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Losing Weight
Vincenzi
Veteran
it may sound silly, but sometimes I wonder if losing weight is OK with Buddhism or if it is "attachment to self image".
obviously eating disorders and over-excercising are not fine.
were to draw the line? whats the healthiest way to lose weight?
obviously eating disorders and over-excercising are not fine.
were to draw the line? whats the healthiest way to lose weight?
0
Comments
In reality though, it's not up to buddhism to decide what you want to do with your own body
Healthiest way to lose weight would be to cut down on food that you don't really need. Not eating more carbo-hydrates than you need, nor more fat nor more proteins. And exercising and drinking lots of water.
If you don't get breathless after walking up some stairs or something like that and you can physically do everything you want to do then you're probably fine.
Metta to all sentient beings
Exercise. Exercise is great, it increases muscle mass/muscle tone, metabolism, and is good for overall cardiovascular health. Drinking water is very important like Epicurus said, as the liver is responsible for metabolizing fat. If you don't drink enough water, the kidneys can't do their job, and the liver has to help out a bit, making it more difficult for it to metabolize fat efficiently.
Walking is my favorite exercise for losing weight, though you do have to dedicate a great deal more time to it than you would with running or other more active exercises. It is low impact and better for your joints, and just a relaxing way to burn calories.
Anyway good luck Vincenzi!
Overeating is related to craving in most instances. I think being a good buddhist is a great way to lose weight.
There's no secret formula... diet is about balance.
Before you exercise, you should consume your pre-workout meal which needs to consist of complex carbohydrates and protein. (I never used supplements) You should consume your pre workout meal 45-90 minutes before your workout depending on your metabolism and the side of the meal.
At the gym, never work out for more than one hour. You should lift weights working on all of your muscle groups for around 30-40 minutes, finding your range but pushing yourself. Finish with a 15-20 minute cardio workout which is CRUCIAL. It can be on a running machine or rowing machine, whatever, but sweat and sweat and sweat.
After your workout, it is vitally important to consume a post workout meal within 30 minutes, ideally 20. This again should contain complex carbohydrates and protein. Tuna fish is good, lean chicken, eggs and a variety of foods for protein, google it. As for the carbs, skimmed milk, brown rice, bananas and other things.
Leave your body a day to recover so go to the gym every other day, keep your diet clean, do not consume carbs after 5pm and you will lose weight pretty quick.
why is it so important to eat before and after excersice?
After your exercise you need to recover. You have just put your body through stress and it needs to refuel. Think of the body as a machine.
Read this link, it will help
http://www.americanhealthandbeauty.com/articles/?article=4338
I have always wondered:
Why did they portrait Buddha in all the statues as more then a chubby man?
I also wonder why Ajahn Brahm who quite often describes what they eat in his monastery – can maintain his weight?
NOT A CRITICISM.
It has nothing to do with Buddha.
What people don't know about Ajahn Brahm is, that after he goes back to his cave he has a stash of cakes hidden away
lethargic & weak.
thanks for the link... but why everyone assumed I was interested in losing weight?
I'm a little overweight, but this was mostly curiousity... I'm discarding any health issues first.
I find it interesting how monks for the most part lead long lives, most of them surpassing 60-70, yet they eat once or twice a day, never after midday, they wake up early and have little sleep. It shows you that maybe a healthy, calm and peaceful mind is maybe more beneficial than a healthy body. There was an actor who I have forgotten the name of now, he died around his 90's, and even at 80 he was out partying, drinking, smoking. Somebody asked him what was his secret, he replied that he did not fear death and was totally content, his wife wasn't and that's why she died 30 years ago
How do you know?
"Amongst Westerners new to Buddhism, Budai is often confused with the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. However, the two are visually very distinct."
from wiki
it is a common misconception in the west to confuse the two.
#2 True study: apartment dwellers were studied: Who was the healthiest? Dwellers on the first , second, or third floor?
Answer: Second floor dwellers, because they were the most likely to take the stairs. third floor people took the elevator.
Lesson: lots of little things add up to big thing. Take the stairs, park away from the mall, walk to the store. do house work with verve. sit on one of those balls at the office. Laugh a lot. Enjoy wrestling with kids or partner; make grand gesticulations;
My fingers have gotten slim since I took up the guitar...my wedding ring no longer fits!
Forget six pack abs and enjoy living , the weight will come off. Do not get on the scale every day , just once in a while to assure yourself you are in the zone.
OT, losing weight is easy, burn more calories than you consume a day... lifting weights speeds this process up
This advice is for an average middle aged American who wants to shed pounds for health reasons.
Many people can achieve results with mindful , small changes to their habits.
Eat an apple, watch carb intake, avoid sweets....
I think the best is 2 meals: one big and the other small. 3 meals is too much; I think 3 meals is more tradition than hunger. and 1 meal sometimes isn't enough.
The meditation and mindfulness work are a huge help. I'm more aware of when I reach for food out of anxiety or tiredness and then I can think of healthier alternatives, like actually stopping to rest when I need to rather than nibbling to keep myself going. I think that mindfulness could help a lot of people attain and keep a healthy weight. It's not just about looks--though personally I think there is nothing wrong with wanting to look nice, as long as it's not an obsession. I feel that's kind of a "Middle Way" sort of thing.
As to number of meals a day, I have read studies about weight loss that concluded it is better to have 5-6 *small* meals a day than 3. And I have read studies that claimed the opposite. I suspect it depends on the person. Although I don't doubt there are monks who are healthy on 1 meal a day, I get headaches if I go too long without eating. I feel better and lose weight best while eating 5 times a day but keeping the meals and snacks small and healthy.
Then of course you have to eat well and work out too. I look at the gym as my religion I really do. The same way Muslims pray 2x a day I go the gym every 2 days to pump iron. I also do cardio on my own, 5x a week I work out without missing any days. I've never really been skinny, but I have loads of muscle all over. So I am always working on my body trying to improve it some how. I'm all about looking the best I can, that's my religion.