular exercise and these dosha specific diet plans, individuals would lose weight. To start, Vata dosha people should have small meals throughout the day each of which must be warm and with vegetables. Avoid yoghurt, chickpeas, dried fruit, raw vegetables etc. The Pitta dosha group of people have the strongest digestive systems of all doshas. For them, foods to eat in controlled amounts must be pungent, sour and salty. Pitta dosha should avoid bread, brown rice, pungent vegetables, dark meat etc. The last dosha, Kapha dosha have the slowest metabolism and require warm cooked meals. Start the day with warm lemon water and include bitter and pungent foods. Avoid pasta, wheat, kidney beans, freshwater fish etc.

Three Full Meals: Ayurveda recommends having three meals every day. The meals must be satisfying, healthy and also must be easily digestible. The ingredients for the meals should be as per the dosha mentioned above. Using the right spices and striking a balance in all the different tastes is essential. The amount of food eaten should not be too much or too little. For optimum weight loss, avoid snacking and give time to digest the previous meal. Lunch should be the main meal of the day and eaten between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The lightest meal must be dinner and must be consumed between 5 p.m to 6 p.m but not later than 7 p.m. Have a gap of at least two hours before sleeping. Lastly, eat each meal mindfully and without electronics and distractions.

Daily Yoga and Exercise: All the BAMS college in MP and India will teach individuals to exercise daily. Only diet alone will not help in weight loss but with exercise, the process will speed up. Daily exercise or three times a week minimum is perfect for a home exercise routine. Try taking a brisk walk, jog or HIIT. Fun activities like dancing and swimming can also be done. Just like with eating, there is a time frame within which one must exercise, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the morning where the exercise routine can be of up to 30 minutes. Yoga training also can be done which has proven long term benefits for people of all ages.

Sleep: All efforts put into diet and exercise will fall short of showing results if one has inadequate sleep. Numerous studies have shown that less sleep contributes to weight gain and poor health. Ayurveda recommends going to sleep by 10 p.m at night and waking up before sunrise, ideally at 6 a.m. This timing is as per nature’s cycle and ensures that the individual has the full day to work, exercise and more. When deciding sleep times, one must also take note of the dosha of the individual and must be done to make sure they are getting enough sleep. Being consistent with the decided sleep times and soon all the diet and exercise efforts will start showing results.

Hydration: It is no mystery that human beings need to consume a certain amount of water daily to keep their bodies running perfectly. Ayurveda talks about fire or the digestive system in people. Drinking water every day is a requirement to keep the digestive fire burning. In the morning, the fire is the weakest and one can start with a glass of warm water. Avoid cold drinks and drinks with ice as they might extinguish the fire. Additionally, throughout the day keep drinking herbal teas and also aim for less caffeine consumption. Toxins gathering in our bodies due to unhealthy food and pollution can also be flushed out with water.

Benefits of an Ayurvedic Diet

An Ayurvedic way of life including diet has a lot of advantages for the average human being. Some of these benefits have been outlined below.

  • Ayurveda focuses on local and in-season fruits and vegetables. An overall Ayurvedic diet plan will focus more on unprocessed food items.
  • There are no restrictions regarding any particular food item or group of foods. There are, however, foods to avoid per dosha.
  • Ayurvedic college in MP and India teaches students about mindful eating. Paying attention to what is being eaten allows one to savour and appreciate the meal. There is also less chance of overeating.
  • Ayurveda professionals will also recommend exercising and yoga sessions to be done regularly. Not only is one eating healthy but is also burning it.
  • This is a highly flexible way of life. There are several options for meals, dishes and also exercise. It is also quite sustainable in the long run.

Losing weight is a feat that is hard to achieve that requires much discipline and consistent efforts. Ayurveda is the perfect system of achieving internal and external health as well through diets, exercises, meditation and more.