Ancient weight loss: Shedding pounds the Ayurvedic way

If you’ve kept tabs on the weight loss industry over the years you’ll know how quickly diets come and go, and how the same can be said about various fad products.

1-1267027352CK1k

Something that has been progressively becoming more common is an Ayurvedic approach to weight loss. Recommended by the likes of Dr. Pankaj Naram, this is quickly becoming one the favorite ancient methods to shed the pounds. It shares very few principles with that of a “standard diet“, but the results by some people are extraordinary to say the least.

While you could probably read hundreds and hundreds of pages about Ayurvedic to truly understand it, we have condensed the subject into the following tips which highlight how you should approach this form of weight loss if you’re looking to try something new.

Before we begin, it’s worth mentioning that the Ayurvedic philosophy suggests that being overweight is because of too much kapha dosha. This is a biological energy that’s classed as heavy, slow, oily as well as several other properties that are also used to describe obesity. The suggestion through the Ayurvedic principle is simple; you must balance your body’s energies, by overturning the amount of kapha, in a bid to return your body into a light, sharp and mobile state. The following tips are how you can change such energy in your body.

Yoga is essential

This is one of the primary tasks that an Ayurvedic approach will insist on. The general advice is that you should be turning to at least fifteen minutes of yoga every morning when you wake up.

Sure, there might be some raised eyebrows at this – how exactly does yoga relate to weight loss? Well, directly it probably doesn’t, but in an indirect way it can set the stage for a successful Ayurvedic approach. It can relieve stress, unhealthy cravings and generally balance your body. Ultimately, it’s this balance which is a core element of this ancient approach.

Use your diet to beat Kapha

This is probably a more expected tip. The aim of the Ayurvedic philosophy is simple; you need to overcome your kapha imbalance. To do this, relying on a relevant diet is an ideal starting point.

You should be aiming to cleanse any kapha from your system by relying on foods which go against this form of energy. You should be turning to light, dry and digestible snacks, whilst taking the usual dietary considerations into account such as only turning to whole foods, and non-processed ones.

Exercise at the right times of the day

If you look at this approach to weight loss in complete detail, you’ll see that there’s no magic formula – it does address both dietary and exercise requirements.

In relation to the latter, the recommendation is to exercise at least three times a week. Not only this, but exercising at the right times is paramount to success. There are “kapha times”, which fall between 6am and 10am, and 6pm and 10pm. Both of these allow our body to work a little harder and ultimately gain better results.