We all know losing weight in winter is more challenging than in any other month of the year. Days shorter, nights longer, exercise lower, sleep further, and the result weight gain.
To add further, winter is the season of celebrations and holidays. Healthy meals take a back seat giving way to high-calorie meals. Drinking too is not uncommon during this time. Though, it is natural in winter to have craving for comfort food, holidays top up this temptation.
Winter is a time when our body slows down, amass and restores energy for the next season. Winter unwinding often transforms into sluggish and sedentary lifestyle. According to bariatrics, people gain 1-2 pounds during winter and most of it happens in the month of December.
If you are trying to lose weight that you have already put on or are trying to maintain a healthy weight, this article comprises of effective ways to steer clear of weight gain this season.
Ayurvedic Ways to Avoid Winter Weight Gain
While everybody's weight gain can be due to different factors, Kapha remains the prime player in adding up those extra pounds during winter. As per Ayurveda, our body is constituted of three vital energies namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The winter is said to be the month when Kapha dosha increases. To bring back balance in our body, this vital energy needs to be calmed down.
By applying the three pillars of Ayurveda i.e., diet, lifestyle and herbs, losing weight becomes less challenging. Ayurvedic ways are longstanding and effective, but it calls for self-effort, discipline and patience.
The Three Pillars of Ayurveda
The Diet
To keep digestive fire strong, avoid food that are too oily and hard to digest. Heavy food choices along with sedentary lifestyle slacks digestion. In place of opting for fried and calorie-rich food, go for food that aids weight loss and detoxifies body. Instead of reaching out for high-calorie food, opt for seasonal fruits and vegetables that are rich in fibre. They are filling and bring the craving and binge eating effectively under control.
Avoid snacking in between meals. Three meals a day is the ideal requirement of our body. Snacking in between the meals slows down the calorie burning process and the fat gets stored up in the body. Including the ingredients like turmeric, ginger, licorice, etc in your diet is of great benefit. They are effective liver tonics, reboot digestion and helps healthy weight loss.
Sunlight plays a vital role in the functioning of digestive system. Getting adequate vitamin D aids healthy weight loss and the deficiency causes weight gain. Ayurveda recommends opting for natural sunlight is best rather than popping synthetic vitamin D.
The body depends on various vitamins to maintain ideal health. Vitamin D, vitamin C, iron and magnesium are four well-known weight managing vitamins.
The Lifestyle:
Exercise and yoga have manifold health benefits. If your core constitution is Vata, mild yoga and exercise is said to be enough, but if you have Kapha constitution, you will need intense work outs that will make you sweat.
Regular exercises keep the digestive fire active, stimulates metabolism and helps in long-term weight loss. If cold weather stops you from going for outdoor exercises, discover some indoor ones. There are various options to exercise while staying indoors in order to achieve success.
Avoid daytime snoozing. It slows down metabolism and results in sluggish digestion.
The Herbs:
Taking herbal supplements that are specifically formulated for weight loss speeds up weight loss process. Various herbs like giloy, ajwain, daruhaldi, haritaki, pippal, nirgundi, punarnava boosts metabolism, fuels up digestion and induces weight loss. Red aloe and green coffee beans are potent fat burners. They convert fat stored in the body into energy.
By emulating three pillars of Ayurveda, achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is plausible.
Summing Up
While making proper diet and lifestyle changes, getting adequate sleep and staying hydrated is absolutely necessary in weight loss, taking proper herbal remedies help hasten up this process. They stabilize appetite, improves metabolism, strengthens digestion, and detoxifies gastrointestinal tract.
