Thinking Beyond Weight loss
By vishwa on General
May 16, 2022
Weight loss has been an enigma to several of us. It undoubtedly continues to trick us. Do you think there is a victorious way out? Likewise, dieticians speak on various related factors: For example, calorie- in and calorie-out, protein efficiency ratio, balancing the macro and micro-nutrients, protein’s thermic effect, calorie counting, etc. We are lost in these myriad of questions. However I believe that the answer doesn’t lie in these technicalities. The Nobel Laureate Albert Einstein saves me here.
He says, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Charlie Chaplin says in his autobiography about Albert Einstein’s discovery on relativity and what had transpired on those final days: Einstein had arguably turned contemplative, and to focus on his findings he played the piano often. Einstein said, “He thinks in music.” Right after a few days of engaging in the theory he told his wife to leave him undisturbed in the coming days. He went upstairs to his study room where his food would be sent. He rarely came out of the room and whenever he ventured out, it was in the evening to exercise. After two weeks of intense contemplation he came out of the room looking very pale. He said, “That’s it.” That was the theory of relativity in two sheets of paper on the table.
Now, how is Einstein related to weight loss, you ask?
Elevating Consciousness
Einstein would have tried to elevate his consciousness through intense contemplation. He said, “A new idea comes suddenly and in a rather intuitive way. But intuition is nothing but the outcome of earlier intellectual experience.” However, how can we elevate our consciousness? One of the excellent ways is to meditate. In addition, a byproduct of meditation is intense concentration (leading to better harnessing of our intellectual abilities) and keen contemplation. This is going to take its own sweet time. However, when the monkey mind is rested the contemplative mind takes over. To our respite, we are now looking at the problem of overeating from a clear vantage point. Since we have an inactive reactive mind, we don’t get carried away and indulge in overeating. The dawn of higher awareness because of a contemplative mind results in looking at the problem of hunger from a discriminative standpoint. You realize that the feeling of hunger can be distorted to greater lengths by adding more weight to the thoughts associated with hunger. Hunger is indeed vicious and several associated thoughts can spiral down and give a ferocious picture. However, the emotion, if not colored with other inhibiting thoughts can be thoughtfully dealt with by us. Willpower is harnessed to our benefit and applied when needed. Tackling hunger is relatively easy as the distortion is handled. It’s in our hands to navigate our destiny.
Opting to Eat Bland Food
This one is a practical solution and a habit which can provide us with immediate results. Bland food doesn’t taste good. The result is eating less. The question is how serious are you about commitment? We live in a world where our enticing taste buds are ruling our lives. However the compromise is humungous if we allow our taste buds to control us. Our health and sense of well-being can be at grave risk. How? Better tasting foods are appetizing, and you may end up eating more, which may lead to health issues—diabetes—blood pressure—heart ailments, etc. Moreover, the sense of well-being is also compromised. You may initially feel good eating decadent dishes. But in reality you have become a slave. You are being ruled by it. You start to crave it; you compromise your sense of wellbeing in the long-term. The habit of eating delicacies will continue and with it so does the slavery. Also, this habit not only dents your health but also your pocket. The way out is sticking to bland food—even at home. Spicy and oily foods can be appetizing. So, eat simple foods. If you are truly committed, you also have to say a big no to restaurant foods. (I’ve been staying away from restaurant food for 10 years. When I travel I eat out, but when I am at home I prefer not to.) If I can do it, so can you.
Moral Obligation
I strongly believe that we as parents have a tremendous moral responsibility to lead our children in the right direction. I would love to see my daughter not be a bane on the society. Before I indulge in eating any junk food I believe I have to seriously reflect on it. Do I want my child, who is following in my footsteps, to be negligent? Don’t I want to see a more responsible individual who stays healthy and guides others to do the same? Would you want to see a child who is mindless about their habits? If not, it’s time for you to mend your ways.
The question you need to ask and honestly answer is, “how serious are you to lose weight?”