Buddhists! Support Thread #2
 

Namaste, and Tashi Deleks! This is the second Buddhist thread here on 3 Fat Chicks. The first thread got too long!

I'm a Tibetan Buddhist (but caucasian American). I'd like to hear others' experiences in applying the teachings of Buddhism to your weight loss program. Also, anyone who is interested in what Buddhism is all about is welcome to join in!

I've been trying to lose weight for a long time, and right now I'm pretty stuck at one weight. I've been trying to get off of it for months! Grrrrr! I notice that I am thinking too far into the future--how long will it take, will I never be able to eat XX again, things like this.

I read something once said by a Zen Buddhist teacher:

There is nothing to fear in this moment,
And this is the only moment there is.

I try to remember to be appreciative of my precious human life and this wonderful body that I have.

Please join in!

Hi, I'm a budding Buddhist and weight loss warrior. I've just in the past year begun making the move to Buddhism, studying the teachings and getting involved in the local community. I'm glad I made the choice, I finallly feel spiritually at home. I'm glad there are other Buddhists on this site and would welcome any input on how to incorporate Buddhist thought, practice etc. into the weight loss effort.
A quote from Thich Nhat Hanh

"Only dwelling in the present can make us free. We have to look into our suffering, our craving. And when we see its face we will smile: you cannot make me your prisoner any more."

Liz-z78, I like the quote from Thich Nhat Hanh. One approach that sometimes helps me is to watch my food cravings and try to distinguish what is really hunger and what is really just boredom, nervousness, and so on. In other words, observe the feelings instead of automatically acting on them. Sometimes I find myself actually taking food out of a package (like nuts, crackers) before I "wake up" and realize I'm on automatic pilot! :dizzy:

May we be free of suffering and the cause of suffering
May we know joy and the cause of joy

hi guys i'm kinda buddhist on a loose basis till next month when i take up classes with our local community. i'm a special type of buddhist as i eat meat. as a physiologist i cant deprive my body esential nutrients that a non meat diet can't provide without supplements. i'm also a highly sporty person who does lots of contact sports which i can't maintain without it.

next month i'm moving out of home into my student house and i'm giving up driving and hopefully going completely organic.

Hi slimmings,
I think the choice of wether or not you eat meat is a personal one, I chose not to eat meat. But I felt that I need to inform you that there are plenty of athletes that are vegan. That includes olympic track star Carl Lewis (vegan), professional Ironman Brendan Brazier (vegan) and Chris Campbell, olympic wrestler (vegetarian). And check out veganbodybuilding.com for some very muscular non-meat eaters.
Again I'm not trying to convert you or anything, the choice of wether or not to eat meat is yours to make but please know that a non-meater is fully capable of competing and excelling in the athletic field. And the only nutrient they need to fear being short on is B12 and even that can come from plant sources.

Hey, Slimmingsi! Glad to see you're around!

The Dalai Lama has said that he has tried not to eat meat, but that it is too hard for him. On doctor's orders, he eats meat every other day, but he tries not to eat too much.

I am not a vegetarian. Some Buddhists are, some are not. It seems as though Western Buddhists are more "into" being vegetarian, although it is not a part of the precepts. Oddly enough, many Westerners seem to drink alcohol, although not using intoxicants IS one of the precepts. But, as with most things in Buddhism, one must make one's own choice. Consequences are what they are.

I am doing better with my weight loss since I joined the local YMCA gym. I'm going there 6 times a week. Yesterday while I was there, the TV near my exercycle was showing The Golden Child! I've seen it before, but I liked being able to watch it.

Namaste!
Jay

I know there are more Buddhists, or people interested in Buddhism, who are viewing our Buddhist thread. Please post! We want to hear from you.

I have managed to get off the plateau and lose a few more pounds since I last posted.

"Avoid extremes--eat neither too little nor too much."

Gosh, where have all the Buddhists gone?

I'm at a retreat this week (obviously not a strict one since I'm emailing), and the Sangha provides breakfast and lunch. I'm doing quite well so far, mostly because much of the food is vegetarian. I do watch the ingredients, though, since I don't want too much fat or sugar. And I simply consider the dessert trays off limits.

Well, unless we get some more Buddhist posts, I suppose this will be the end of the thread.

Namaste!

Jay

Dear JayEll,

I am curious to learn more about Buddhism. I have been curious about it for some time, and I have never heard a bad word said against it. Would you be able to point me in the right direction? I have signed up to my uni Buddist group today, I will see where that takes me.

Warm Regards

Kylie

Hi!!! So nice to see a post on our old Buddhist thread. Be sure to check out also the thread "A Buddhist View of Eating" in this forum.

There are many types of Buddhism and Buddhists, and you want to make sure that whatever Buddhism you follow is in a recognized lineage and has a good teacher. That said, however, you should also feel free to explore! Questioning is considered a good thing.

The main divisions of Buddhism are Theravada, which is practiced in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Burma, etc.), Mahayana, which is practiced mostly in Korea, China, and Japan, and Vajrayana, which is Tibetan and also includes one sect in Japan. The divisions are based on teachings the Buddha gave at different times in his life--he lived to be 80 years old, so there is quite a large body of teachings. All three are considered legitimate paths.

So, I guess that's a good place to start!

I try to apply Buddhist ideas to my weight loss by considering how attachment and clinging to things like, gosh, food? :lol: has led to my gaining weight over years of time. The Buddhist path is a path free from extremes, meaning in the case of eating, not overindulging in food nor starving oneself.

Jay

Thanks Jay

I will back when I have a little more time to post a proper reply. :)

Kylie

Wow, a diet Buddhist thread. Wonderful :D

I combine my Buddhism with Wicca - the two go together well. Several years ago I joined Rigpa in London but at the moment I am not a member of any particular Sangha since I moved to Manchester and have yet to go see the local Buddhist Centre.

My big problem over the years has been binge eating and when I think of it in relation to my faith, it is somewhat contrary as binging, what with me having a big attachment to food lol It also raises questions to me about my mental health. I think I know me pretty well, meditate every day and try to practice living mindfulness, but when it comes to food, I can sometimes barely remember what I have stuffed down my face. Food is such an earthy thing - a big attachment to the physical. Bit like money really.

Recently, I have been determined to exercise mindfulness in relation to food - to turn eating into a focus and meditation exercise. It's really hard. But I shall prevail. It's just food, right!

Hello, Cbooth! Glad to see you posting.

Yes, binging really is the opposite of mindfulness, isn't it? To say nothing of attachment to pleasure. It's not that pleasure is "wrong" of course. It's the attachment aspect--the wanting more--the deviation from the path free from extremes.

Good luck in staying aware!

Jay

Working Out and Buddhism??
 

I've been doing more reading on Buddhism this year (Pema Chodron) and I was delighted to see the group on 3FC!

Since I started the Body for Life program, I've been thinking about how my desire to change into "buff girl" fits in with the Buddhist principle that we have everything we need and there isn't anything to change (only to discover) about yourself.

By extension, when I weigh myself and think about how great it will be when I get to a certain point is that antitheical to Buddhist principles.

I will fully accept that I'm over thinking this! (grin) Anyone have thoughts about this?

Yeah, that's an interesting point! I've thought about that myself.

I suppose if we are thinking that by losing weight, "Now my life will work, it will be perfect, I'll be perfect" or things like that, it's just another delusion of samsara. ;)

But I don't think it's antithetical to Buddhist principles to want to be as healthy as possible, so that one can live a long life and help others. I'm interested to see what others think about this.

Buff girl or not buff girl--I don't know! I think it has to do with attitude. Any kind of striving can become a trap of the ego--or not!

Namaste!
Jay

Well this is a very interesting thread to find here at 3FC! I ususally hang out in the IE, Whole Foods and LWL sections but I'll definitely be checking in here from time to time.

I have an aversion to organized religion in general but have always been intrigued by Buddhism as it seems like such a kind religion. Admittedly I know nothing about it but recently bought the book The Essence of Buddhism by Traleg Kyabgon. It's been sitting on my bedside table for three days. This thread's got me thinking I'll start it tonight.

Beth

Hey CinnamonGirl, :welcome:

There are so many kinds of Buddhism--but all the legitimate branches rely on the Buddha's teachings.

Good luck with your search!

Jay

Hello Beth :D I know some Buddhists would say you should pick a particular path and then join a school/organisation, but personally, I tend to view things on the personal and that it is the individual journey that counts.

I've been contemplating about the "buff girl" thing and agree with Jay. When I first started out on the Buddhist path, I found it difficult to distinguish between "want" and the extreme of "desire". The way I try to define a "want" is that it is something to strive for for a good reason, in a balanced and realistic way, and with reasonable expectations. Wanting to be fit and healthy is, depending on your school of thought, a Buddhist principle in itself (i.e. Shoalin). I would say you'd also have to comtemplate what would happen if you reach your ideal weight, look in the mirror and do not meet your own expectations.

Greetings, Boobear! Glad to "see" you here!

Cbooth, that is an excellent point about "what if you look in the mirror and don't meet your expectations" after reaching your ideal weight. Wow! It's true I suppose that people sometimes think losing weight will fix everything--"now my life will work"--and that they will then have this amazing body. I know that several posters on 3FC have been worried about things like "what if my skin is saggy," etc. Well, it's just a great way to look at expectations, isn't it? I know that I will have some saggy skin when I'm all done--I already do. But my goal isn't to look a certain way, it's more to have better health and well being.

Boobear, tell us more about how you use meditation in weight loss. "Meditation" means different things to different people. I know what you mean about the "challenges"--nothing like an artificial situation geared to make people feel bad.

Jay

Meditation
 

Boobear - I am also curious about how you use meditation in weightloss.

I've been looking at the Zen method of mindful eating and a nice lady on *********** has told me about the American Indian method giving thanks and taking your time with every chew so I will look more into that too.

I have also given up on challenges as I have never managed to pass a one. I think they are good for some and not for others. I set myself "doing" goals - I shall eat healthy, be mindful of what I eat, meditate, walk, etc. But I set no figures for those scales, although may say I'd like to lose ... pounds, etc this week. I've taken this approach as I think the scales can be a battleground of desire. Either that or hate.

Yeah, Cbooth, hate might one of those things... ;)

But it is interesting to see what the mind does (by which I mean the ego) when it can't control an outcome. For example, the scale goes up, the scale goes down, the scale doesn't move... and our thoughts and emotions go wild! And yet... the scale really doesn't exist... it is all relative reality...

A great opportunity to practice!

Jay

Hi all :)

I know there are very few of us around that are interested in Buddhism or actual Buddhists (or maybe there are some in hiding). I'm not Buddhist but I think Buddhist teachings are fascinating.

JayEll, I see in the first post you say you are Buddhist. Are you also vegetarian? I believe most (?) Buddhists are due to the believe of not killing a living creature.

I know this may sound weird, but I'm working on being a vegetarian (with little if any dairy) and I don't really know why. I mean I have a few small reasons but no overwhelming large reason. My taste for meat has actually waned over the years is probably the largest reason. I also want to be able to try to challenge myself with my food if meat isn't an option.

Anyway, that is just me :)

Hey nelie! Good to see you here.

Many Buddhists are vegetarians, but many are not. The Buddha said that we should not reject any food we are offered--and in some cases there are cultural reasons why meat is eaten. In Tibet, for example, there are not a lot of alternatives. But many Buddhists think it's strange to follow the precept of not killing sentient beings and at the same time to eat meat or poultry or even fish.

The Dalai Lama would like to be vegetarian, but his physician says that he must eat some meat. So he eats it every other day and says that at least he is "half vegetarian." ;)

One of the Buddhist precepts is not to use intoxicating substances, and I'm always surprised at how many Westerners try to ignore this one, while insisting on being vegetarian (which isn't a precept).

I myself am not vegetarian, but I wish I could be. My body doesn't do well with a vegetarian diet. Perhaps that will change, though! :D

Jay

Cbooth, I have tried to PM you but can't. Do you have your PM option for receiving messages turned off?

Jay

The "half vegetarian" thing is funny considering when I told DH that we were going to eat less meat, he called us "halfterians". I can understand why in Tibet there are few options so it makes sense :) DH is currently reading a book by the Dalai Lama and he likes it, I plan to read it after he is done.

Jay,
You put into words the issue I've been dealing with for the past two weeks. I've been fixated on the numbers and grumbling because they wouldn't go down. I needed a good reminder to get centered and focused again!

Also, I'm interested in hearing more from BooBear about the meditating/weightloss connection.

Hope all is well.

BooBear, that is just sooooo Buddhist in outlook! Thanks so much for taking the time to share it with us. I agree with every one of those pillars of mindfulness.

Jay

I am very interested in learning more. Can you suggest any books? There are a million on Amazon and it's kind of confusing.

Hello, Suzanne! Welcome!

One good book is "How to Practice" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Interestingly, "Buddhism for Dummies" is a pretty good general introduction to Buddhism.

You could also try "The Heart of the Buddha's Teachings" by Thich Nhat Hanh.

For meditation as BooBear described it, I'm going to check out "Full Catastrophe Living," by Jon Kabat Zinn (sp?).

Yeah, there are a million books! And some are better than others.

Jay

One of the books I read is "Awakening the Buddha Within" which is an interesting book but you do have to look past the arrogance of the author. "How to Practice" sounds interesting and I'll need to look at that one.

DH is currently reading "The Universe in a single atom" which I will read after he is done. He says it was a little dry in the beginning but is starting to get good. DH has another good book but I'll have to find it.

As Suzanne 3FC pointed out, there are a million books! Some are very advanced--so the ones I've suggested are for general readers who don't know very much about it and want to know more.

Jay

Yup there are a million books :) I'm more interested in the philosophy aspect so I don't think I've read a basic info book on buddhism. I'd like to though.

Oh, man, direct hit! I grew up in the "Power of Positive Thinking" era where there was always a PLAN to accomplish a goal and did that ever mess with my head! I'm still trying to deal more effectively with my temptation to view things as a contest and any kind of notion that I can actually control an outcome.

What I've learned is that my goal is to be happier with myself and my world. One way I do that is by working out and eating right. The by-product is that I'm losing weight. Losing weight is not the goal. However, when I get tired, I slip back into the earlier, unproductive mindset.

Thanks for the reminder!

New and Interested
 

Hello!

I am new to 3FC and pretty new to Buddism. I have dabbled and read about Buddism and really appreciate the peaceful concepts. I really enjoyed learning more reading all the thought proking messages you all wrote and you gave me quite a bit to research and to reflect. I think I will enjoy this forum for its thoughtfulness and support.

Thank you all for your thoughts so far.

Janet


Life may not be the party we hoped for... but while we are here, we might as well dance!

Hey Janet! :welcome:

We are about to start a new thread--this one is getting long--so join us on Buddhist Support #3!

Namaste,
Jay