Healthy Ayurveda Diet To Burn Fat & Lose Weight
Ayurveda and Weight Loss
As Thursday’s topic is Health, today’s article deals with diet and weight loss from an Ayurvedic perspective. In the article Introducing Ayurveda – Alternative Medicine for Self Healing the great holistic science of Self Healing and Healthy Living, Ayurveda, was introduced. A key concept in Ayurveda is that of the 3 Doshas (humours): Vata, Pitta & Kapha. A combination of these 3 bodily humours are responsible for the makeup of our human body. This article is focused on the Kapha Dosha, which is responsible for fat and is the prevalent dosha in those who are overweight and obese. Thus, from a Yogic and Ayurvedic point on view, in order to burn fat and lose weight one must reduce Kapha in the body.
As a quick review the following 3 most important points about Ayurveda need to be remembered:
1. The qualities of Kapha Dosha are: Wet, Cold, Heavy, Dull, Soft, Sticky & Fixed
2. Ayurvedic healing is based on the following 2 principles
- Like Increases Like
- Opposites Decrease Each Other
3. There are many treatment methods in Ayurveda and of these we are focusing on Diet for weight loss in this article. In future posts I will detail other Ayruvedic recommendations to reduce weight, burn fat and get fit.
So keeping the above in mind here are Ayurveda’s dietary recommendations for how to combat obesity, reduce fat and promote healthy weight loss.
General Diet Composition to Lose Weight & Burn Fat (Kapha Reduction)
- 30-40% of your diet should be whole grains.
- 20-30% protein (from both vegetarian and non-vegetarian sources)
- 40-50% mostly vegetables and some fruit.
Specific Dietary Recommendations to Lose Weight & Burn Fat (Kapha Reduction)
- Since like increases like, the qualities of Kapha should be a guide to help you choose the right type of foods to eat. So looking at it from that perspective one should reduce fatty foods, dairy, ice cream, meats (specially red meat) etc.
- For drinks, stick to hot drinks instead of cold ones. Again use Kapha qualities as a road map to help you choose. Drink teas, hot water, instead of cold sodas and milk shakes.
- Since opposites decrease each other, use more hot spices in your food. Ginger, cinnamon, coriander and other hot spices will all work to help you reduce Kapha, which is the key to reducing weight. The tastes you should shoot for in your diet are pungent, bitter and astringent. Foods with these tastes are all anti-Kapha and will assist in burning fat. The tastes you should generally avoid are sweet, sour and salty.
- Similarly increase salads, beans, dry cereals and cooked grains in your diet. Eating foods with Vata and Pitta qualities will increase those doshas in your body and will work against increasing Kapha.
- Eat one big meal a day and make it either your lunch or your breakfast.
- To avoid snacking, have a glass of hot lemonade made with honey. This will help burn fat and keep away the hunger.
Conclusion:
I hope what you begin to see with Ayurveda is that it gives you the knowledge and framework within which you can then customize the treatments you need using your intelligence. That’s why I call Ayurveda the science of Self Healing. Once you know the basic concepts, you can readily apply them to deal with any health situation that life throws at you. Specifically for weight loss understand the qualities of Kapha Dosha and tailor your diet and life style to reduce it. When you reduce Kapha you reduce fat. From a dietary perspective, simply reduce intake of food with the same qualities and increase intake of food with opposite qualities.
To help you further in your weight loss objectives you may wish to sign up for the Free Online Healthy Weight Loss Via Yoga, Breathing & Meditation Program – Course #104.
Internet Resources Below
Ayurveda Resources:
The Ayurvedic Institute
American Institude of Vedic Studies
Other Weight Loss Resources:
FDA Nutrition & Weight Loss Q&A
How to Use Fruits & Vegetables to Manage Your Weight (Center for Disease Control & Prevention)
Tips for Exercise Success (American Heart Association)
How to Stop Emotional Eating (Mayo Clinic)
Can u please tell me some home based remedies and food to loss fat and weight..
Mera weight bahut bad gaya hai so mai ek 15yr kai chidren hu mera ekdam sai wajan badgaya tha to mai kya karu… Pls tell. Me
very good article it makes sense & I have heard of this before
it’s not weight loss program for me. It should be fat-loss program. Try to search for acaiberry fruit. It contains cleansing elements that will remove unwanted wastes and fats from your body. Double it with a little exercise.
Wow! Such a great and informative diet methods. This article maybe the steps of making life awareness. Thanks.
This is really an innovative and revolutionary diet method to lose fat. Thanks for the post !
Finally a weightless plan that promotes a varied diet and makes sense. I like cinnamon and hot spices in my food so this seems like a really good plan for me. The hot lemonade tip really works as well! Great post!
100% agree with you article.
this is very great articles,
but did you know that one of the biggest problem for someone to success in weight loss is lack of self motivation.
What is your opinion about this problem?
Hey, this is quite unique approach in losing weight and burning fat. I never heard about Ayurveda before, thanks for writing this article. I like the hot lemonade tip to avoid snacking.
Greetings
Weight Loss For Women
Hi, This sounds like a sensible weight loss plan. I am glad a strict diet is not advocated. This plan is easy to follow and advocates walking the middle path away from black and white thinking. This is excellent. Thanks for sharing.
Monika,
Hi – we are working on posting an article on how to gain weight – keep an eye out for it :-)
Peace,
Trupti
Hello, Can you please also post an article on how to gain weight with the help of right yoga/exercise and food especially for those having tough time to gain weight. Thanks in advance.
Very informative article! Added value for my health!
what is a diet to gain weight
thank u
This was truly a relevant post, in which readers could get important facts that will help us know more about diet plans how to do it in the safest way.
Thanks for sharing this!
Nice and simple explanation.I consider that diet pill still risky but Healthy A yurveda Diet is alluring for me.Thanks for letting me know.
Hi Alex,
Welcome to my world :-D. I too have a fast metabolism and struggle more to gain weight than to lose it. Believe me you have the better end of the deal.
It is a complex topic actually what foods not to mix, and I will put together an article to cover that in the future.
Please read the article on Introduction to Ayurveda. Your body type is most certainly Vata, so to keep vata from getting exacerbated, you food and lifestyle should include pitta & kapha components.
So yes you should eat more heavily than normally recommended, but I would suggest a nice healthy lifestyle to go with that, so you convert extra calories into good energy and fitness.
All Good Wishes,
Anmol