The sweltering summer heat can make people feel drowsy, causing them to forgo their normal workouts. Toss in big meals and mindless bingeing, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. As a result, you’ve gained weight that you don’t desire. So, what are your options?
Worry not, since Ayurvedic practitioner Dr Dixa Bhavsar just shared 5 ideas on Instagram to help you stay in shape this summer.
Breakfast might be skipped or eaten lightly.
The digestive capacity (agni) is comparatively poor in the summer. As a result, eating three large meals may result in weight gain. As a result, if you aren’t hungry in the morning, skip breakfast or eat light things like fruits, vegetable juices, or only almonds for breakfast.
Drink flavoured beverages and herbal teas to stay cool.
To maintain homeostasis, our bodies require more water and cooling beverages as the temperature rises. So, instead of fizzy drinks, drink plenty of water that has been naturally cooled in earthen pots, as well as infused drinks made with cooling herbs like mint, coriander, and cucumber.
Cooling herbal teas such as hibiscus, mint, cumin, fennel, coriander, chamomile, rose, lavender, and brahmi can also aid weight management.
Fruits are preferable to juices.
Many seasonal fruits are available during the summer, and we are frequently tempted to indulge in milkshakes and fruit juices. However, Ayurveda advises against mixing fruits and milk (viruddha ahara). So, instead of having both together, drink milk before bedtime for a good night’s sleep and a cooling impact, and eat fruits separately.
Fruit juices also have fewer fibre, sugar, and calories, and Ayurveda recommends eating complete foods. So, rather of drinking juices, eat fruits (chewing them also aids efficient digestion and metabolization).
After dinner, don’t eat anything.
The days are long and hot in the summer, while the nights are short and cool. As a result, people prefer to sleep late and may even feel hungry after dinner, as the pitta dominant period between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. stimulates appetite. However, eating at that hour may result in indigestion and weight gain. Dinner should be eaten before sunset or by 8 p.m., and late-night eating should be avoided.
If you’re hungry, drink a 12-glass glass of cow milk before bed, which will help you sleep better and have an easier bowel movement the next morning.
Continue to be active.
Mild activity (that does not tyre you) is required on a daily basis.
Walking, dancing, cooling pranayamas, swimming, Pilates, cardio, yoga asanas, and so on are all options.
“If you want to avoid gaining weight over the summer, try these five methods. It also aids in the loss of extra weight obtained as a result of eating and resting more and being less physically active,” stated Dr. Bhavsar.