Looking for the best yoga asanas for weight loss? Youve come to the right place. Perhaps the best part about yoga is that it will help you lose weight but also while building muscle and improving flexibility!

Yoga is touted as a way to burn fat without breaking a sweat! But is this really true? Were here to tell you

Hell yeah, it is!

Yoga has many benefits,including helping you lose weight!

Aside from thephysical side of it that helps you burn calories, the main reason yoga can help you lose weight actually comes from the mental side of it.

We all know that stress leads to a poor diet. Yoga helps to greatly reduce stress, which not only helps you make better decisions but also lowers cortisol levels.

Cortisol is the stress hormone that causesweight gain. Lowering your cortisol levels will help you naturally lose weight.

As far as the physical aspect of it Wed like to remind you that you will get out of it what you put into it.

Anyone can go through the motions in yoga withoutreally trying. Yoga is about challenging your mind and your body and taking it to new lengths. If you challenge yourself, you will burn more calories, and you will lose more weight.

Asana is roughly translated from Sanskrit as pose or posture. This simply means a yoga pose.

The literaltranslation actually means to be in a comfortable seated position. This comes from the branch of yoga called ashtanga yoga, and it refers to the physical exertion andalso the mental relaxation that happens in yoga. Practicing these asanas will bring you awareness both internally and externally.

The poses below also have their Sanskrit name beside them.

Many of the poses below have the instructions to repeat on the other side. This means that it is a two-sided pose, and it only works muscles in one side of the body at a time. Always repeat the pose on both sides of the body to build strength and flexibility equally in the body.

Traditionally, your hands should be touching the floor in front of you in this pose, but we like the extra shoulder stretch!

Spread your feet 3-4 feet apart, and bend forward at the HIPS, not the waist. This means that your back should be as straight as possible when you bend, and you should not simply hunch forward.

If youre bending properly, you will actually feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings. Practice in front of the mirror to try to get the correct form.

Hold for 5-6 breaths.If you feel comfortable enough, clasp the hands behind the back. Try to bring them up towards the ceiling to give the arms and shoulders an extra stretch.

This is one of the best poses for stretching the hips. Many people tend to have tight hips from sitting in front of a computer all day. It will also help increase your flexibilityfor the splits if that happens to be one of your goals.

Keep in mind that your hands can be wherever you want them to be in this asana, and their location often determines what muscles you are stretching.

If youraise the arms up and tilt them backward, you will bring this stretch into the back as well as the hips. You can also bring the arms down to your sides and behind you a bit to stretch the lower back. The third option is to rest them on the knee in front of you, although you wont get as deep of a stretch in the hips.

Make sure your front knee is as close to 90 degrees as possible.

Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

This is a great yoga asana for weight loss because it directly works the tummy! Youll feel your ab muscles working hard as you try to hold this pose.

Put your palms down on the ground for balance, and raise the legs first. When you feel stable enough, raise the arms so that they are parallel with the ground.

If you feel that this is too easy, try increasing the space between your knees and chest by leaning back a little and moving the knees a little farther away from you. You should feel your abs burning if youre doing it right!

Hold for 30 seconds.

If you feel comfortable in this pose, try straightening the legs for an extra challenge. This is full boat pose, and it is much more difficult to balance in.

Its no wonder that some form of the plank made this list of yoga asanas for weight loss. The plank and all of its variations are great for the abs!

Begin in regular plank position with your palms face down on the yoga mat, shoulder-width apart,and your toes together on the mat.

Tilt your feet to the left so that the outer right side of your right foot is touching the mat and the left foot is on top of the right (as pictured above).

Shift your weight onto your right hand as you remove your left hand from the ground. Slowly lift your leftarm straight up ahead of you towards the ceiling.

Your hips and shoulders should be stacked in this pose, meaning that they should directly in line with each other and not leaning forward or backward.

Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

Dont be fooled by tree pose. Its harder to balance in this pose than it looks!

Bring your left foot in to rest on the inside of your left thigh. Keep your back straight. Your body may have a tendency to lean forward when trying to balance but bring your shoulders back up.

Keep your hands pressed together at your heart to help with balance, then try lifting them above your head with your hands pointed towards the ceiling.

Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

If you need to, keep the right hand on the floor next to the left foot for support while getting into this pose.

Try to keep your front knee bent at a 90-degree angle and your outstretched leg straight.

Bring your right elbow to rest on your left knee, and bring the hands together. Press the hands into each other to increase the stretch in the back and shoulders.

Tighten your core while in this pose for an extra workout in the abs!

Hold for 5-6 breaths or up to 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side.

This is the yoga version of a squat hold and also deserved a spot amongst the yoga asanas for weight loss. You will feel it in your quadriceps.

Keep the feet together and the arms straight above you as you lower into a squatting position.

Make sure that you can still see yourfeet in front of your knees. If you cant, your knees are bent too far forward.

Try to tuck your hips in slightly, and avoid arching the back too much.

Try to get your thighs as close to parallel to the floor as possible without compromising your form.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Warrior I is often performed as a vinyasa with Warrior II and Warrior III (below). This simply means that they are performed as a flow, in which you go from one pose to another fluidly.

The warrior routine is an important part of the yoga asanas for weight loss and should not be ignored.

Warrior I is similar to a high lunge, but the back foot is pointed out at an angle rather than tucked under.

Try to keep the front knee at a 90-degree angle, but for many beginners, your stance may look like the photo above (slightly higher than 90 degrees).

Try to hold it for 30 seconds, and transition into Warrior II (below). Note: You will want to repeat all 3 of these poses as a vinyasa on the other side of the body after you are finished with the first side.

From Warrior I (above), you will simply extend the arms out to both sides, like pictured above, as you move your chest and hips to face the same direction as your back foot.

Again, try to keep the front knee at as close to a 90-degree angle as possible.

The arms should be parallel to the floor.

Try to hold it for 30 seconds, and transition into Warrior II (below). Note: You will want to repeat all 3 of these poses as a vinyasa on the other side of the body after you are finished with the first side.

Warrior III is the most difficult of this vinyasa. It may look easy enough, but holding this pose with the right form for more than a few seconds can be quite difficult for beginners!

From Warrior II, twist your chest to face the forward direction again. Bring your arms straight out in front of you for balance.

Beginners to yoga will probably need to bring the back leg up closer to the front to stay balanced before lifting it. Bring your palms together at your chest as you begin to lift your leg up in the air because it helps tremendously with balance.

Once you get into position, slowly raise your arms out in front of you. Note that the back toes should actually be pointed for true form, but beginners can work on that from the photo above.

It will take time, strength, and flexibility to improve your form in this asana. Practice in front of a mirror, and practice it often.

Try to hold for 30 seconds, and then repeat the entire vinyasa on the other side of the body.

This is considered an inversion because your body is upside down! Inversions such as headstand, forearm stand, and handstand can make yoga practice very fun!

Begin with your back on the ground, your knees slightly bent, and your feet in the air. Press your hands flat on the ground, and use them to roll yourself backward on your upper back. As you do this, bring the hands to your lower back, just above your hips, to keep yourself upright.

Slowly extend your legs toward the ceiling.

Beginner Modification: If youre having difficulty staying up, place your hands on your hips to help support your weight better.

Hold for 5-6 breaths, and work towards 30 seconds.

This is one of the more beginner yoga asanas for weight loss, but it works and feels great to stretch in!

From a standing position, take hold of your left ankle with your left hand. Shift your weight forward, and place your right hand on your right knee for support.

As you lean forward, arch your back, and press outward with your left foot. Tilt your tailbone back to support the arch in the back.

Slowly raise your right arm forward when you feel that you are comfortable in the position. Make sure that theleft leg is completely straight.

Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

While this is one of the more advanced yoga posesfor weight loss, practicing it will help you burn calories and build arm strength!

Begin in a low squat with your hands on the mat in front of you and your fingers spread wide. Your knees should be wider than your arms.

Come up on your tiptoes, and place the knees on the edges of your upper arms. Your knees shouldnt be directly on the upper arms, but closer to the edges or outside of your upper arms.

Slowly shift your weight forward until your toes are just barely touching the ground. First, try to lift one foot up in the air, then the other. Keep your back rounded and your core engaged.

The goal is to eventually be able to hold the pose and straighten the arms completely.

Practice this several times per day, and you willbuild the strength and find the balance to hold it!

Those were the 13 yoga asanas for weight loss! We have one more asana that we included not because it can help you lose weight, but because it is a rest pose.

Yoga can put a lot of strain on the muscles and the body when youre stretching or working muscles that are not usedoften. Make sure to come into childs pose any time that your body feels like it needs a rest, especially in any sort of backbends such as lord of the dance pose or wheel pose.

Bend the knees, and sit lightly between the heels. Your knees should be out wide on either side of you. Rest your forehead on the ground in front of you.

The arms can be behind you or stretched out in front of you. This is a total relaxation pose and you shouldnt be working anything in it. Just focus on resting what feels sore. Hold for 5-6 breaths or as long as you need it before moving onto the next pose.

Childs pose is often done at the end of practice as well to cool down or reflect on your practice.

Remember that the hardest part of a yoga practice is getting yourself on the mat every day! Your health and well-being should be the highestpriority.

If you liked these poses for weight loss and are DONE with feeling self-conscious about your body, you need to check out ourYoga Fat Loss Bible for Beginners!

It comes witheverything you need to get started, includinga complete 6-week workout plan, a flexibility guide, and a beginners guide to meditation!

Its agreat solution around for those looking to lose weight, get more flexible, and relieve aches and pains with a calm yoga practice.

It will show you exactly how to melt away stubborn body fat with a regular yoga practice and has the top 50 fat-burning yoga poses every beginner should learn.

You can check it out byclicking here.

Always remember that themost difficult part of doing yoga getting yourself on the mat!

If you enjoyed this article on the best yoga asanas for weight loss or have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below!

Lauren at Avocadu

Hey there! I'm Lauren McManus, one half of the Avocadu team! Together, my boyfriend Alex and I run this website! We believe in quality over quantity and that diet determines 85% or more of your health and well-being. In short, we believe in being healthy from the inside out.

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13 Yoga Asanas for Weight Loss | Avocadu

What to Look For

There are literally hundreds of over-the-counter weight loss products on the market. Most claim that they are safe and work quickly. Look for products that have be proven to be safe with no side effects, such as those containing green tea, guar gum, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), chromium picolinate or 5-HTP. Green tea extract and chromium work by increasing calorie and fat metabolism and suppressing the appetite. 5-HTP works by increasing serotonin levels to the brain and can reduce sugar and other food cravings. As an appetite suppressant, it works fairly quickly.

There are many other ingredients in over-the-counter weight loss products. It is important to remember that over-the-counter products are not subjected to the same controls as prescription drugs. While some of these may work for quick weight loss in some people, they may not be safe to take, especially for long periods of time. Products containing bitter orange and country mallow may sound safe as they are natural substances, however, both can produce unpleasant side effects. Bitter orange may produce similar side effects to ephedra, which has now been banned by the FDA.

Most supermarkets and drug stores have a good range of weight loss aids. Walgreens has good value for money products including Natrol Green Tea 500 mg capsules, Schiff Green Tea Diet Tablets and Finest Natural Green Tea Capsules. Walgreens also stocks 5-HTP and chromium picolinate. Walmart stocks a good range of affordable dietary supplements including 5-HTP, chromium picolinate and green tea extract. Other mainstream retailers include the Vitamin Shoppe, Atkins and GNC. GNC has a wide range of weight loss products including its own brand.

Over-the-counter weight loss products can cost anywhere from $4.99 to $120.00, or more, depending on the brand and quantity involved. You dont necessarily need to spend more to get a better product. Many of the cheaper brands are just as effective. Some of the more expensive brands offer a money-back guarantee, but you will have to return the product directly to the manufacturer, rather than the store where you bought it.

You may also want to try some of the cereal bars and protein shakes that are part of some weight loss plans. Look for low-sugar varieties along with whey and rice protein shakes, which you can substitute for one of your main meals.

Remember there is no real substitute for a healthy diet and exercise. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and fish, and try to exercise at least three times a week.

More here:
The Best Over-the-Counter Weight Loss Products That Work ...

You dont have to starve yourself to lose weight quickly. There are healthy ways to shed plenty of pounds, so lets talk about the fastest way to lose weight in 3weeks.

Major events like weddings, proms or graduation, can make you stress out about losing weight. Lets just go ahead and add bikini season to major events as well.

Maintaining variety in your diet might be one of the best ways to help you keep the weight off once you lose it.

Is losing weight quickly good for you?

To answer this question, Ill ask the reverse: Is keeping extra weight on your body healthy?Ever?

When it comes off fast, you are more likely to stay motivated to keep the weight loss going.

Its discouraging when youre busting your butt to lose weight, and you only see a couple of pounds come off every few weeks.

How likely are you to keep up the hard work if you dont see results?

On the other hand, its highly MOTIVATINGto see the scale apound or two each DAY, right!?

This is why our 21-Day Fat Loss Challenge (basically, a 3-week diet plan) is SO successful! The first week is a serious detox that your body needs so badly, it cant help but shed a pound or two a day for the first 7 days!

Jump-starting your weight loss can help you get and stay inspired. These tips are the fastest way to lose weight in 3 weeks without resorting to weird fads or strange supplements.

The Fastest Way to Lose Weight in 3 Weeks

I know Its tough to hear. I love my wine just as much as the next person (or a lot more).

Sure, your glass of wine has some antioxidants. Beer has some health benefits, according to WebMD. But the bottom line is this: Any trace nutrients or benefits you may get from alcoholic beverages can ALWAYS be found through higher-quality sources.

I promise you that.

Unfortunately, no matter what type of alcohol you drink, its filled with empty calories. There are about 90 to 200 calories in the average glass of wine or beer. A few of those a night can add more calories than a doughnut to your daily calorie count.

If you have been drinking moderately (or heavilywe wont judge), limiting alcohol can be a quick way to cut those calories without feeling hungry.

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol consumption can damage the liver and the pancreas.

These organs are crucial for optimal digestion of food, and they help the body convert nutrients into energy.

Keeping the liver and the pancreas healthy can help make sure that the food that you eat is going where its supposed to. It can also allow your body to regulate blood sugar adequately. Out-of-control blood sugar can lead to cravings and weight gain.

Also, your body burns close to 75% less fat by the time youve downed half of your second alcoholic beverage, according to this study.

It also uses fewer carbs for energy because it wants to use the toxic by-products created as a result of the alcohol consumption instead. You end up being more likely to store those extra carbs as fat.

If youre sensitive to a particular food ingredient, you might be unaware that its causing inflammation.

Although sugar, simple carbohydrates, dairy and highly processed foods are likely culprits, you could also be sensitive to something random, like salicylates or nightshades.

If you tend to eat a particular food regularly, try avoiding it for a few weeks just to see if something shifts. You may notice that you instantly lose the bloat or stop getting gassy in the afternoons.

Focusing on eating only fresh foods that you prepare yourself can also help you lose weight quickly.

Processed foods contain a lot of sodium and sugars, and they often have chemicals that mess with your bodys ability to function optimally.

Detoxifying your body of these chemicals will make it react better to the clean nutrients that you take in.

Honey, molasses and maple syrup are still sugars. Even though theyre not white and refined, they add needless calories to your daily intake.

Research shows that sugar is detrimental to your metabolism. When youre consuming sugar, your body uses more carbohydrates for fuel instead of turning to your fat stores.

Experts say that sugar also leads to increased fat in your belly and your liver. This can lead to insulin resistance, which means that your body isnt properly metabolizing the sugars in your blood.

Dr. Mark Hyman says that cutting out sugar is a key component of automatic weight loss. He describes what happens to your body when you consume a soda versus a bunch of broccoli with the same number of calories.

Your body still has to use up energy to burn both off; however, the soda will make insulin levels spike. It will interfere with your neurotransmitters, leading you to be even hungrier, and will also encourage your body to store fat.

When you eat the same number of calories of broccoli, your blood sugar stays balanced. The fiber helps you feel full, and you increase your bodys ability to burn fat instead of slowing it down.

Also, when you have more fat surrounding your internal organsthe kind that develops from eating too much sugarthose fat cells use up fuel more quickly.

Your body thinks youre starving yourself and slows down your metabolism in response.

Plus, it tells you to eat more so that you get more fuel.

You can begin to shut down this vicious cycle by eliminating the sugar from your diet.

When you think youve already been eating healthfully, it can be frustrating to see the number on the scale remain immobile.

Sometimes, your body needs a hard reset.

Maybe you stay away from the cheese and butter and make sure that you get plenty of protein; however, many dieters dont realize that theyre not getting enough nutritional balance from veggies.

A brief fast (up to 24 hours) followed by a heavy veggie day can help your body rebalance its ability to use fuel efficiently. It can also begin to heal an overworked digestive system.

For the next few weeks, concentrating on consuming balanced portions of protein and vegetables throughout the day will help you lose weight quickly. If youre hungry, eat more veggies!

The more variety of vegetables you consume, the less likely you are to feel deprived and binge on junk food.

Doing too much intense cardio can lead to cravings, and giving in to those cravings can derail your attempt to lose weight quickly.

Instead of worrying about burning calories, focus on keeping your body moving in a fun way throughout the day.

Go for walks. Take a hike. Do some yoga if it feels good. Dance to your favorite music. Challenge your kids to a hula hoop competition.

Youll rev up your metabolism by moving more throughout the day, and youll also keep your stress levels lower, which can help you lose weight.

Lastly, if you need a program to help you establish healthier habits, weve got you covered. This is EXACTLY what our entire 21-Day Fat Loss Challenge is centered around. Its a 3-week diet.

There is a reason that the length of the Challenge is 21 days. Its because it generally takes most people 21 days (3 weeks) to establish a habit.

The Challenge is designed to break your unhealthy habits with foods, especially sugar, refined carbohydrates, and other processed foods, and establish new, healthy habits in their place.

The best part is, the Challenge was designed in such a way that it can be repeated in multiple rounds if you have more weight to lose. The majority of our clients are over 200 lbs, and they are having fantastic success with the program.

We now have over 2,000 people in our private support group for the Challenge.

If you are READY to make a change in your life and build healthy habits for weight loss that will last a lifetime, check out our 21-Day Fat Loss Challenge to get started TODAY!

If you enjoyed this article on the fastest way to lose weight in 3 weeks or have any questions for us, please leave a comment below!

Lauren at Avocadu

Hey there! I'm Lauren McManus, one-half of the Avocadu team! Together, my boyfriend Alex and I run this website! We believe in quality over quantity and that diet determines 85% or more of your health and well-being. In short, we believe in being healthy from the inside out.

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The Fastest Way to Lose Weight in 3 Weeks | Avocadu

Diet & Weight Loss

You want to lose weight fastis it possible to crash diet safely? Dietitian Christy Brissette reveals how you can without harming your metabolism.

Marian Weyo/Shutterstock

Face it, if you want to lose weight over the long haul, your best bet is to make sustainable, long-term lifestyle changes like the nine simple ones this woman made to shed 45 pounds and keep them off. But sometimes life comes at you fast and you need a fast solution. One smart lifestyle change is to eat plenty of veggiesespecially for someone looking to lose weight. Vegetables are nutrient-packed and provide plenty of filling fiber with hardly any calories. Plus, non-starchy veggies have a high water content, so they hydrate you while filling you upthe perfect combination for weight loss.

Starchy veggies (like potatoes) and processed whole grains (like whole-wheat bread) are foods Id normally recommend eating in moderation, since they provide plenty of nutrients, fiber, and healthy carbs. However, high-carb foods arent your best friend when youre looking to drop water weight. Essentially, when your body stores excess carbs, it stores them with water. So replacing carb-heavy foods with non-starchy veggies that still provide filling fiber without as much water retention is the way to go. For a week before your event, you can swap out the starchy carbs for more non-starchy vegetables to lose some water weight. (These are 10 things experts wish you knew about water weight.)

Aim for filling at least half of your plate with non-starchy veggies like asparagus, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, spinach, kale, cucumbers, and more. This is a great idea for everyones health, not just people wanting to lose weight.

nadianb/Shutterstock

Another healthy change that will help you look better is to cut back on salt. Sodium causes your body to hold onto excess water, so eating a high-salt diet means youre likely storing more water weight than necessary. Check to see if you have any of the seven clear signs youre eating too much salt. If youre in a rush to lose weight fast, cut out added salt as much as possible. That means keep ditching the salt shaker and avoiding processed and packaged foods, where added salt is pretty much inevitable.

Try making food from scratch rather than eating out before your big event to further limit sodium and fight bloat. Even at healthier restaurants, sodium levels tend to be through the roof.

Avoiding salt doesnt mean your food has to be bland. Experiment with using different herbs and spices. Try adding fresh cilantro and cumin to grilled fish, lemon and rosemary to chicken, or ginger and Chinese five spice to tempeh or beef. Pick up some spice blends from your local market to help add more spice to your life just read the ingredients and make sure theres no salt added.

Billion Photos/Shutterstock

It seems counterintuitive to drink lots of water when youre looking to lose weight fastespecially water weightbut staying hydrated is one of the most important steps you can take to lose weight. People often mistake thirst for hunger, so staying hydrated allows you to be more in touch with the times when you are actually hungry, rather than just thirsty. Plus, a lot of good things happen to your body when you drink enough fluids.

Drinking water before you eat has also been shown to lead to increased weight loss by decreasing the amount you eat at meals. Its hard for your eyes to be bigger than your stomach when youre already full from downing plenty of water! Staying hydrated also promotes good digestion, so youre less likely to end up backed up and bloated.

Keep a water bottle with you at all times and aim for drinking eight-plus cups a day. Eliminate sugary beverages like soda, juice, or sweetened coffee or tea since theyre calorie bombs without much nutritional benefit. Throw in lemon slices or chopped fruit and herbs to your water to add flavorit will encourage you to drink more!

Read the original here:
The Only Crash Diet to Use to Lose Weight Fast | Reader's ...

One key to successful and lasting weight loss is to ensure steady blood sugar so that any extreme ups and downs are avoided. Insulin spikes and crashes cause you to fall off the wagon and make a beeline for the junk food aisle at the supermarket or the jumbo bag of chips in your pantry.4 Ways Coconut Oil Supports Weight Loss

How to best steady the blood sugar over long periods of time and between meals? The answer is regular consumption of healthy, satiating nourishing fats of course!Coconut oil for weight loss is the optimal fat to choose for this purpose. The best of the best in this category is organic virgin coconut oil.

The reason coconut oil is so effective for losing weight as well as ongoing weight maintenance is four-fold. First, the plethora of healthy medium chain saturated fatty acids (MCT oils) boost metabolism for immediate energy. Lauric acid is the most notable of these.

Some research suggests that it supports thyroid function as well. A strong thyroid is essential for achieving a healthy weight.

As a bonus, the MCTs in coconut oil dont end up as stored body fat like longer chain monounsaturated fatty acids sometimes can. Hence, beware of scams that promote industrialized oils like theCLA safflower oil diet for weight loss. More on that below.

Finally, coconut oil is highly anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral which discourages pathogens in the gut from usurping roles ideally performed by probiotics. Research has demonstrated that thin people tend to have a healthier intestinal microbiome than overweight and obese individuals. Hence, using coconut oil can help change that microbial balance for the better over the long term.

Countries that consume high amounts of coconut and coconut oil in their diets such as the Philippines, India, and the Pacific Islands have significantly fewer cases of heart disease and obesity. This strong anthropologial evidence clearly disproves any agenda driven smear campaign against this marvelously healthy oil! Sorry American Heart Association. Youve totally missed the mark when it comes to coconut oil!

Supermodels are already onto the coconut oil for weight loss secret. Australian supermodelMiranda Kerr has been using coconut oil for years to maintain her enviable figure and wont go anywhere without it!

Olive oil in particular should be limited or avoided entirely by those wishing to lose weight!

This is surprising to many people as olive oil is typically the first healthy oil that they think of due to heavy promotion of this Mediterranean oil by conventional doctors and nutritionists.

In fact, a 1994 study published in The Lancet noted that the fatty acid most predominantly found in body fat was monounsaturated fat like that found in high amounts in olive oil!

Could this be why those in Mediterranean countries so often gain weight at middle age?

When choosing a fat to speed up weight loss then, it is best to limit the use of olive oil and other predominantly monounsaturated (omega-9) fats. Popular examples include peanut oil and avocado oil. Be sure to avoid canola oiltoo, which is usually GMO in addition to weight gain promoting.

Coconut oil for weight loss is the far better choice!

Coconut oil naturally solidifies at 76 F/ 24 C so it is best to liquefy it in hot water before consuming as a weight loss aid. It is not to be confused with cocoa butter, another healthy fat which looks similar and is also solid at room temperature.

Twenty minutes before mealtime is the best time to take your coconut oil as it will significantly reduce appetite and help you to feel full more quickly and be satisfied with smaller portions.

To liquify, mix 1-2 TBL of coconut oil in a mug and add hot water, bone broth or herbal tea (NOT bulletproof coffee!). Stir to melt and drink. Use the following guidelines to determine how much oil to consume before each meal:

Alternatively, you can simply eat the coconut oil and let it liquify in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing. If you are interested in taking coconut oil capsules instead of off the spoon oil for weight loss, the linked article details how many to take and how effective this approach is.

*If you find that the coconut oil makes you a bit queasy at first, try using herbal bitters(this brand is excellent) as an inexpensive remedy to help your liver and gall bladder adjust.

Be aware thatgamma linolenic acid (GLA)is another critical fat necessary for optimal and sustained weight loss. Be sure to include it along with your coconut oil weight loss efforts!

GLA facilitates the process of flushing fat by speeding metabolism like coconut oil. But, it does this in a very different way. GLA stimulates internal brown fat. This is the type of fat that is usually dormant in overweight people. Brown fat is also more prevalent in young people and women. As body-mass index decreases, metabolically active brown fat levels increase. Use your brown fat to your advantage ladies!

GLA is primarily found in organ meats. As a result, unless you eat liver or heart regularly, it is best to supplement. The good news is that you only need small amounts. Combined with daily doses of coconut oil, you will achieve the most effective weight loss results.

The best quality GLA supplement is black currant oil capsules. Black currant oil containssufficient GLA levels. It is also better tolerated than borage oil and is not estrogenic like evening primrose oil. Finally, it has the best overall fatty acid profile of all GLA supplements.

Another idea for helping the weight loss along is to consider combining your coconut oil protocol with a bone broth fast a couple of days a week.

Be aware that not all coconut oil is created equal for weight loss purposes!

While coconut oil is very resistant to heat damage, solvents are frequently used to extract it, so sourcing high quality oil from a reputable company is of paramount importance to avoid any chemical residues.

Using only organic virgin coconut oil therapeutically for your weight loss efforts is a good idea as all the delicate micronutrients in the oil will be preserved and no chemicals will have been used in processing.

To check out coconut oil sources I trust and that have been vetted for quality, be sure to check out my healthy shopping list.

Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist

Eat Fat, Lose Fat

The Harcombe Diet: Can Real Food Take Off Real Weight?

The Keto Diet

The Effect of Coconut Oil on Serum Cholesterol Levels and HDLs, by Dr. Mary Enig

How to Implement High Fat Low Carb for Weight Loss

Dukan Diet: High Protein But Far from Healthy!

When Coconut Oil May Not Be Right for You

MCT Oil Warning

Coconut Oil at Costco

Sarah Pope has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Weston A. Price Foundation.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year at the International Wise Traditions Conference in 2010.

Sarah earned a Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) in Economics from Furman University and a Masters degree in Government (Financial Management) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Mother to three healthy children, blogger, and best-selling author, she writes about the practical application of Traditional Diet and evidence-based wellness within the modern household. Her work has been featured by USA Today, The New York Times, National Review, ABC, NBC, and many others.

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How to SAFELY Use Coconut Oil for Weight Loss - Healthy ...