1. EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE
Exercise is very important because according to Ayurveda, we have to keep 3 things in movement: our body, our breath and our bowels. We fully understand that starting an exercise routine can be very challenging. So check with your physician beforehand and start with easy exercises that don’t challenge you too much. It makes no sense to knock yourself out with your first workout and then spend many days recovering before continuing with your second workout. Much better is to take it easy and build up slowly over time. Consistency is the key! With that said, start your day by waking up just before sunrise. Drink a glass of warm water with fresh lemon juice or with 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. Then begin your exercise routine; go for a run or a brisk walk (30-40 min) or do some HIT exercises, stretching or a yoga routine. Allow 5-10 min of cool down or rest at the end of your workout. As mentioned before, start slowly, especially if you haven’t been active for a while, and build up through consistent practice over time.
2. NO DAYTIME SLEEPING
Daytime sleeping increases kapha dosha in the body, slows down your metabolism and increases your weight. So, unless you are a highly stressed vata constitution or it is excessively hot where you live, or your lifestyle involves strong physical activity, you should not be sleeping at all during daytime.
3. SHORT WALKS AFTER EACH MEAL (5 MIN)
Keep it simple: after each meal, walk around the room or up and down your staircase or in your garden for 5 min. This triggers your metabolism to burn off the carbohydrates from the food and reduces insulin resistance.
4. RIGHT FOOD ACCORDING TO YOUR CONSTITUTION
Once you know your constitution (by consulting an Ayurvedic Physician), eat about 80% of the time the food that is recommended for you. A Kapha constitution for example has to be particularly careful with weight gain and should follow all mentioned guidelines strictly for that reason.
5. EATING THE RIGHT AMOUNT AT THE RIGHT TIME
Eat your main meal at around lunchtime and eat only when you are hungry. Never overeat, instead, stop eating way before you feel full. About 1 quarter of your stomach should remain empty. That’s the way to go in order to keep your agni strong and your body free of metabolic toxins. If your job involves a lot of sitting, better stick to just 2 meals per day and replace one meal with a healthy juice or fruits. Do not eat carbohydrates for dinner (or only very little) and finish your dinner early. We recommend to eat dinner before 7pm and your bedtime should be at around 11pm latest.
6. DON’T DRINK LIQUIDS DURING YOUR MEAL
We recommend to finish your meal with a glass of warm water. You may also sip warm water during your meal, but only small amounts. Drinking liquids will dilute your digestive juices and will slow down the process of digestion.
