Now that the summer has officially come and gone, it’s just a matter of time until absolutely everything is covered in a fluffy white blanket of snow (I have to admit that although I detest the winter season with the burning passion of a thousand suns, I do love the first couple of snowfalls.
With that blanket of snow comes a huge lack of motivation to keep your weight loss regimen up (if you’ve been using the great outdoors to get your activity in, anyway), and that leaves people looking for alternatives to weight loss until the summer sun is bronzing our skin once again.
Sure, you could rebound while you watch your favorite tv shows, go on a diet, or even brave the weather and take up a new winter sport such as skiing, tubing, or snowshoeing.
If you’re looking for a little something extra (or maybe something slightly easier that doesn’t involve you having to change your routine in much of a way at all) to help you go down a few pant sizes, essential oils are something that you should seriously consider investing your money in.
Here’s a handy, comprehensive list of which oils to use and when if you want to trim down your dress size:
If You’re A Stress Eater
If You’re A Stress EaterSome people can’t help but overeat when they get stressed out (and who doesn’t get stressed out around the non-stop holiday season that’s about to be thrown at us full force). If you’re one of them, these are the oils you’ll want to have on hand:
Sandalwood
Sandalwood oil is pretty powerful stuff. It can help diffuse any negative feelings you’ve been having, which can in turn prevent you from eating because of them. Use the oil by mixing one drop of it with one drop of carrier oil (such as coconut, almond, olive, etc) and rub it on your stomach.
Alternatively, it can be taken internally by adding a drop or two to a teaspoon of honey or 4oz of coconut milk.
Bergamot
Bergamot oil is an oil that’s been extracted from various Italian citrus fruits. It contains exceptionally large amounts of polyphenols (one of the main components in green tea), which help halt the production of fat in your blood cells, increase your metabolism, and prevent the absorption of bad cholesterol.
It also contains an enzyme that activates when your blood sugar is higher than it should be which promotes the decomposition of sugar and fat.
But that’s not all. Bergamot oil also has sedative properties (so as you can see, there’s more than one use for it, and it’s absolutely worth the investment), which helps control stress eating and fight stress-related weight gain.
The oil can be used by putting a few drops onto a cloth or piece of material and inhaling, massaged into your neck and/or feet with a carrier oil, or internally with honey or coconut milk (in the same measurements as before). It can even be put into your bathwater to help you relax and regroup.
Lavender
While I wouldn’t exactly say that lavender oil should be used by itself for stress eating, I very well could be if that’s all you have on hand. However, what I recommend is using it with bergamot oil to help heighten its stress eating busting properties. It can be used/taken however you’re choosing to use bergamot oil as well.
Ylang ylang
Ylang-ylang is a handy essential oil to have lying around your house because it encourages an overall feeling of well and calmness and can reduce the overwhelming compulsion to eat you sometimes experience.
That feeling of calm can come in real handy when you’ve had an exceptionally stressful day and you’re convinced that all you need to make it go away is a double cheeseburger, a poutine, and a double chocolate brownie milkshake (Trust me, I’m telling you from experience).
This oil can be rubbed on your neck or feet with a carrier oil or you can put a couple of drops onto a washcloth or cotton ball and inhale.
Orange
A ton of people suffer from depression (way more than ever get treated for it), and if you’re one of them and that depression causes you to overeat, you’re going to want to visit your local health food store and invest in a bottle of orange oil today – It has a calming impact on your body’s nervous system and can help boost your mood. Orange oil can be added to water, applied with a carrier oil, or used in a bath.
If You Carry A Lot Of Water Weight
If You Carry A Lot Of Water WeightI have a friend who once used to complain that no matter what she did, no matter what she tried, she just couldn’t seem to get rid of all the water weight she carried (on a somewhat related note, that friend also happened to have an obsession with all things salty and refused to call that a contributing factor because “salt’s good for you!”
(Not that kind of salt; sweetheart would ring on deaf ears whenever we spoke about it). After I suggested using a couple of the following oils, that same friend called me a while later to inform me that they work! If you’re fighting water retention and failing at it (even if table salt isn’t your issue), reach for one of these:
Grapefruit
You’ve probably heard before that grapefruit is an incredible weight loss tool (and you definitely heard right), but some people (myself included) can’t stand the taste of the incredibly bitter citrus fruit without having to pour copious amounts of sugar on it (which completely defeats the purpose of eating it in the first place).
For those people, grapefruit essential oil is like a Godsend – It’s got d-limonene in it which helps release the fatty acids in your system into your bloodstream, where your body is then able to break them down and use them for energy.
It’s also chalked full of Vitamin C and Lycopene (which helps cleanse your lymphatic system), which help rid your system of various toxins that can cause unwanted weight gain as well as boost your metabolism.
You can use or take the oil by adding a drop or two of it to a carrier oil and massaging it into your most troublesome fatty areas, or by adding a couple of drops to your morning glass of water for some refreshing (and not nearly as overpowering as the fruit itself) flavour.
Lemon
Lemon oil also has a ton of Vitamin C and d-limonene in it, but it also deals directly with a wide variety of digestive ailments.
It’s the perfect oil to reach for if you’re concerned about possibly having intestinal parasites (which is actually a far more common problem than you might think and quite often a secret cause of weight gain that can go unnoticed for sometimes forever), it can help to balance your metabolism, and you’ll even find that you have more energy once you start using it.
Dilute in a carrier oil and massage into any areas that you have cellulite in to help get rid of it or add a drop or two of it to your morning water for a detoxifying effect.
Tangerine
Since tangerines are a diuretic, their oil makes them the perfect pairing for removing your cellulite and excess water weight.
I personally prefer to mix this with lemon and orange oil in water and let it work its magic from the inside out. Still, it can also be added to your bathwater (In the morning – The citrus will give you an energy boost that you don’t need at night), or massaged into your skin with a carrier oil to help break down toxins and fat and get rid of your cellulite.
If You Get A Lot Of Cravings Or Have Digestion Issues
If You Get A Lot Of Cravings Or Have Digestion IssuesCinnamon Bark
IBS is a way too common problem in North America (mainly due to poor diet choices, but not always) and if you’re a sufferer yourself, cinnamon bark is an essential oil to have on hand because it can help improve your overall gut health and get rid of any intestinal worms you might have (as well as a laundry list of other things).
This oil can be used to stimulate your metabolism so that your body is able to break down sugars and turn them into energy, increase your blood circulation, and might even increase your libido. Take it with honey or put it in a carrier oil and massage into your abdominal area for the best results.
Peppermint
Peppermint oil is chalked full of vitamin C and Omega-3 fatty acids and has a ton of minerals in it like iron, manganese, and potassium. It’s also the best oil you can have on hand for inhaling if you’re someone who craves a lot of sweet stuff as well (and who doesn’t like the refreshing smell of peppermint?), but it’s great for suppressing other types of craving as well.
It’s even useful for if you’re experiencing stomach upset after your meal (Ever wondered why you get those little mints at restaurants along with your bill when you’ve finished eating? It’s about so much more than just freshening your breath).
As I mentioned before, most of the benefits of this oil can be gained by simply putting a couple of drops of it onto a cotton ball and inhaling. Still, I prefer to add a couple of drops to some warm water and about a teaspoon of natural honey myself.
If you only choose one of these oils to invest in, make it this one – It carries more weight loss properties than any of the others (and it’s so useful for so many other things!)
Other Methods
The methods of distribution I mentioned above are how I use the oils myself for the most part. Still, some people choose to make and take their own weight-loss capsules with these essential oils, and others choose to make a spray for their clothing/linens or evaporate them over a heat source. Because I’ve never done any of these things myself, I can’t speak to their effectiveness, however I feel they were still worth mentioning.
Things To Consider
Essential oils are serious business, and you want to make sure that you’re using them properly at all times. Here are a few things that you should always keep in mind when you’re using them, regardless of the reasoning:
Quality Is Key
Especially if you’re planning to use your oils internally and/or topically (PS: I also strongly consider consulting an aromatherapist before deciding to take them internally – They’re incredibly potent and you should know exactly what and how much to take if you’re going to start). Remember when choosing an essential oil company to deal with that not all of them are created equal, and that more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better quality. These are my personal favourites, but do your homework and select your own.
They Must Be Diluted
Carrier oils are not an option if you use the essential oils topically and want to avoid skin irritation. I wasn’t kidding when I said they were potent. I prefer using coconut oil since the smell goes with almost everything, but any raw, cold pressed oil will do.
You Need To Switch It Up Every Once In A While
To get the best results. The going rate seems to be using up to three of the essential oils for weight management daily, and switching them out daily for others for maximum weight loss results.
Now that you’re equipped with all the (incredibly basic – Remember, I’m not an aromatherapist… yet) knowledge you need to start using these essential oils for weight loss, you can start shopping for your favourite brand and let us know exactly how your results turn out – Let us know all about your personal experience with essential oil weight loss below in the comments section!
