Do you want to lose weight?
“Hi! You look great. Have you lost weight?”
Many people would love to hear these words.
If lucky enough to hear a statement like this, one would be most pleased, whether it’s true or not; whereas those who don’t hear such a comment may be distressed.
Weight loss has been a topic of interest and conversation for years.
Why is the concept of losing weight and staying fit of such interest?
You may already know the answer.
Perhaps you’re bothered by your weight and dream of losing the extra pounds in order to enjoy a relationship.
Perhaps you have your eye on an outfit but can’t fit into it.
Perhaps you value the quality of your life and want to avoid any health issues that obesity can cause.
What is obesity?
Many factors can cause obesity. How to lose weight effectively and solve the mental distress and health problems associated with obesity are of great concern to many people. These are the topics discussed in this article.
Obesity is caused by an accumulation of excessive calories. The commonly used standard to measure obesity is the Body Mass Index (BMI). The BMI is defined as weight (kg) divided by square height (m), that is, BMI = weight / height2 (kg/m2).
The newly formulated Asian guideline for obesity points out that studies show BMI’s upper limit of 24.9, the world standard, is too high for Asians, who tend to have a smaller build than Europeans and Americans. The study proposes that for Asian adults the BMI range should be between 18.5-22.9. Overweight is defined as a BMI greater than 25. Obesity is defined as a BMI greater than 30.
Calculate your BMI to determine whether you want to continue reading and learning more about obesity.
Causes of Obesity
If you want to lose weight without risking health, you need to understand the root cause in order to apply the applicable remedy.
Here are the factors that can be the cause of obesity:
1. Genetic factors
Many genetic factors affect children. If one parent is obese, their child has a 40% chance of being obese; if both parents are obese, their child’s chance increases to 70% to 80%. It’s rare to see examples of obesity solely from genetics, but it’s common to see examples of obesity caused by unhealthy eating habits learned from parents.
2. Unhealthy diet
Eating habits and quality of food has an impact on the occurrence of obesity. The following dietary habits may cause obesity:
- Excessive consumption of fat, grains, and other carbohydrates
- Inappropriate consumption of high-sugar, high-fat, and high-protein foods
- Excessive intake of animal organs and animal fat
- Frequent consumption of greasy foods and snacks
- Excessive sweets before bed and excessive beer consumption
3. Lack of exercise
With the advancement of transportation in modern society, people drive more and walk less. Many jobs are automated, which reduces physical labor, as do household appliances. These all greatly reduce the opportunity to exercise. When people burn less calories while taking in the same or even higher amount of energy, obesity occurs.
4. Emotional eating
When feeling down or distressed, one may find comfort in food and eat too much, using food to try and fill an emotional void or relieve stress. On the other hand, negative emotions can affect the function of the liver, spleen, and kidneys such that the body can’t digest and excrete excess fat. This way of “eating” to relieve stress not only fails to solve the problem but can also lead to obesity.
5. Medication
While many medications are effective in treating certain illnesses, they can also cause weight gain. For example, medication prescribed to treat schizophrenia and reduce blood pressure can affect the hypothalamus which increases the appetite. Taking these drugs for an extended period can lead to obesity. In addition, medication containing estrogen, such as contraceptives, can also increase the appetite, thereby leading to obesity.
It should be noted that growth hormones used in livestock feed and even in the process of planting vegetables and fruits can be indirectly absorbed by the body if consumed over time, thereby increasing the risk of obesity.
6. Binge eating
Behaviors such as uncontrollable eating, excessive consumption, eating for pleasure, and lack of discernment when selecting food are also some of the important factors that can lead to obesity.
Health problems caused by obesity
During the Tang Dynasty (618-917 AD), being full-figured and voluptuous was considered desirable. Mistress Yang was the role model for this beauty standard and received much praise and honor. However, the obesity we are talking about now does not refer to the “curves” praised in the Tang Dynasty; we are referring to the excessive accumulation of fat that can cause a change in body shape and health.
Compared to those of healthy weight, obese people are more susceptible to heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Most studies suggest that, because there is an overabundance of fatty tissue in obese people, more blood needs to be supplied and circulated. The heart must then work harder to meet the increased demand, and the extra burden can lead to left ventricular hypertrophy (thickening of the heart muscle) and high blood pressure.
In addition, obesity can contribute to left atrial enlargement, faster heartbeat, and a higher risk of atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation-induced arrhythmia may lead to stroke and potentially even death if the patient doesn’t receive prompt medical attention.
Another study shows that obese children are susceptible to asthma. As a child’s BMI increases, the relative incidence of asthma also increases.
The American Cancer Society published a study confirming that the probabilities of having concurrent cancers increases significantly for people who are obese. For men, for every 15 kg of extra weight leads to a 52% higher chance of having esophageal cancer, a 33% greater risk of thyroid cancer, and a 24% greater risk of having cancer of the colon and kidney.
For women, every 13 kg of weight increase contributes to a nearly 60% greater risk of developing uterine cancer and gallbladder cancer, while the risk of esophageal cancer and kidney cancer rises 51% and 34%, respectively.
Obesity may also cause hormonal disorders. Obese men have lower male hormones and higher levels of estrogens. Obese women have a higher incidence of menstrual disorders, as well as infertility. Obesity also likely leads to early-onset puberty. It’s been documented that overweight girls tend to reach puberty at a younger age.
Obesity not only triggers a variety of health problems, it also causes psychological issues, planting the seeds of low self-esteem and even depression. Because modern mainstream culture favors slimness as the standard of beauty, it is natural for overweight people to feel that they are not being accepted and celebrated. The feelings of inferiority often linked with being overweight can cause diminished social interaction and feelings of isolation and loneliness. In conjunction with resultant psychological conditions such as depression, a lack of blood supply to the brain caused by obesity may impair cognitive function.
Is it okay to take weight loss drugs?
1. Understanding weight loss drugs
Ads for weight loss drugs (diet pills) seduce people with promises of fast, effortless weight loss, catering to the collective fantasy that one can be slim without exercising or implementing a healthy diet. Many fall prey to the hope that popping a pill will instantly give them what they want.
All diet pills promote weight loss in the following three ways:
1. By inhibiting the hypothalamus (the brain’s appetite center), they suppress the appetite and consequently reduce calorie intake.
2. Weight loss drugs also stimulate metabolism, increasing oxygen consumption, and body fat and sugar oxidation, which reduces the accumulation of fat in the body.
3. By stimulating the bowel, they curb nutrient absorption, increasing and expediting excretion.
Diet pills artificially change normal digestive and excretory functions to achieve weight loss. Although effects are noticeable almost immediately, they impact the body in negative ways, impacting natural processes and even, through long-term use, causing new illnesses. Therefore, the hidden dangers of weight loss drugs must not be overlooked.
2. Market Size
A weight loss survey published in the US “Reader’s Digest” magazine showed that China has the highest percentage of diet pill users in the world, with 37% of respondents saying that they had taken them. Stimulated by huge potential market demand and high profits, many multinational pharmaceutical companies are actively developing new types of weight loss drugs, spurred on by high profit margins and huge market potential. In the early 1980s, a new weight loss pill called fenfluramine phenol entered the market, and the annual sales revenue generated by diet pills globally shot up into the hundreds of millions of US dollars. In 2007, the global market for weight loss drugs (including various weight loss supplements) reached 1.7 billion US dollars and exceeded 2 billion US dollars in 2009. In 2018, it reached 72 billion US dollars.
Although the pounds may fall away rapidly, there is no guarantee of permanent weight loss and more often than not, users gain back the weight they lost and then some. Many end up trapped in yo-yo dieting, paying a price physically and emotionally.
3. Reactions to taking weight loss drugs
Many well-documented adverse reactions are associated with the consumption of weight loss drugs, including dizziness, dry mouth, accelerated heartbeat, insomnia, heart palpitations, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain.
Grandmaster JinBodhi’s weight loss method
Knowledge of food
First of all, a human diet should be composed of whole grains, fruit, and vegetables. Vegetarian food should be the staple, while meat should not exceed one-tenth of the meal per serving. Many people think that eating meat can help us ingest richer nutrition, but I don’t think this is the case. Grains, fruit, and vegetables have high nutritive value. More importantly, the human body can absorb plant-based food more easily. We will discuss food in detail in the next issue.
Appetite
Regardless of why, a big appetite is the main cause of weight gain; therefore, we must learn self-control.
Ways to lose weight
1. Drink water
It’s free, has no side effects, and is the most effective way to lose weight.
According to our understanding, obesity can be caused by constipation, wherein waste stays in the body too long.
We recommend drinking a glass of room temperature water about 10 minutes before every meal.
For those who have difficulty in excretion, drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. Women are advised to drink warm water during their menstrual period. For people with severe constipation, add some salt, vinegar or black vinegar to the water.
2. Positive mood
Maintain a pleasant mood. Before eating, express gratitude for the nutrition that each meal brings, and be grateful for the nourishment of every glass of water. This helps increase healthy and smooth energy.
3. Exercise
Be sure to exercise persistently. In addition to common activities such as jogging, playing ball, you can also meditate (try Bodhi Meditation’s prostration, etc.).
Special recommendation: Prostration
Prostration is an effective method to keep fit and healthy. By practicing prostration, you can also achieve health and wisdom.
Losing weight takes time. It might take between three months to more than a year. Therefore, develop a plan according to your situation and take action!
Prostration: A weight loss method recommended by Grandmaster JinBodhi
Prostration is a simple practice that helps with weight loss. There are no restrictions as to where you can practice this easy-to-learn and simple-to-practice exercise. With a yoga mat, you can practice at home or outdoors. Initially, keep the number of repetitions low, gradually increasing over time.
When we sincerely unite our body, mind, and spirit, we can communicate with universal energy that can help us lose weight quickly, improve our vision, become more energetic, restore physical health, obtain wisdom, and increase charisma with radiant skin and sparkling eyes.
1. Stand naturally and at ease, feet slightly apart, with eyes open or gently closed.
2. Bring palms together in prayer position but keep a slight space between them. Stretch both arms out to the sides in a smooth, flowing motion, gradually bringing hands together in prayer position overhead. Head remains still.
3. Slowly move the hands down; index fingers gently touch the forehead, chin, and chest. Kneel, keeping a slow pace.
4. Slide hands forward until the entire body touches the floor.
5. Turn palms upward. Gently knock the forehead on the floor three times, keeping the body and elbows on the floor.
6. With the forehead still touching the floor, raise both hands above and behind the head, bringing fingertips together. Lower the hands, place palms down and slide the arms alongside the body to chest level. Push up to a kneeling position and stand up. Bring palms together in prayer position at chest level.
Practicing prostration does not require force. Instead, practice gently and comfortably, with total ease. Do not aim for speed, or immediately strive for a high number of repetitions. Adjust daily goals according to your physical condition. It is vital to practice with sincerity and gratitude. At the close of practice, bow with palms together in prayer position, respectful and grateful. Both body and mind are relaxed and joyful. Rub your hands together, massage the face, and stretch your body.
