SAVOR.
Mindful Eating, Mindful Life.
by Thich Nhat Hanh and Lilian Cheung D.Sc., R.D.
FOREWORD
Most books about nutrition and diet stress the calorie content of foods, saturated fats, trans fats, carbohydrates, portion size, and the balance between energy intake and energy expended. This book is different. This book is not only about what what to eat. This book also teaches to eat. This book also teaches how how to eat. to eat.If you are someone who is concerned about your weight, perhaps you have tried dieting in the past. Maybe you have gone from cutting calories, to excluding fats, to avoiding "carbs," to taking a chance on the grapefruit diet or some other fad. Perhaps you have even lost weight-only to gain it right back within a few months. You know something is wrong and you feel not in control of your own body. You are convinced that something has to change, but where do you begin?The answer, provided in this book, is not to begin with what you put on your plate. Rather, you begin with what is already inside you, with your awareness and experience of every moment you live-what the authors call mindfulness. mindfulness. While the concept of mindfulness derives from Buddhist teaching, anyone can become more mindful in nourishing our bodies. Many distractions in daily life reinforce the mindless ingestion of food, and mindless eating is a strong driver of weight gain and obesity. With awareness and practice, it is possible to become more mindful in our eating-and in our lives. This book tells you how to do it. While the concept of mindfulness derives from Buddhist teaching, anyone can become more mindful in nourishing our bodies. Many distractions in daily life reinforce the mindless ingestion of food, and mindless eating is a strong driver of weight gain and obesity. With awareness and practice, it is possible to become more mindful in our eating-and in our lives. This book tells you how to do it.Auth.o.r.ed by an eminent spiritual leader and a renowned nutritionist, this work infuses science into wisdom and wisdom into science. It is a practical guide to eating mindfully and points the way to attain a healthier weight and a more satisfying life.Harvey V. Fineberg, M.D., Ph.D.
President Inst.i.tute of Medicine The National Academies Washington, D.C.
INTRODUCTION
IF YOU HAVE PICKED up Savor Savor because you want more peace and happiness in everyday life, then you are in the right place. If you have picked up because you want more peace and happiness in everyday life, then you are in the right place. If you have picked up Savor Savor because you or someone you love is struggling with weight and in need of practical solutions, then this book is for you also. because you or someone you love is struggling with weight and in need of practical solutions, then this book is for you also.Learning to eat and live mindfully is the key to experiencing health and peace. This vision brought us, a Zen Buddhist Master and a nutritionist, together to take a fresh look at mindfulness and the problem of obesity that is spreading across the globe. It is clear that standard approaches are not working to stem the tide of weight gain and the burden it creates for people and communities. More than a billion people worldwide are overweight-so many, in fact, that scientists call it an obesity epidemic. And while this is certainly an apt description of the outcome of eating too much and not moving enough, it does not fully describe what is going on. It is also a worldwide crisis largely brought on by social trends that distract and prevent us from doing the things that keep us in balance, healthy, and connected with our inner selves and our place in the world. Savor Savor is a guide to help us all reconnect with these different aspects of our lives that together can improve our weight, our well-being, and the well-being of our world. is a guide to help us all reconnect with these different aspects of our lives that together can improve our weight, our well-being, and the well-being of our world.Common sense tells us that to lose weight, we must eat less and exercise more. That is easier said than done, however. Many of us know that we need to eat less, and we need to be more active. But somehow we get stuck. We start on a weight-loss program with only good intentions, but when we cannot stay on track, we feel disappointed and discouraged. We become pessimistic, more and more unhappy with our weight. We spend hours worrying about our future, blaming ourselves for what we"ve eaten or how inactive we"ve been in the past, and completely missing the present moment-the moment in which we actually have the power to make real change in our lives.To end our struggle, we must learn to not let regret, worry, or fear dominate our life in the present moment. Each minute we spend worrying about the future and regretting the past is a minute we miss in our appointment with life-a missed opportunity to engage life and to see that each moment gives us the chance to change for the better, to experience peace and joy. The practice of being fully present in each moment is called mindfulness. mindfulness. It is an ancient Buddhist approach to living that helps us to be in the here and now-and to end our struggle with weight. It is an ancient Buddhist approach to living that helps us to be in the here and now-and to end our struggle with weight.To be mindful is to be completely aware of what is happening in the present, to be fully aware of all that is going on within ourselves and all that is happening around us, from moment to moment, without judgment or preconceived notions. Although mindfulness has been taught in Eastern meditation trainings, it is not some mystical or esoteric practice that is hard to learn. People in all walks of life have followed this set of age-old practices on their path to health, well-being, peace, and happiness for over twenty-five hundred years.When we walk and our mind is aware of each step that we plant firmly on the ground, we are already practicing mindfulness. When we eat and our mind is aware of each bite, savoring the taste and the nourishment it gives us, we are already practicing mindfulness. To be mindful of something, we need to learn to be fully present for an instant and look deeply into that something. We must first stop our wandering mind in order to begin to engage it in what is there in the present moment. When we are mindful of what we are doing, we learn to keep our appointment with life. This awareness of the present moment gives us the opportunity and the tools to touch peace and joy, to see the true nature of who we are and how we are related to everything else, and to end our struggle with weight.In Savor Savor we share with you how to live mindfully, and in particular how living mindfully can help you take care of your weight problem in a peaceful and sustainable way. Throughout the book, we show you how to easily adopt the practice of mindfulness and integrate it into eating, physical activity, and all other facets of your daily life so that mindful-ness gradually becomes a core part of your being. we share with you how to live mindfully, and in particular how living mindfully can help you take care of your weight problem in a peaceful and sustainable way. Throughout the book, we show you how to easily adopt the practice of mindfulness and integrate it into eating, physical activity, and all other facets of your daily life so that mindful-ness gradually becomes a core part of your being.Dealing with our overweight-or with any of our life"s difficulties, for that matter-is not a battle to be fought. Instead, we must learn how to make friends with our hardships and challenges. They are there to help us; they are natural opportunities for deeper understanding and transformation, bringing us more joy and peace as we learn to work with them. With mindfulness practice, we gain insight into the roots of our difficulties.You will learn to observe and be more aware of your motivations for and obstacles to staying healthy. Why do you eat what you eat? How do you eat, and how do you feel after you eat? What att.i.tudes do you have toward physical activity? What are the barriers-physical, psychological, cultural, and environmental-that prevent you from eating well and staying active? As you become more aware of your body and of the feelings, thoughts, and realities that prevent you from taking health-enhancing actions, you will realize what you need to do individually and what types of community and social support you need in order to change your behavior. With these insights, you will be better equipped to break through your barriers to a healthy lifestyle and weight control. You can start to make changes step-by-step, establishing healthier habits and instilling more and more peace within yourself.With the hectic pace of modern living, we recognize that it is very challenging for people to add more tasks to their "to do" list. As you will see, mindfulness practice does not need to be another "add-on." Its beauty lies in the fact that it can be fully and easily integrated into every act of our daily living, reminding us to live the present moment fully.With mindfulness, we can choose how how to live our lives now. We can seize any moment and begin anew. It is as simple as taking a few in-breaths and out-breaths here and there throughout the day-while answering e-mails, waiting in line, or sitting in traffic. It is absolutely within anyone"s reach. Take small steps every day, and be persistent. Small steps will add up over time. With the constant practice of mindfulness, you will feel more alive and in the flow of life. You will find more stillness amid the chaos. You will have a better understanding of yourself and all that is around you. The fog that veils your well-being will gradually dissipate, allowing you to touch the joy and peace that have always been inside you. The Buddha did not foresee many of the modern-day problems that we face, including the obesity epidemic, but his teachings are timeless. They are foundations for understanding and processes for gaining insight. As people have found over many generations, solidity, freedom, calm, and joy are the fruits of mindful living. to live our lives now. We can seize any moment and begin anew. It is as simple as taking a few in-breaths and out-breaths here and there throughout the day-while answering e-mails, waiting in line, or sitting in traffic. It is absolutely within anyone"s reach. Take small steps every day, and be persistent. Small steps will add up over time. With the constant practice of mindfulness, you will feel more alive and in the flow of life. You will find more stillness amid the chaos. You will have a better understanding of yourself and all that is around you. The fog that veils your well-being will gradually dissipate, allowing you to touch the joy and peace that have always been inside you. The Buddha did not foresee many of the modern-day problems that we face, including the obesity epidemic, but his teachings are timeless. They are foundations for understanding and processes for gaining insight. As people have found over many generations, solidity, freedom, calm, and joy are the fruits of mindful living.By combining the sage Buddhist philosophy with the science of nutrition, we can contribute to a better understanding of our bodies and minds. We invite you to embark on this mindfulness journey, just as others have over many generations, to help you end your struggle with weight and improve your health, the health of those around you, and the well-being of the world in which we live.
About This BookThe first part of Savor Savor (chapters 1 through 4) provides a Buddhist perspective on weight control and well-being. We begin the book by offering you a new way of looking at your weight problem-through the lens of the Four n.o.ble Truths, the most fundamental Buddhist teaching. You first need to acknowledge that you have a weight problem and reflect on whether or not you are ready to make changes and are committed to making them. If you are, you need to know what has led to your being overweight. Through a series of questions for self-inquiry, you will gain a better understanding of the reasons that you are overweight. You will realize that you do have the power to stop the unhealthy, mindless routines that led you to become overweight, if you so choose. And you will realize that mindfulness practice is an effective path toward a healthier way of living and a healthier weight. (chapters 1 through 4) provides a Buddhist perspective on weight control and well-being. We begin the book by offering you a new way of looking at your weight problem-through the lens of the Four n.o.ble Truths, the most fundamental Buddhist teaching. You first need to acknowledge that you have a weight problem and reflect on whether or not you are ready to make changes and are committed to making them. If you are, you need to know what has led to your being overweight. Through a series of questions for self-inquiry, you will gain a better understanding of the reasons that you are overweight. You will realize that you do have the power to stop the unhealthy, mindless routines that led you to become overweight, if you so choose. And you will realize that mindfulness practice is an effective path toward a healthier way of living and a healthier weight.Next, we offer you a taste of mindfulness-a meditation on eating an apple. With mindfulness, the simple act of eating an apple becomes a profound experience. It opens up our awareness that the apple is a manifestation of our world and that it cannot come into being in isolation. The apple is dependent on everything else for its existence, reminding us that we, too, are constantly supported by the effort of many beings so that we can enjoy the apple.We then invite you to look at your personal makeup. We explore how everything you see, taste, smell, hear, touch, and think affects your weight and all other aspects of your daily life. Diet books typically focus only on how foods immediately benefit the body and rarely address the psychosocial, cultural, and environmental factors that affect our habits of eating and physical activity. It is clear that we are not only what we eat; we are what we consume through all our senses. What we eat and how we eat are influenced by our ancestors, parents, and culture, the food businesses, the media, and societal forces. To maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle, we must look carefully at the interrelationships of our body, our mind, and society at large.As you begin to understand your difficulty with weight, an important step is to learn to empower yourself to transform this difficulty. The Buddha"s Discourse on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness elaborates on exercises that can lead to transformation and healing. We take you through the salient points of the four foundations of mindfulness practice for effective transformation, showing how to instill joy and peace in yourself as well as overcome your destructive habits. We describe a process and practice that will enhance your awareness of your body, feelings, mind, and all perceptions, and how they are intimately related to changing your eating and physical activity habits. You will learn basic breathing techniques to calm your body, feelings, and mind, and you will learn how to see yourself in relation to everything that is around you. With continuous practice, you will build up the confidence to recognize the nature and cause of your suffering and then transform it at its base, to uproot long-held negative beliefs, habits, and feelings.The second part of Savor Savor (chapters 5 through 7) brings mindfulness practice to your daily life. All of us eat and drink numerous times a day. These are wonderful opportunities for us to practice mindfulness. Paying attention to what we eat and drink as well as to how we eat and drink brings us nourishment, sustaining not only our own body and mind but also the well-being of our world for future generations. We provide you with a scientific primer on healthy eating and drinking, to help you decide what to eat and drink, and to offer concrete ways for you to eat and drink more mindfully. Through a series of questions, you begin to establish your own mindful-eating goals and personalized mindful-eating plan so that you can savor your foods and drinks while maintaining health and well-being. (chapters 5 through 7) brings mindfulness practice to your daily life. All of us eat and drink numerous times a day. These are wonderful opportunities for us to practice mindfulness. Paying attention to what we eat and drink as well as to how we eat and drink brings us nourishment, sustaining not only our own body and mind but also the well-being of our world for future generations. We provide you with a scientific primer on healthy eating and drinking, to help you decide what to eat and drink, and to offer concrete ways for you to eat and drink more mindfully. Through a series of questions, you begin to establish your own mindful-eating goals and personalized mindful-eating plan so that you can savor your foods and drinks while maintaining health and well-being.We move our bodies every day, though our twenty-first-century lifestyle has rendered us much more sedentary. Moving mindfully not only helps us burn more calories and maintain our health but also is a valuable opportunity to practice mindfulness in action. In chapter 6, we offer mindful ways to help you maintain the level of physical activity that you need to improve your weight and health. Included are reflections to help you create your personalized mindful-moving plan.Mindful eating and moving are both held in a larger net of general everyday, moment-to-moment mindfulness. To enhance your rhythm of mindful living, we propose simple tools to increase your practice of mindfulness throughout your waking hours. By creating a strategic mindfulness living plan, you can turn even the most mundane ch.o.r.e into an opportunity to practice mindfulness and nourish yourself.As you steadily progress in your journey toward a healthy weight, you will realize that your ability to make wholesome choices and follow a healthier lifestyle depends not only on you, but also on all that is around you. We are all connected and interdependent. What one does will affect everything and everyone else, and what everything and everyone else does will have an effect on each individual. Mindful living and weight control are not just an individual matter. We must also take collective action to make our environment less toxic and more supportive of healthy eating and active living. In the third part of the book (chapter 8), we explore ways we can help improve the environment and the community-for ourselves, our family, our friends, and future generations. By cultivating mindfulness energy, we will gain insight and understanding leading to greater compa.s.sion for all beings. It is this compa.s.sion that motivates us to take individual and collective action, creating profound change in our communities and societies to improve our well-being and the well-being of our world.We have a finite amount of energy to spend every day before becoming exhausted. Mindfulness helps you use your energy wisely, spending it on situations, people, and causes that bring you the most joy, meaning, and peace. Mindfulness is the guiding light that already exists inside every one of us. Discover it. We beckon you to use it and let it illuminate your life in every moment. Living like this, you will find yourself savoring your life deeply. Not only will this help you achieve the healthy weight and well-being that you seek; it will bring to the surface life"s rich abundance that is so often invisible to us.
PART 1.
A Buddhist Perspective on Weight Control
CHAPTER 1
Ending Your Struggle with WeightI have been struggling with my weight all my life. I know I have to lose weight. I do not like the way I look. I do not like the way I feel. I have gone on diets, tried diligently to exercise, lost the weight, and had it all come back in no time. I"ve lost count of how many times I have gone through this yo-yo cycle of loss and gain. I am totally frustrated, ashamed of myself, anxious and overwhelmed about my weight. I am tired of carrying this extra weight around. I do not feel good. Every day is a struggle for me. Every night is a nightmare. I have diabetes now, and I am really worried. I fear that I will not be around to see my children grow up. I am here because I do not want to give up. There must be a way out of this suffering.-Partic.i.p.ant in a mindfulness retreatTHIS WOMAN IS NOT alone. Everywhere you turn-from television, magazines, and Web sites to newspapers and radio-you see, read, or hear stories about the U.S. population"s frustrating struggle to lose weight. Two out of three adults in the United States are overweight, and one out of three is obese,1 more than double the rate of obesity in the late 1970s. In scientific terms, we are in the middle of an obesity pandemic, a state of extreme weight gain that is overtaking not only the United States but also much of the globe. This steep rise in obesity over the past thirty years has no parallel in our history, and if we do not change our current trends, the numbers will continue to rise. more than double the rate of obesity in the late 1970s. In scientific terms, we are in the middle of an obesity pandemic, a state of extreme weight gain that is overtaking not only the United States but also much of the globe. This steep rise in obesity over the past thirty years has no parallel in our history, and if we do not change our current trends, the numbers will continue to rise.And this is largely because our society has become toxic in a way that experts call "obesigenic." We are surrounded by societal forces that drive us to eat more and move less. And the natural result is weight gain, obesity, and the myriad health and emotional problems that go along with them. Yes, it"s ultimately a personal decision to eat more than one needs and to not exercise enough, but it"s also nearly impossible to escape the pressures around us that lead to unhealthy behaviors. Bombarded day in and day out by unhealthy outside influences, we easily become dissociated from what our bodies truly need and truly want.Just think of the food court at the local shopping mall. It"s a feast of choices that can overwhelm the senses. You see and smell foods that are savory as well as those that are sweet-steak sizzling in teriyaki sauce, oven-fresh pizza, hot cinnamon buns drizzled with snow-white icing, rich coffee confections infused with sugar syrup and topped with cream. The abundance of aromas, colors, and sounds awaken your palate and your urge to eat. In and of itself this isn"t necessarily a bad thing-who doesn"t love the look and smell of delicious food?-but it often spurs us to eat automatically whether we"re actually hungry or not. Before we know it, we"ve eaten a supersized meal that has two-thirds of the calories we need in one day-and we weren"t even hungry to begin with. When this happens day after day, week after week, what began as one enjoyable moment of eating becomes a weight problem that can affect us the rest of our lives. And this is just one of many examples of the impact our surroundings and social networks can have on our weight and health.In our food supply, there are plenty of foods and drinks that are highly seasoned with salt, sugar, and fat. According to Dr. David Kessler, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the food and restaurant industries deliberately produce high-salt, high-sugar, and high-fat foods just so that people cannot resist them and want more. In his book The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appet.i.te The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appet.i.te, citing research done in behavioral neuroscience, nutrition, and psychology, he reports that foods high in fat, salt, and sugar alter the brain"s chemistry, stimulating the release of dopamine, which in turn is a.s.sociated with the feeling of pleasure.2 This is one of the reasons that we crave more of foods and drinks high in fat, sugar, and salt-because they are satisfying. This is one of the reasons that we crave more of foods and drinks high in fat, sugar, and salt-because they are satisfying.Advertising is another. It"s the market economy"s way to shape social norms that propel consumption and profits. And when it comes to the food industry, what they want is for consumers to truly consume consume-to eat as much food and to drink as many drinks as they can stomach, and then have some more. It is telling that in the United States, the food industry spends more on advertising than any other industry except the auto industry.3 Every day we"re exposed to dozens of ads for food and beverages, each one cueing us to eat and drink. And there is no place that is off-limits for eating and drinking: we eat and drink in our cars and at our desks, as we sit in meetings and as we stroll through the shopping malls. It is no wonder that we often find ourselves eating and drinking beyond what we need to satisfy our true physiological hunger. We have created a culture of constant snacking, drinking, and eating. Every day we"re exposed to dozens of ads for food and beverages, each one cueing us to eat and drink. And there is no place that is off-limits for eating and drinking: we eat and drink in our cars and at our desks, as we sit in meetings and as we stroll through the shopping malls. It is no wonder that we often find ourselves eating and drinking beyond what we need to satisfy our true physiological hunger. We have created a culture of constant snacking, drinking, and eating.Now, think of our social norms around physical activity. From the Industrial Revolution in the early 1800s up to our current information technology revolution, we have become increasingly sedentary as we rely more and more on machines, gadgets, and automobiles to do our work and get around. We have drastically diminished the amount of energy we burn every day through bodily movements and the use of our muscles. And with the average home in the United States having more television sets than people,4 we have become couch potatoes living under the spell of the television. we have become couch potatoes living under the spell of the television.Together, all these societal forces push us toward eating more calories each day than we expend, and without our being aware of it. Over time these extra calories build up, and before we even realize it we"ve put on a good deal of weight. And it doesn"t take too much for this to happen. Over the course of one year, one hundred extra calories each day-the equivalent of eating one small cookie or of driving a mile instead of walking it-could end up packing ten pounds of extra fat on our bodies.Given the huge burden these social influences place on us, how can we get back in touch with our bodies and relieve ourselves of the burden and suffering that arise from being overweight? How can each of us reach a healthier weight?The answer almost certainly doesn"t rest with the current weight-loss industry in the United States. Weight-loss programs, diet books, and diet foods, herbs, and pills represent an estimated $59-billion industry in the United States.5 Thousands of fad-diet books and weight-loss plans come and go. Yet these nearly always fail people over time. You can lose weight on any diet, but there is no scientific evidence that rigid dieting will help you achieve weight loss in the long run. On the contrary, the U.S. population is growing fatter and fatter, and growing increasingly frustrated and discouraged by its failure to lose weight. Thousands of fad-diet books and weight-loss plans come and go. Yet these nearly always fail people over time. You can lose weight on any diet, but there is no scientific evidence that rigid dieting will help you achieve weight loss in the long run. On the contrary, the U.S. population is growing fatter and fatter, and growing increasingly frustrated and discouraged by its failure to lose weight.Millions are spent on research and development by pharmaceutical companies to find an obesity fix. But there is still no magic pill or formula that can help us lose weight and maintain our lost weight without side effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is cautious in the approval of these fat-fighting drugs. Yet those few drugs on the market that can help people shed a few pounds have unwanted side effects.6The difficult truth is that the basic law of thermodynamics still holds: When we eat more calories than we expend, we gain weight. When we burn more energy through physical activity or exercise than we take in from food and drinks, we lose weight. Though this sounds basic and simple, the fact that so many of us are overweight points to the complexity of the situation. For anyone who has tried many times to lose weight, the thought of trying again may feel like an overwhelming and daunting task. Is it truly possible to change one"s habits of eating and moving, especially in the face of a society that pushes us so hard in the wrong direction? How can one begin to make these changes?The Buddha teaches that change requires insight, and insight cannot begin until we stop and focus our attention on what is happening right in front of us. This stopping, or shamatha shamatha, allows us to rest the body and the mind. When we have calmed ourselves, we can then go on to look deeply into our current situation. We need to step off our frantic life treadmills, to stop unconsciously doing the same things over and over again that have allowed our weight to creep up. We need to stop, rest, and reflect on a constructive way forward that will end the habits that have led to our current weight issues. We need to be fully aware of what is going on in our daily living. Only then can we begin to change.Changing Your Habit EnergyThere is a Zen story about a man and a horse.7 The horse is galloping quickly, and it appears that the rider is urgently heading somewhere important. A bystander along the road calls out, "Where are you going?" and the rider replies, "I don"t know! Ask the horse!" The horse is galloping quickly, and it appears that the rider is urgently heading somewhere important. A bystander along the road calls out, "Where are you going?" and the rider replies, "I don"t know! Ask the horse!"This is also our life story. Many of us are riding a horse, but we don"t know where we are going, and we can"t stop. The horse is our "habit energy," the relentless force of habit that pulls us along, that we are often unaware of and feel powerless to change. We are always running. It has become a habit, the norm of our everyday living. We run all the time, even during our sleep-the time that we are supposed to rest and regenerate our bodies. We are our worst enemies, in conflict with ourselves, and therefore we can easily start conflict with others.When a strong emotion arises within us like a storm, we are in great turmoil. We have no peace. Many of us try to pacify the storm by watching television or eating comfort foods. But the storm does not calm down after hours of watching. The storm does not go away after a bag of chips or a bowl of ice cream. We hate ourselves afterward for eating the chips and the ice cream. We dread stepping on the scale the next day. We vow to never do it again. But time after time, we do. Why? Because our habit energy pushes us.How can we stop this state of turmoil? How can we stop our fear, our despair, our anger, and our cravings? We have to learn to become solid and stable like an oak tree, and not be blown from side to side by the emotional storm. We have to learn the art of stopping-stopping our running so that we can be present for and embrace our habit energies of worry, blame, guilt, and fear, and calm the strong emotions that dictate us. We have to learn to live fully in the present moment. We need to practice breathing in and breathing out with all our awareness. We have to learn to become mindful.When we are mindful, touching deeply the present moment, in the here and now, we gain more understanding, more acceptance, more forgiveness and love of self and others; our aspiration to relieve suffering grows; and we have more chances to touch joy and peace.We need the energy of mindfulness to recognize and be present with our habit energy so that we may prevent it from dominating us and stop its often destructive course. Mindfulness allows us to acknowledge our habit energy every time it pops up: "h.e.l.lo, my habit energy. I know you are there." If you just mindfully smile to your habit energy, it will lose much of its strength. The chips stay in the cupboard, the ice cream in the freezer. The storm pa.s.ses by, and we watch, breathing in and breathing out all the while.After we become calmer, we can recognize our weight problem more clearly and acknowledge it instead of denying it. This may not be easy for you to do. You may feel angry, frustrated, or fed up about your weight. Do not suppress these feelings of anger. Instead, as the Buddha has taught us, accept and embrace these difficult feelings, like a mother cradling her crying baby. The crying baby needs the mother"s loving care. In a similar manner, your negative emotions and turmoil are crying out loud, trying to get your attention. Your negative emotions also need your tender, loving care. By embracing your negative feelings whenever they arise, you can prevent yourself from being swept away by your emotional storm, and you can calm yourself. When you are calmer, you are more able to see that you already have within yourself the power and the tools to begin to change.Stopping, calming, and resting are preconditions for healing. If we cannot stop, we will continue on the course of destruction caused by unmindful consumption.The Four n.o.ble Truths of Healthy WeightThe Buddha offered many teachings to help people end their suffering, the first and most important being the Four n.o.ble Truths. The First n.o.ble Truth is that all of us have suffering in our lives. None of us can escape from it. The Second n.o.ble Truth is that we can identify the causes of our suffering. The Third n.o.ble Truth is that we can put an end to our suffering and that healing is possible. Finally, the Fourth n.o.ble Truth is that there are paths to free us from suffering. We can cultivate our well-being by concretely applying mindfulness to our daily living.A simple example from the field of medicine can help ill.u.s.trate the Four n.o.ble Truths. Let"s say you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (First n.o.ble Truth), which was likely brought on by eating a poor diet and becoming very overweight (Second n.o.ble Truth). Your doctor tells you the situation does not need to be like that and can be controlled (confirming the Third n.o.ble Truth). You follow the doctor"s prescription-taking your medicine, eating better, and exercising more-which is your route to healing (Fourth n.o.ble Truth). These teachings of the Buddha originate from a time when suffering was more likely to be caused by a lack of food rather than too much, or by a body overburdened with physical labor rather than one grown ill from lack of use. Yet they apply to all forms of suffering, including those related to being overweight.Now, let"s reflect upon the Four n.o.ble Truths and how they relate to achieving your healthy weight. The self-exploration that begins here and continues throughout this book will help you navigate through all the important factors in your life that affect your weight. It will help you discover what science-based paths you can follow to reach a healthier weight. And through your own awareness, you can discover and decide for yourself what is beneficial and what is not beneficial for your body and well-being.Through the process, you will realize whether your weight has affected you physically and emotionally. You can become more in touch with the way you have been eating and drinking, the amount of exercise you have been doing or not doing. You can recognize the amount and type of effort you have been spending to control your weight. You can appreciate how your work is affecting your daily lifestyle and your weight. Through all these reflections, you can gain insights from your past that can lead you to success on your path of healing.As you read the rest of this chapter and this book, read with an open mind and an open heart. Do not struggle with the concepts-the information here is not intended to simply add to your warehouse of knowledge. Be like the earth. When the rain comes, the earth simply opens up to the rain and soaks it all in. Allow the wisdom in this book to nurture the seeds that lie deep in the soil of your consciousness so that they can sprout and mature into the transformative energies of mindfulness and insight. A teacher cannot give you the truth. The truth is already in you. A teacher can only offer you the chance to awaken your true self.Enlightenment, peace, and joy will not be granted by someone else.
The well is within us,And if we dig deeply in the present moment, The water will spring forth8The First n.o.ble Truth: Being Overweight or Obese Is SufferingWhen we are overweight, every part of the body may feel the burden. Our knees may ache, carrying too much weight, becoming swollen and stiff with arthritis.9 Our heart may labor harder, our blood pressure may rise, and harmful plaque may build up inside the lining of the arteries, heightening the risk of heart attack and stroke. Our breathing itself may become a problem around the clock as the risk of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and sleep apnea increases. Our heart may labor harder, our blood pressure may rise, and harmful plaque may build up inside the lining of the arteries, heightening the risk of heart attack and stroke. Our breathing itself may become a problem around the clock as the risk of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and sleep apnea increases.10Many of these increased health risks exist in people who are merely overweight, not just among those who are obese. Diabetes, an insidious disease with disabling and deadly complications, is two to four times more likely to strike someone who is overweight than someone who is at a healthy weight, and it is five to twelve times more likely to strike someone who is obese.11 The risk of cancer in several parts of the body-breast, colon, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, and uterus-is higher in people who carry excess body fat than in people who do not. The risk of cancer in several parts of the body-breast, colon, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, and uterus-is higher in people who carry excess body fat than in people who do not.12 So is the risk of having gallstones that require the gallbladder to be removed. So is the risk of having gallstones that require the gallbladder to be removed.13 The risk of infertility, The risk of infertility,14 cataracts, cataracts,15 and perhaps even dementia may be higher in people who are obese than in those who are at a healthy weight. and perhaps even dementia may be higher in people who are obese than in those who are at a healthy weight.16 Given the toll that excess weight takes on all areas of the body, it is no surprise that being overweight or obese in midlife increases the chances of dying early. Given the toll that excess weight takes on all areas of the body, it is no surprise that being overweight or obese in midlife increases the chances of dying early.17 Even people who are not overweight but have gained more than twenty pounds since the start of college have an increased risk of dying early. Even people who are not overweight but have gained more than twenty pounds since the start of college have an increased risk of dying early.18Those who are overweight and obese suffer in countless other ways as well, due to the pervasive stigma a.s.sociated with weight.19 As children they may, owing to their weight, become the target of teasing and bullying from their peers. As adults, they may be less likely to win a job or a promotion, or they may be stereotyped as lazy or less disciplined. Even in the doctor"s office, they may face prejudice because of their weight. As children they may, owing to their weight, become the target of teasing and bullying from their peers. As adults, they may be less likely to win a job or a promotion, or they may be stereotyped as lazy or less disciplined. Even in the doctor"s office, they may face prejudice because of their weight.What type of suffering have you endured because of your weight? Physical pain? Emotional pain? A feeling of shame, insecurity, regret, anger? Identifying and acknowledging the nature and depth of your suffering may be difficult. You may want to suppress it and not deal with it. However, our first step toward healing and transformation is to recognize the existence of our suffering and not run away from it.The Second n.o.ble Truth: You Can Identify the Roots of Your Weight ProblemBefore you can change your weight, you must have a better understanding of the reasons that you are overweight. Fundamentally, weight gain or loss results from changing the balance of energy coming in (the calories we eat and drink) and going out (the calories we burn off through our everyday activities). Yet science has found that many factors can lead us to get out of balance and gain weight-our ancestry, our lifestyle choices, and our surroundings.Take the time to reflect on the numerous factors that we describe here. Look deeply to see whether they apply to you so that you may understand the true nature of your problem with weight. Looking deeply requires courage. The causes are knowable, and with diligent effort you can get to the bottom of them. With greater insight into the reasons that you are overweight, you can begin to determine what course of action you can take to achieve a healthier weight.Know that the attachment to pleasurable desires can cause us to suffer. As we crave insatiably for delightful and pleasurable experience through our consumption of foods and drinks and our sedentary way of life, we are well on our way to gaining weight. Do these desires really satisfy you in the long run and bring you happiness? Not likely, since all these are temporary fixes that get us to gain more weight. When you succ.u.mb to these cravings, you are perpetuating the cycle of frustration, anxiety, and suffering.Buddhism describes creatures known as pretas pretas, or Hungry Ghosts, who have insatiable appet.i.tes for food, drinks, and other cravings. They are desperate beings who are always hungry, with tiny mouths; long, narrow necks; and distended bellies. Though they are constantly ravenous, driven by the desire to eat, their tiny mouths and necks prevent them from swallowing the food they ingest. The act of eating does not help them overcome negative emotions and cravings. Eating more only causes them to have more pain and agony. Are you consuming like a Hungry Ghost?As you begin to look deeply into the roots of your weight problem, take care not to be harsh on yourself. The "judge" inside your head often makes you feel bad about all the "shoulds"-you should not have eaten that cheesecake, you should have spent more time at the gym. You may also be daunted by your past failures and struggles with weight. It is time to stop blaming yourself for these failures. Perhaps you were following the wrong advice. Perhaps you were able to lose some weight initially on one diet or another, but the diets were too restrictive, your cravings took hold, and you eventually gave up and gained the weight back. You are not separate from your family and environment. In the past you did not have enough of the right conditions supporting you to maintain a healthy weight.Do you understand why you did not succeed? What were your obstacles? Do not get lost in regret about your past mistakes. The past is the past. It is not the present. You can seize the present moment-any present moment-to begin anew. Just as you embrace your negative feelings, embrace your weight problem like a mother cradling her crying baby, so that you can transform your fear, despair, anger, frustration, and self-criticism. Mindfulness practice can help you become calmer, so that you can look at your situation in a more detached way, without self-condemnation. This frees you to focus on the solutions rather than dwell on the past or your problems. The Buddha said that if we know how to look deeply into our suffering and recognize what feeds it, we are already on the path of emanc.i.p.ation.Do Your Parents Have Weight Problems?What you have inherited from your ancestors" gene pool can affect your weight. Studies have shown that when one of a child"s parents is overweight, the child is more than twice as likely to become an overweight adult, regardless of whether the child herself is at a normal weight.20 Having two overweight parents further increases the chance that the child will become overweight. Having two overweight parents further increases the chance that the child will become overweight.21 Nevertheless, parental influences on our weight could be due to nature, nurture, or a combination of both. When we were young, parents also controlled what and how much we ate as well as how active we were. If your mother breast-fed you, it may have lowered your risk of becoming overweight. Nevertheless, parental influences on our weight could be due to nature, nurture, or a combination of both. When we were young, parents also controlled what and how much we ate as well as how active we were. If your mother breast-fed you, it may have lowered your risk of becoming overweight.22 If your father encouraged you to "clean up your plate" as a habit, you may find it really hard to stop eating today"s supersize portions even though you are full. Did your parents spend their free time playing with you in the yard, or did you spend much of your family time slouched together in front of the television set? As you consider the role of parental influences on your weight, keep in mind that your genetics are not your destiny-and genetics alone cannot explain the rapid rise in obesity we have seen over the past thirty years. Even if your parents were overweight, you can still achieve a healthy weight by following a healthy lifestyle. It just means that you may have to pay more attention to what you eat and how much you move than someone who does not have a genetic tendency to be overweight. If your father encouraged you to "clean up your plate" as a habit, you may find it really hard to stop eating today"s supersize portions even though you are full. Did your parents spend their free time playing with you in the yard, or did you spend much of your family time slouched together in front of the television set? As you consider the role of parental influences on your weight, keep in mind that your genetics are not your destiny-and genetics alone cannot explain the rapid rise in obesity we have seen over the past thirty years. Even if your parents were overweight, you can still achieve a healthy weight by following a healthy lifestyle. It just means that you may have to pay more attention to what you eat and how much you move than someone who does not have a genetic tendency to be overweight.Do You Drink Too Much Sugary Soda?Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can contribute to weight gain. A study in teens found that for every additional can of soda they drank a day, their chances of becoming obese increased by 60 percent.23 The Nurses" Health Study found that women who increased their consumption of sugary drinks from one or fewer drinks per week to one or more drinks per day gained more weight over a four-year period than women who cut back on sugary drinks. The Nurses" Health Study found that women who increased their consumption of sugary drinks from one or fewer drinks per week to one or more drinks per day gained more weight over a four-year period than women who cut back on sugary drinks.24Scientists believe there are several reasons that drinking sugary drinks contributes to weight gain. The calories from soda are often "invisible." When you drink your calories rather than eat them, you may not cut back on other foods to compensate for the liquid calories. With a twelve-ounce can of sugary soda containing nearly ten teaspoons, or about 150 calories, of sugar, it"s easy to stack up extra calories during the day, especially if you"re drinking sugary soda to quench your thirst. Soft drinks may also increase your sense of hunger or decrease your sense of satiety or fullness.25As you consider the role of sweetened drinks on your weight, notice whether you feel hungrier after you drink a sugary soda. If you have already cut back on sugary drinks and subst.i.tuted diet ones, notice whether drinking the intensely sweet sugar subst.i.tutes has conditioned your palate to expect, crave, and seek supersweet foods.Do You Get Less Than a Half Hour of Exercise or Physical Activity Each Day?For weight control, the "energy out" side of the energy-balance equation is just as important as the "energy in." There"s strong evidence that getting enough physical activity can help prevent weight gain and, when combined with a lower-calorie eating plan, can help promote weight loss. What is enough? It depends on how fit you are. For some people, taking a brisk half-hour walk five days a week would be enough. For others, taking a high-intensity spinning cla.s.s for seventy-five minutes a week would be enough. For people who are very inactive, just getting moving is a start. We discuss physical activity for weight control and for general good health in chapter 6, "Mindful Moving." For now, reflect on whether you get enough physical activity. If not, why not?Do You Watch More Than One Hour of Television a Day?Many studies in adults and children have shown that watching too much television increases one"s risk of becoming overweight. The Nurses" Health Study, for example, found that for every additional two hours of television that women watched per day, their risk of becoming obese increased by 23 percent. Even getting a lot of physical activity did not fully protect these women from the effects of TV watching on weight: among the most active women, those who watched more than twenty hours of television per week had a higher risk of becoming obese than those who watched less than six hours of television per week.26Researchers believe there are several possible ways that watching too much television could lead to weight gain. Sitting around and watching television may take the place of more physically demanding activities, so the "energy out" side of the energy balance equation goes down. TV watching may also affect the "energy in" side of the equation: people tend to eat while while they watch television and also tend to eat they watch television and also tend to eat what what they watch on television-fast food, sugary drinks, and other high-calorie snacks. This adds up to extra calories in, fewer calories out, and, ultimately, to weight gain. As you reflect on your TV-watching habits, think about why you spend as much time as you do watching television. Do you watch a lot of television to avoid boredom? To avoid communicating with your family members? Or to cope with stress? What other activities might you do instead? (See a list of suggestions in appendix D for ideas.) they watch on television-fast food, sugary drinks, and other high-calorie snacks. This adds up to extra calories in, fewer calories out, and, ultimately, to weight gain. As you reflect on your TV-watching habits, think about why you spend as much time as you do watching television. Do you watch a lot of television to avoid boredom? To avoid communicating with your family members? Or to cope with stress? What other activities might you do instead? (See a list of suggestions in appendix D for ideas.)Do You Get Enough Sleep?A good night"s sleep is essential for good health. New research suggests that a good night"s sleep may also be essential to controlling your weight.27 The Nurses" Health Study, for example, followed seventy thousand women for sixteen years. Women who skimped on sleep-getting five hours or less each night-were 15 percent more likely to become obese than women who got seven hours of sleep per night. The Nurses" Health Study, for example, followed seventy thousand women for sixteen years. Women who skimped on sleep-getting five hours or less each night-were 15 percent more likely to become obese than women who got seven hours of sleep per night.28 Scientists are still teasing out why lack of sleep may lead people to pack on the pounds. People who don"t get enough sleep may be more fatigued than people who get a healthy night"s sleep, Scientists are still teasing out why lack of sleep may lead people to pack on the pounds. People who don"t get enough sleep may be more fatigued than people who get a healthy night"s sleep,29 decreasing the "energy out" side of the energy-balance equation. Or staying awake for a longer period of time may simply give people more opportunities to eat, increasing the "energy in" side of the energy-balance equation. decreasing the "energy out" side of the energy-balance equation. Or staying awake for a longer period of time may simply give people more opportunities to eat, increasing the "energy in" side of the energy-balance equation.30 Sleep deprivation may shift the balance of key hormones that control appet.i.te, making sleep-deprived people hungrier than people who get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation may shift the balance of key hormones that control appet.i.te, making sleep-deprived people hungrier than people who get enough sleep.31 One small study found that sleep-deprived volunteers reported more hunger, especially for high-carbohydrate and high-calorie comfort foods. One small study found that sleep-deprived volunteers reported more hunger, especially for high-carbohydrate and high-calorie comfort foods.32 If you are not getting enough sleep, think about why. Are you lying awake at night filled with anxiety? Do you stay up too late watching television? Do you notice that you are hungrier on days when you have not gotten as good a night"s sleep? If you are not getting enough sleep, think about why. Are you lying awake at night filled with anxiety? Do you stay up too late watching television? Do you notice that you are hungrier on days when you have not gotten as good a night"s sleep?Do You Eat Mindlessly?Nowadays, with all the societal pressures and the "high speed" living of our Internet age, much of our eating happens on autopilot. We do not pay attention to how much food is served or how much we have eaten, how tasty the food is or whether we"re even hungry at all. Instead, how much we eat is often driven by external cues-the size of the bowl, the size of the plate, the portion size of the food itself. Given the supersizing trends over the past twenty years, it is easy to fall victim to "portion distortion" and to lose sight of how much food is an appropriate amount to eat.33 Recently, researchers have conducted scientific studies looking at how mindless eating affects our food consumption. What they found is that mindless eating can easily lead to overeating. In a cla.s.sic experiment, people at a movie theater were served fresh or stale popcorn in different-size containers. Moviegoers who were given stale popcorn said the taste was "unfavorable." Yet when they were served stale popcorn in a large container, they ate 61 percent more popcorn than they did when it was served in a small container while they were watching the movie-and they underestimated the amount of popcorn they ate. Recently, researchers have conducted scientific studies looking at how mindless eating affects our food consumption. What they found is that mindless eating can easily lead to overeating. In a cla.s.sic experiment, people at a movie theater were served fresh or stale popcorn in different-size containers. Moviegoers who were given stale popcorn said the taste was "unfavorable." Yet when they were served stale popcorn in a large container, they ate 61 percent more popcorn than they did when it was served in a small container while they were watching the movie-and they underestimated the amount of popcorn they ate.34 In another experiment, graduate students at a Super Bowl party who served themselves from large bowls ate 56 percent more snack food than students who served themselves from smaller bowls. In another experiment, graduate students at a Super Bowl party who served themselves from large bowls ate 56 percent more snack food than students who served themselves from smaller bowls.35 The larger the portion size, the less able we are to estimate how many calories we are eating. The larger the portion size, the less able we are to estimate how many calories we are eating.36The cues for mindless eating reach beyond the size of a plate or the size of a portion. Our whole surroundings support mindless eating, from the ads on TV to fast-food "dollar menus" to favorable placement of unhealthy foods on supermarket shelves. All these cues combined can make it very, very difficult to find what it is our bodies truly need. Are you often eating on the run, in the car, or at your desk? Do you have to dine out often because you have not had time to cook? And do you find yourself making unwise food choices when eating out?Practicing mindfulness can help us avoid the external cues that trap us, avoid mindless eating, and focus in on the practices that keep us healthy.Mindlessness is the opposite of mindfulness. Eating is not the only activity that we do mindlessly, and we are driven to mindlessness by more than just the size of a bowl or plate. We drink a cup of tea and focus more on the worries and anxieties of the day than on living the moment of enjoying the tea. We sit with someone we love, and rather than focus on the person and this moment we have with them, we"re distracted by other thoughts. We walk but are more focused on reviewing the talking points for our next appointment than on the serene moment we"re having as we walk. We are usually someplace else, thinking about the past or the future rather than the now. The horse of our habit energy is carrying us along, and we are its captive. We need to stop our horse and reclaim our freedom. We need to shine the light of mindfulness on everything we eat and do, so the darkness of forgetfulness will disappear.Do You Live or Work in an Environment That Makes It Difficult to Eat Healthfully and Keep Moving?Where you live and where you work can have important implications for whether you can eat well and stay active. If healthy choices are not available in your workplace or neighborhood, it makes it very difficult for you to eat well, no matter how knowledgeable or determined you are. If your neighborhood is not safe enough for you to walk, jog, or ride a bike in, it will deter you from staying active. Pay attention to your surrounding environment, and take note of the various barriers to active living and healthy eating. What prevents you from following your good intentions? Are your sincere efforts being sabotaged by family or friends? Does your job or what you do on a daily basis prevent you from staying on course with healthy eating and active living? Do you have too much work-related stress? Do you have time for yourself?As you start to clear your mind of distractions, these barriers will become clearer to you, and you will start to work on ways around them as well as ways to work with people in your community to make a healthier environment for everyone.Other Factors Feeding Your Weight ProblemScientific and public health experts are working hard to figure out what can be done to turn the obesity epidemic around. Yet, science still does not have all the answers about what leads people to gain too much weight. So it is important to consider other factors that may have caused your weight problem. It may be helpful for you to reflect on the following questions about your own att.i.tudes, thoughts, feelings, and actions that may have led you to eat more and move less. Be honest with yourself. Write your reflections in a journal so that you can review them later and gain a better understanding of yourself. Once you are conscious of these att.i.tudes, thoughts, feelings, and actions, you can work, step-by-step, to change them-to break the mindless forces of habit that have led you to eat more and move less.How do you feel about your current weight? Is having a healthy weight a high priority in your life that"s worth your time and energy to address? Do you have enough concentration to focus on your weight problem, your poor eating habits, and your sedentary lifestyle? What is distracting you from your focus?Do you feel that you are doomed to be overweight and it does not matter how hard you try? Do you eat just to feel better, if only for short time?Are you eating before going to bed because you are tired? Are you attached to certain unhealthy foods late at night? Why? What triggers you to eat again just a little while after finishing your dinner?Are you using food to fill an emotional void, relieve loneliness, or cope with your anxiety, fears, or stress? Do you continue to eat when you are full, and how does this make you feel? Is overeating a Band-Aid to cover up another type of pain? Are you trying to feed an emotional hunger? Are you using food as a crutch? Do you use food to ward off the painful, heart-wrenching feelings that you have buried deep in your heart? Reflect mindfully about how you may use food to cope with your negative emotions; you will see that edible food is not the right nourishment for them.Where do you get your information? From a credible source? Or from magazines, TV shows, or advertis.e.m.e.nts that sensationalize results and make promises they can"t fulfill? Do you find yourself being affected by food commercials on television or in magazine advertising? Have you been the victim of countless diet books that have led you to lose confidence in your ability to reach a healthy weight?Do you have a preexisting health condition that prevents you from exercising? If you do, did you seek out the advice of a professional to help you find appropriate physical activities that you can do on a daily basis?Listen to your heart. What are your inner longings? How are you going to fulfill these longings? Do your self-talk, beliefs, or interactions with others hinder you from maintaining healthy eating and active living? Are you your own worst enemy? Have you put time and effort into healthy eating and active living? If not, why not?THESE ARE ALL VERY complex questions that take time, effort, and sometimes a bit of painful soul-searching to answer, but they are very important issues to address. And tackling them head-on and resolving them is just as important to reclaiming our healthy weight as the better-studied issues, like getting more exercise and cutting back on sugary soda.As you learn to be more mindful, to better focus on what is happening in the present moment, the barriers and motivations that drive you toward unhealthy habits will become clearer, as will the path away from them toward better health.The Third n.o.ble Truth: Reaching a Healthy Weight Is PossibleYou can put an end to your weight problem. You have already taken the first step: by spending energy to understand the roots of the problem, you have stopped running away from it. When you direct your attention to your excess weight and the suffering a.s.sociated with it, you can see the potential for wellness. You also understand that it is possible to reach your goal of a healthy weight when you take the right actions. Remember, there was a time before you became overweight when your weight was normal. It is easy to forget that.Ask yourself where you are in this healthy-weight journey. Focus on whether or not you aspire to be a different person, to feel better about yourself, to be able to function better, to be happier. Ask yourself what this extra weight means to you, and ask yourself whether you are truly ready to let it go.To be successful, it is very important for you to believe that you can achieve a healthy weight. Believing in yourself, having the faith that you can change the habits that do not serve you well, and adopting science-based wisdom are important for successful transformation of our behavior. According to psychologist Albert Bandura, "perceived self-efficacy" is essential for any behavior change.37 Self-efficacy is simply the belief that one Self-efficacy is simply the belief that one can can carry out a behavior necessary to produce a desired outcome. What we believe can significantly affect what we can achieve. People who believe that they can reach a healthier weight through healthy eating and active living set relevant goals that they perceive to be important for the desired change. They believe that those goals are attainable, and they believe t