Buddhist Support
 

Namaste! This thread is for those who follow a Buddhist path and are working on losing weight.

Human life is precious, and many teachers have spoken about the importance of long life. One way to help ensure long life is to have proper nutrition. The right foods are very important, as is the right attitude toward food.

We are constantly bombarded, however, with foods that are not nutritious and that increase our desire and attachment. Advertising seeks to further increase desire by equating having the right food with enjoying life.

The law of cause and effect is very clear in such a case. When we are attached to certain kinds of food, when we desire foods that are rich, luxurious, and tasty, and when we allow that desire to lead us into "unconscious eating," we cannot escape the results of these actions.

How can we use our dharma practices to help free us from this cycle of food-based desire and overindulgence? Please share your experience and thoughts.

Jay

Jay,

I've been watching this thread hoping others more informed would chime in. I'm just starting to read more extensively about Buddhism, but I have been attracted to it for a while. Until recently, I had been a lacto-ovo-vegetarian for ethical and ecological reasons, but for diet reasons I started eating fish again. It seems to be a slippery slope, because I've had chicken a few times since then when it's offered to me. Not that you have to be vegan to be Buddhist, but I know many people are.

Laura

Hello, Laura, and thanks for writing!

Actually, many Buddhists are not vegetarian. It depends on the sect and the individual. American Buddhists seem to think that it is required, but not so. In fact, the Buddha himself was not vegetarian.

Here is a website that has more information:

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/vegi.html

In Tibet and Nepal, for example, vegetarianism is not very practical, and so animals and animal products are an important part of the diet.

I think moderation is a good path to follow. Also, I try to choose free-range chicken and meat from animals that have been well treated, if it is possible.

I hope some other folks who are Buddhist or interested in Buddhist thought will join in!

Jay

Hi,
I am currently in the midst of learning more about Buddhism, I have attended a meditation course and have read some books... and as a result I have been applying some buddhist techniques to help me with my weight loss.

Typically I am some one who is always preoccupied so mindfulness practices make me focus on the present which I find reduces my incidental eating. Instead of finding myself at the kitchen bench eating without realising it, I am making more conscious choices about sitting down to eat and also of paying attention to what and how I am eating...

Being a mum and a uni student I find it difficult to fit in times of structured meditation everyday. So perhaps it sounds a little odd but I meditate while doing daily tasks.. probably a cross between meditation and a mindfulness practice. I typically do it while cooking or preparing meals. I recite the Metta Bahvana words but tailor them a little... may my family be well, may they be happy and may they be free from suffering... and I also focus on how what I am preparing for my family fits in with the metta tenets.. What vitamins or nutrients are in the food that I am cutting, does it positively power our bodies and minds, and I really focus on the physical acts that I am performing. How the knife blade feels in my hand, the grain on the wooden spoon, my posture while standing, the smell of the cooking etc..

I hope that doesn't all sound too odd? But I have found that I am simply more aware of what I am doing to myself...

I hope that everyone is ding well.. I look forward to more discussion about buddhism.

Cheers,
Marianna

i wouldn't call my self a buddhist although i do have a very strong interest in it i'd class myself as a taoist though the main reason i never got fully into buddhism was the vegitarian thing i love my meat to much cheers for the link i'm sure it'll be very helpful

Hello again!

Mariana, I like your form of practice. It can be so hard to remain mindful in the midst of daily life, but that is really where the practice counts.

It is harder to just eat on "automatic pilot" if one is staying present in the moment.

slimmingsi, I've seen your posts in other places. Welcome! I like Taoist philosophy as well.

I have been thinking lately of how easy it is in samsara to turn almost anything into an object of attachment--wanting food, for instance, and by the same token, wanting to lose weight. I said before that losing weight is important for health, and it is, but I must look sometimes at my motivation and see whether I'm losing weight out of a desire to change "my body" to be the way "I like it." Attachment to an image, a cultural idea.

Still, I do want to treat food as it is meant to be treated, and not as an object of greed and desire.

I hope everyone is doing well. May you be free of suffering and the cause of suffering. May you know joy and the cause of joy.

Jay

Peace to all. I am a practicing Buddhist, belong to a group that does Gongyo once a month. I never thought of the "spirit" aspect of eating, and my weight problems. I do meditate almost every day, but rarely around the subject of food. What I do is the Western concept of self-hypnosis. This takes practice. Basically, I sit at the table, bring myself to center through breathing, then imagine myself eating some of the0 wrong foods and feeling uncomfortable for a short while. I mentally shrink the image and I let it go in a bubble of light. Then I think of myself eating wisely, never feeling full, and allow that image to grow in a white light in my mind. Does it work? You have to try it to know.

This is by no means an original idea. It is culled from several books on mind control and self hypnosis. Truly, I wish that I could reach my normal weight and not put so much effort into an awful thing like being overweight. I'd rather think of meditation for other purposes, but people say that many forms of meditation are possible: walking, eating, working...not just the quiet, Zen-type that most people are familiar with.

It is lovely to have this forum to express our views and to help one another. I especially related to Artemis02 who focuses while preparing food, etc. This is truly meditation, even though she calls it differently. She is focused on bringing the best to her family and she does it by mental focus. Trust me, this is not an easy thing, and again, requires discipline and practice.

For anyone who is interested, we can chat on meditation from the Buddhist perspective and from the secular persepctive. I have been doing meditation for 19 years, and find it to be one of the most fulfilling things in my life. Wishing you all peace...and mindful eating!! Cathy

Well perhaps some of you may be able to help me.. As I mentioned i rarely am doing a formal meditation these days, partly due to time constraints, but also because i have found a few blocks with the Metta Bahvana practice of meditation. I have been doing the mindfulness of the breathe meditation for some time and find it to be rejuvenating and clarifying for my mind. But I am really struggling with the Metta Bahvana meditation.

I begin with trying to give Metta to myself.. and to be honest, here is where the problem lies.. I seem unable to generate that feeling. It doesn't flow well. If I move forward the rest of my meditation is affected and I find it difficult to concentrate.. I become discontent with the lack of compassion that I feel for myself.

I typically follow the meditation.. by starting on myself, someone I love, someone that I am ambivalent about, someone I have difficulties with and then onto all sentient beings.. I find that if I bypass thinking about myself my practice is deeper. But I am concerned about not being able to generate this feeling towards myself.. surely I should! I think that being able to master this meditation will help faciliate long term change in my life.. make me happier, more content. I feel more postive after I have done this exercise. What attracts me to meditation is the feeling that by strengthening my mind I can change my reality and effect positive, lasting change.

Do you have any suggestions on visualisation or on ways to remove this block? Thank you in advance for your time and input.
Marianna

Mariana...it seems that your meditation is chock full of a lot of objectives. Slow down a bit, that might help. If you ecnounter obstacles with one concept, work on that before moving on. Self-appreciation and self-love are very important, from our perspective as Buddhists. Christians say it, but few can live it. We always want to put people/other before us. This is a guilt-based attitude that is cultivated in the western world in general. But even Christ said, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." It begins with the very difficult thing of self-love. Even in my practice as a psychologist I find patients who cannot love themselves, are guilt-ridden if they do. Their issues are deeply rooted and it takes years to uncover the gratifications that come from such a self-destructive attitude.

Mariana, you have distinct advantage: You are not neurotic (laugh!) and you are in the practice of meditation. Without too much analysis, you may want to break down the objectives, shorten the period of meditation and work on self-love/appreciation, then stop. Practice that many times. Gradually add other portions of the meditation as before, and see if it help. The mind is restless, and wants to go on to the other, more self-effacing aspects of meditation, and ultimately you are short-changing the whole process.

For me, tonglen, the Tibetan concept of taking another's suffering on myself is difficult. Perhaps I need to work through my own suffering and karma before I can assume that I am good enough to work an another person's. Good luck in your endeavour, Mariana. Peace to All.
Cathy

Thanks Cathy.

Mariana,

Please let me know how your practice is coming. Let me know also if your weight loss is progressing and if you are applying meditation/focus to curb appetite, or what. I am not too thrilled with my super-slow loss/plateau, and need some help, too. Also, a totally non-Buddhist question, but good for the spirit: where do you guys get those wonderful little icons, etc. Too sweet, make me laugh!
Thanks, Cathy

Hi Cathy,

My weight loss was going better, but I recently returned from a trip to Cambodia and unfortunately the selection of food wasn't great. I have poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and my endocronologist advised a reduced carb/ good carb diet.. to help control the insulin problem that I have. I was doing it by myself a few years ago and had some very good success, but have managed to stack on the weight after the birth of my daughter. So while doing some research I found this site and as a consequence am doing the south beach diet.. I hadn't heard of it before but it is essentially the same eating plan that was given to me by my specialist... I think that it is perhaps a very balanced way of eating and is applicable across many people's weight issues, as it focuses on eating whole foods and reducing or eliminating the refined foods in your diet.There is a forum here if you would like to look us up.. Lots of support which I personal find quite helpful...

As for my buddhist practice.. I am relatively new to buddhism. I love the meditation.. and I find the readings to be very helpful as well. Basically they provide a framework for me to move forward...I believe that through training my mind I will alter the habits that I have developed over a life time... I have a book called Buddhism for mothers which is wonderful and also the Tibetan book of living and dying. I haven't read too far into the second book but it is very revealing... it has given me great food for thought. Essentially I am interested in the practical applications...

OK.. as to the emoticons.. You can add them to your signature (bottom of each of your posts) by looking in your USER CP section. That function is located on the top of the page along the top banner second from the left. When you click on that heading it opens to a control panel where you can edit your information. Along the left hand side of the control panel are more functions that you can perform... there is an edit signature section and the emoticons are the same as the ones that appears when you go to reply to a thread.. just click on them and insert them.

Have a wonderful day.
Marianna

Mariana..thanks for your reponse. Congratulations on your commitment to the Buddhist way. I find reading by myself, whether the sacred texts or secular "how to" books" most rewarding. Having been a Catholic all my life, I miss the deep rituals and traditions of a church-church. Ironically, my father was deacon in Catholic Church, and he gave me a book called "Jesus and Buddha as Brothers." I had read things before, but this one sent me over the edge, and I pursued it sincerely.
Here in the islands, we have a tiny group of people who practice Japanese Buddhism, but I find it very secular in some aspects. Anytime I go to a new city, I try to visit temples and churches. I know, these are just the trappings, but as a former catholic, rituals are very important when you know their meanings.

So...you seem to be like me in that you read about it and get inspiration. There are some fabulous books for applying Buddhism in the western world that do not compromise any of the tenets. If you are interested I will be glad to share titles, etc.

As for weight loss, you and I have much in common. Being too shy though to write in this open forum, is it okay to PM (private message) you? Maybe we can become buddies and use our commonalities, including spiritual orientation, to help each other. Please don't feel pressured, I won't be hurt or upset if you say no. Not everyone has the same needs.
Anyway, wishing you Peace...and to all the other readers of this forum...OneLove.
Cathy

I'm so excited to have found this thread! Buddhism is a way of life that has intrigued me for some time now...Not knowing where to 'start' has kind of kept me in the just wondering stages...I think I'll lurk here a bit, if you don't mind and see what I can see, perhaps find a path to take.

I'm off to follow the link posted earlier...thanks for sharing, Jay!

JayEll,
You are really on to something about the samsara of attachment to food, cravings, expectations, looks, etc. If only we were brought up to keep these things in their proper spiritual perspective. Since we, at least in the West, have not--remember the candy bars at school assemblies--all the food that accompanies happy events?--maybe we can use this forum to develop a truly more mindful way of looking at and ingesting foods. Jay, you seem to be on the right track when you talk of health. Have you found any practice that helps you avoid the normal desires that are aroused when you are bombarded with ads, hungry kids, a new recipe, etc? Even though I eat very moderately and eliminated all processed foods, I have a hard time losing weight. Maybe I still need to cut down the portions, tone down the variety of my cooking stuff from scratch (always to the wonderful comments from the eaters). Part of it, the actual cooking fulfills one creative aspect of my personality plus a real desire to make others happy. But, as I read this, I wonder if I am not attached to the compliments I get. I try to downplay that, but it is nice to hear the guests lavish me with praise, especially the tight-lipped ones who are stingy with any form of praise. Well, I just found something to really think about. Any other ideas, Jay or anyone?

Wishing you all Peace, Balance and Contentment. Cathy