Essential Oils and Weight Loss
Weight loss is a perennially trending topic and it often seems like everyone around you is trading secrets to burning fat. These tips always seem to involve some strange pill that works for the moment but ultimately does more harm than good, or some crazy crash diet that’s unsustainable and most likely going to have harmful effects in the long run. A better way to feel good about your body is to live a healthy lifestyle and let weight loss follow naturally.
That being said, living a more healthy lifestyle can be difficult. Eating real foods, getting consistent sleep and exercising regularly seem so simple, but bad habits can be hard to break. Incorporating essential oils into your regular routine may help you break those bad habits and develop a healthy road to weight loss.
While weight loss shouldn’t be your only health goal, it is often a byproduct of healthy changes. Understandably, when you’ve put in the effort to live a healthier lifestyle, but you don’t see weight loss results, sometimes it can feel discouraging. We encourage you to use this guide to find the best essential oils to help you stay motivated, break bad habits, and feel better post workout. Using aromatherapy essential oils to take care of your mind, body and spirit can put you in a positive frame of mind to keep you on track with your fitness goals.
How Essential Oils Can Help Break Bad Habits
It’s tempting to believe using essential oils for weight loss to quickly shed pounds is a quick fix for your overall health, but that’s not true. Making healthy choices in how you fuel your body helps you feel better and improves your overall health. When you use essential oils to make healthier choices, weight loss is just an added bonus.
Falling into bad eating habits that have a negative effect on weight loss are often a symptom of not fueling your body with the nutrients it needs. Snacking on junk foods between meals doesn’t help your body stay fueled either. The more sugary the junk food is the more likely you are to crash and feel “starving” by the next meal...which may then cause you to overeat in compensation. Using essential oils to curb cravings can help you break unhealthy snacking habits.
If you tend to snack when you’re feeling stressed, rather than feeling hungry, the most obvious answer is try adding some more peace and calm to your life. There are tons of relaxing blends of essential oils you can use to help diffuse tension and feel more at ease. You can even use essential oils to be more relaxed at work. Being stuck at a desk, overwhelmed with tasks and only junk food at hand is the ultimate snack trap if stress-eating has stunted your weight loss efforts.
Lavender essential oil is widely known for its soothing benefits, but there are other great essential oils out there that can also help you avoid negative tension that may contribute to unhealthy snacking habits. If you feel your health and weight loss goals are being inhibited by stress-eating, try diffusing these essential oils to boost your positive outlook:
Bergamot essential oil: Bergamot is known to help create uplifting feelings with its sweet and fruity floral notes combined with refreshing citrus tang. Citrus essential oils like bergamot and sweet orange oil are often described as smelling “happy” because of positive memories associated with fruit.
Frankincense essential oil: Of all the essential oils out there, frankincense has the longest history of being used for emotional healing— its aroma is often described as a “warm hug.” When you’re feeling overwhelmed and ready to reach for a unhealthy “comfort-food,” the rich, warm, and slightly spicy scent of frankincense may provide the healthy comforting feeling you need to stay on track with your weight loss and health goals.
Rosemary essential oil: Rosemary is similar to citrus essential oils in that its frequent use as a holiday spice is often associated with positive memories. Aromatherapists also suggest rosemary to help calm nerves and renew mental energy. Staying focused and organized can help you avoid, not only stress-eating, but also another weight loss trap: reaching for unhealthy snacks simply out of boredom.
The Best Essential Oils for Motivation
Physical activity is one of the best things you can do for overall health, and is also likely to encourage healthy weight loss. Many times, simply getting your body moving can instantly make you feel better… other times fatigue and sore muscles can seem like insurmountable obstacles. Using essential oils to soothe sore muscles and promote vitality can be just the boost you need.
Essential Oils to Get You Up & Going
If you find yourself struggling to make it from couch to gym or just getting outside, try starting your morning with an inhalation of the most invigorating essential oils. Diffusing the right essential oils can help you stay in the right mindset to focus on your goals. Staying positive helps you focus on your health goals, let go of extra stress, and let weight loss come naturally as you make healthier choices.
Peppermint essential oils: When it comes to refreshing, invigorating, and stimulating essential oils, peppermint is king. Well known for its positive mental effects, peppermint essential oils have a slightly sweet and strong minty aroma that can inspire feelings of mental clarity and focus.
Eucalyptus and pine needle essential oils: Eucalyptus and pine needle essential oils have similar minty profiles with more camphorous undertones. Both are often used in aromatherapy to stimulate the mind and create spaces that promote concentration and vitality.
Lemon, grapefruit and lime essential oils: Like all citrus scents, lemon, grapefruit and lime essential oils are known for their uplifting, positive vibes. These particular citrus essential oils have a sharper, more acidic “zing” that give them (and you) a little extra kick.
How to Use Essential Oils to Revive Sore Muscles
You made it to the gym, out for a hike, or a vigorous play session with your dog… and now you’re sore and uncomfortable the next day. Don’t let the temporary discomfort discourage you from the long term benefits. Treat your body with care— try using essential oils to bounce back quickly. There are many ways to incorporate essential oils into your post-workout routine to make sure you stay on track with your health goals and weight loss journey.
Adding essential oils to a post workout massage is a great way to soothe sore muscles. Making a DIY massage oil with rosemary to help promote circulation is super easy and one of our favorite ways to feel better after physical activity. In a small glass bottle, mix 1 oz. of skin-nourishing jojoba oil and 15 drops of rosemary essential oil. Shake well and massage into sore areas.
Another way to use essential oils to help revive sore muscles is adding them to a soothing salt soak. Soaking feet in a salt bath with tea tree oil is a popular way to help avoid picking up athlete’s foot at the gym. If you already have a tea tree salt soak, you can mix in 5-10 drops of rosemary or lavender essential oils to the pre-made mix, add it to your foot bath and soak in the relaxation. For a full bath, use 10-15 drops of essential oils whisked into 2 cups epsom salt and poured into warm water.
Important Safety Information: You should never drop essential oils directly into your bath. Remember that oil and water don’t mix. Instead of being diluted by the bath water, the essential oils can cling together and stick to your skin as if you’d applied them full strength. Diluting essential oils with a carrier oil or bath salt before adding to your bath help the oils disperse evenly throughout the water so you can relax safely.
The Takeaway
Using essential oils for weight loss can be incredibly helpful when you are using them to enhance a healthy lifestyle. Using essential oils can help you stay in a positive frame of mind that helps you achieve your goals and is a great way to practice self-care both mentally and physically. Empowering yourself to feel good about your body and your choices allows you to appreciate the joy of physical activity and healthy eating habits. Embrace the fun and creativity of experimenting with essential oils and allow weight loss to come naturally as you take care of mind, body and soul.
*Disclaimer
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information on this site is meant for educational and informational purposes only, it is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please confirm any information obtained from or through this web site with other sources, and review all information regarding any medical condition or treatment with your physician. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on this website.