Why listening to your hunger can actually create a balanced weight

Why listening to your hunger can actually create a balanced weight.

You may have heard tips on how to loose weight by NOT listening to your hunger but to suppress it. Well, according to Ayurveda, the science of life and the traditional Indian health system, we think otherwise. Let’s have a look at some common weight loss myths below.

Myth 1
Drink a pint of cold water before a meal
In Ayurveda we think of the digestion as a fire, or Agni. Agni is the principle of transformation. The fire which transforms our food as well as sensory and emotional impressions. Your digestive fire is in your stomach. If your Agni is balanced you can digest your food easily. It will tell you when you are hungry and you will listen and obey your Agni. It will transform your food and beverages into nourishment and help the elimination process.

Pouring a pint of cold water onto your fire will diminish or even put it out. This means that any food you do add will not be digested, assimilated or eliminated well. In fact it might lead to indigestion and poor absorption.

Instead
Listen to your true hunger. Enjoy your meal by really tasting the flavours, aroma and presentation. Eat slowly and chew well. Create a routine of set meal times three times a day. Making your meal times a habit for both mind and body.

Myth 2
Ignore your food cravings
Very often your food cravings are in fact what your body craves. Especially if you are healthy and in balance. Ignoring them causes irritation and eventually you will succumb and binge eat.

Instead
In Ayurveda we consider six different tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. If you crave sweets like chocolate perhaps substitute with sweet tastes in your meals. Add more rice, sweet potatoes, carrots and grains. Maybe you miss salty snacks then add seaweed to your dinner and a small amount of soy sauce – rather than crisps. Or perhaps you crave the bitterness of coffee? Include kale, broccoli and turmeric to your diet.

For those of us with cravings for sweets consider what other sweetness you miss in your life. Add sweet experiences such as a massage or self massage, the fragrance of beautiful flowers in your environment, honour the sweetness and beauty of nature or scented candles. We can often satisfy cravings with other senses than just through taste and food.

Myth 3
Calorie counting
Diets should be about nutrients and nourishment. Eating a couple of chocolate bars will quickly add up to your “recommended” allowance of calories – but adds no nutrition. You can eat a whole load of lettuce leaves with very few calories. But it will be very limited in the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, fats, calories, fibres etc. you really need. And, to be honest, very boring.

Of course you need calories depending on how energetic and active you are. But think of nurturing yourself rather than just calculating calories.

Instead
Listen to your healthy cravings, your digestive fire and your appetite. Ayurveda is really about learning to listen to your inner wisdom. Eat local seasonal produce. Go to the farmers marked. Create easy-to-digest meals with simple ingredients. Your Agni, digestive fire, can easily transform warm, light meals into nourishment.

Avoid ready meals, microwave dinners, left-overs and old food such as canned or tinned food. These foods often contain an excess of salt, sugars or sugar alternatives and preservatives. It is more difficult for your Agni to transform it and there is basically less nutrients.

And finally
We are all unique. You need to listen to your body wisdom and to honour your body. A healthy digestion is one of the pillars of health according to Ayurveda. Listening to your Agni is paramount to your health and wellbeing. Take time to get your ingredients, honouring your time cooking and serving the food. Eat with the senses of sight, smell and taste. And enjoy it.

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