Now that we know the particulars of what may be hampering your weight loss, let’s take a look how we can support your body’s systems with high-quality essential oils. I’m sure everyone has turned off those screens to revamp their sleep schedules, calculated their BMR, assessed their caloric intake and nutrition, began challenging their muscles with new exercise routines and had a hormonal check-up, right?
Oh, you haven’t yet?
I know, I know. Get real, Dr. Mariza.
No one has time for all of that at once! And you are absolutely right.
Let’s do this one step at a time…baby steps are key, but we can support you each step of the way with essential oils.
CALORIC AWARENESS & NUTRITION
If you haven’t calculated your BMR to assess caloric needs, take a moment and do it now. I highly recommend setting up an app like Lose It! or My Fitness Pal to easily assess those needs and then to easily track your daily consumption. Lose It! enables you to focus on your macronutrients and see how you are balancing out your daily intake. While it may seem like a chore at first, tracking your food can empower you to know exactly how you are fueling your body and enable you to reverse engineer your mealtimes to ensure you can have that dinner out or that dessert you’ve been craving. Try it out for a month at the least – I promise your eyes will be opened at the different nutritional values foods have and what your daily intake looks like on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Now, if you are on the other end of the spectrum, you are struggling to cut the excess calories needed for healthy weight loss. First, let me say that focusing on calories isn’t the be-all-end-all that some people make it out to be. I would much rather you focus on your macronutrients – your protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates – than worry about caloric content. Caloric Awareness is something I will advocate for – knowing how many calories you need, what is at an excess, and how your daily nutrition – what you fuel your body with – makes up that grand end-of-the-day total is far more important than just focusing on calories. Besides, all calories are not equal – one donut calorie is not the same as one carrot calorie. Both are loaded with a variety of other components that can either help or hamper your body’s functioning. Caloric Awareness.
To help your body to curb those cravings, try inhaling Peppermint or Grapefruit essential oils and/or add them to your water. Studies have shown that simply inhaling the scent of Peppermint essential oil can curb cravings to potentially enhance weight loss. In addition, studies have also shown similar results for inhalation of Grapefruit essential oil. Carrying a small dram of the essential oil or wearing diffuser jewelry can help for quick sniffs throughout the day. You can also apply it to your wrists with a carrier oil for quick sniffing and metabolic benefits through the skin. (Just remember to limit your sun exposure after using Grapefruit, a phototoxic citrus oil.)
DRINKING
No, not that kind of drinking, though while we’re on it, cutting back on those calories may be a helpful way to get ahead in the weight loss game. I’m talking about staying hydrated throughout the day to sustain the body’s metabolism. As I mentioned in my recent blog Top 5 Essential Oils for Reducing Toxic Load, essential oils can flush unhealthy toxins out of your system. Lemon Essential Oil also amps up the flavor of your water, which is especially helpful if you are a water-hater. And I already mentioned the effect of Grapefruit, so why not try a different flavor in your water today and see how you like it?
NUTRITION BOOST
A 2010 study not only looked at the hunger-thirst connection but valued what great nutrient-delivery system beverages make. If you are looking for a simple way to add more nutrients, protein, or greens to your diet, drinking them may be the answer! From homemade green smoothies to nutritional shakes, there are plenty of options to keep your body primed for optimum wellness and positive change. Plus the added protein can keep you feeling fuller longer throughout the day. Check out my favorite green smoothie recipe here.
EXERCISE
Before, during, and after any workout, essential oils can prepare your mind and body for the task at hand. Pre-workout, Peppermint can not only open up the airways and enhance focus but can also be applied topically to at-risk areas or sore muscles to ease tension. Add some Wild Orange to Peppermint and diffuse during your workout for an amped-up, zoned-in session. If you are working some yoga or Pilates, you may want to consider adding Lavender for a centered and calming focus as well as Peppermint to open the airways, or try dōTERRA’s new Yoga Collection, with three specific synergistic blends aimed at helping you to Anchor, Align, and Arise!
During your workout, you can continue to fuel your body with Lemon or Grapefruit water to stay hydrated and flush out toxins.
Post-workout, try layering Frankincense, Wintergreen, or White Fir to support any cramps or muscle soreness, as they provide a warming and tingling sensation. Add a warm, wet compress on top to push the oils in deeper and really penetrate problem areas.
dōTERRA BONUS – Deep Blue® Soothing Blend & More
If you’re an athlete, a runner, or an avid workout fiend and you haven’t given Deep Blue a try, you don’t know what you’re missing! Get it now! Olympic athletes have posted pictures of their “must-have” items and there is Deep Blue waiting to win some gold. Seriously, people…there are several different versions of the Deep Blue – an oil blend, a rollerball version, a Touch blend (diluted rollerball), a Deep Blue Rub, and a Deep Blue Polyphenol Complex® softgel. No matter what your need, Deep Blue should be the first thing that you reach for and it will be a part of your workout routine always.
BODY BLISS
The bottom line here is that getting your body in check with proper nutrition, caloric awareness, hydration, and exercise will begin a transformation. Your goal should always be to take care of your body first and lose weight second. Just try these suggestions and see what a difference it can make in a month’s time. You may even feel better after seven to 10 days!
Read part 1, What’s Hampering Your Weight Loss and part 3, Essential Oil Balance for Mind and Body of this series focusing on Sleep and Hormones!
Filling your body with the right fuels has an incredible impact on your energy. Learn some of my other techniques for boosting your energy naturally with my “Top 10 Energy-Boosting Remedies” Guide. You can download it here free:
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