Snacking, Weight Loss, and the Holidays

This time of year is always hard for those of us who must make conscious efforts to maintain a healthy weight. Food becomes an intimate part of the holidays, as friendships are often celebrated with feasts. So when I ran across a summary of a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association describing the effects of snacking on weight loss, I was reminded of how universal Ayurvedic principles can be.

The study found that snacking was a hindrance to weight loss, and the researchers propose that it is because the interval between eating times was too short. This makes complete sense if you think about the concept of agni —the digestive fire. If you keep assaulting your digestive fire with continuous input, it is never going to function optimally!

This is one of the core principles in an Ayurvedic approach to weight loss—be kind to your agni. It’s a tough tip to remember when the season calls for delicious baked goodies, meals loaded with all your favorite dishes, and treats around every corner. A regular exercise routine has become my friend, to not only use up the delicious calories I’ve consumed, but to also release the various happy juices that the body naturally produces to keep up the holiday cheer. And when my kapha needs a little herbal kick to keep it moving, I also look to the Ayurvedic herbs in Trim Support. So if your kapha shares my kaphas tendency to accumulate during this season, just start with keeping a good daily routine, and make splurging a true treat rather than the norm during the holidays.