Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

A place to discuss health and fitness, healthy diets. A fit body makes for a fit mind.
danieLion
Posts: 1947
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 4:49 am

Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by danieLion »

As we face the spectre of dwindling natural resources, how do we consume less?

Here's one take.
Best,
Daniel
User avatar
Bhikkhu Pesala
Posts: 4644
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:17 pm

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

According to a recent Horizon Documentary, Fasting and Feasting on alternate days is the most effective way to lose weight. Take only 500 calories on the fast day, and eat whatever you want on the feasting day.

If you average 2000 calories a day, you won't eat 3,500 on the feast day — maybe 2,200 or 2,500 at the most.

The Buddha recommended eating only once a day. Even if we eat two meals a day, we monks still have about 18 hours fasting every day. That doesn't seem to be working for me though — I don't eat much, but I am not getting enough exercise.
BlogPāli FontsIn This Very LifeBuddhist ChroniclesSoftware (Upasampadā: 24th June, 1979)
corrine
Posts: 65
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:33 pm

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by corrine »

I think that fasting and feasting on alternate days would be very hard on one's digestive system. And I think that it would make food the constant goal, with one always waiting for the feast day to arrive, literally wishing away the fast days.

As I have aged, I have learned sadly that I must cut my calories in order to prevent weight gain. I can now eat no more than 1,400 calories per day and maintain my weight. I do not want to gain weight because when I do, my knees hurt and that impairs my ability to live my life as I choose. Old age teaches a lot of lessons, some of them unpleasant, and one of those unpleasant ones is that moderation is absolutely necessary as one ages, in order to maintain quality of life.

I have found that simply consuming less is the way to go. One can occasionally indulge, emphasis on 'occasionally'. This approach works in other areas of life too. My financial situation is not what it once was, so I must also consume less of material goods and resources such as electricity and gasoline, in order to stay within my now limited budget. Living in the United States of America, consumption and not moderation is the ideal, but that approach has not worked for individuals nor has it worked for us as a nation. We have become physically unhealthy as we also became financially unhealthy. So perhaps consuming less is simply a wise choice in all areas of life. Moderation is not a bad word. It is simply a rational choice.

corrine
User avatar
Bhikkhu Pesala
Posts: 4644
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 8:17 pm

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

The Documentary is now available on YouTube.

Eat, Fast and Live Longer
BlogPāli FontsIn This Very LifeBuddhist ChroniclesSoftware (Upasampadā: 24th June, 1979)
User avatar
Cittasanto
Posts: 6646
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:31 pm
Location: Ellan Vannin
Contact:

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by Cittasanto »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:The Documentary is now available on YouTube.

Eat, Fast and Live Longer
I enjoyed this program!
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
User avatar
Kim OHara
Posts: 5584
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:47 am
Location: North Queensland, Australia

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by Kim OHara »

corrine wrote:Living in the United States of America, consumption and not moderation is the ideal, but that approach has not worked for individuals nor has it worked for us as a nation. We have become physically unhealthy as we also became financially unhealthy. So perhaps consuming less is simply a wise choice in all areas of life. Moderation is not a bad word. It is simply a rational choice.

corrine
Well said!

:namaste:
Kim
User avatar
Kim OHara
Posts: 5584
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:47 am
Location: North Queensland, Australia

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by Kim OHara »

P.S.
See also Footprint Calculator http://www.earthday.org/footprint-calculator

- Kim
User avatar
Alobha
Posts: 565
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:27 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by Alobha »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:The Documentary is now available on YouTube.

Eat, Fast and Live Longer
Great documentary, I will try that 5-2 fasting, too. At least meditating with an empty stomach usually works better for me compared to when i'm totally stuffed.
danieLion
Posts: 1947
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 4:49 am

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by danieLion »

Elaborations:
Starving to Live from our local Willamette Weekly
and
Starving your way to vigor: The benefits of an empty stomach from Harper's magazine (just a link; I read it in hard copy and can't find it online, but recall it's pretty good).
Last edited by danieLion on Mon Aug 20, 2012 6:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
danieLion
Posts: 1947
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 4:49 am

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by danieLion »

The Atlantic Monthly article I cited in my OP about B.F. Skinner didn't point this out, but Skinner discovered that his animal subjects performed optimally when he reduced their body weight by 20% the standard. Different types of fasts are different reinforcement schedules.
User avatar
DNS
Site Admin
Posts: 17169
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:15 am
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, Estados Unidos de América
Contact:

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by DNS »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:The Documentary is now available on YouTube.

Eat, Fast and Live Longer
Good program! I recommend this video too for everyone; it gives motivation to consume less and be healthy too. And it provides a more realistic way for doing so as long fasts or CR on a daily basis are not realistically possible for most people.
User avatar
Kim OHara
Posts: 5584
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:47 am
Location: North Queensland, Australia

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by Kim OHara »

If this thread is really all about food, perhaps it should be in the Wellness and Diet forum?

:popcorn:
Kim
danieLion
Posts: 1947
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 4:49 am

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by danieLion »

Kim O'Hara wrote:If this thread is really all about food, perhaps it should be in the Wellness and Diet forum?

:popcorn:
Kim
I thought it was about consuming, but since most human consumption directly involves or is otherwise related to food, this forum's fine with me.

Where did I OP? I don't recall.

Edit: I want it to be about how to consume less, not why we "should" consume less. But I'm not the only poster in this topic.
danieLion
Posts: 1947
Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 4:49 am

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by danieLion »

THE PETROL WE EAT

I haven't read this since it came out in hard copy, but it's a well written and informative article from Harper's called The oil we eat: following the food chain back to Iraq
User avatar
marc108
Posts: 463
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 10:10 pm

Re: Consuming Less Is A Real Possibility

Post by marc108 »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:That doesn't seem to be working for me though — I don't eat much, but I am not getting enough exercise.
I would imagine with extended meditation and inactivity the basal metabolic rate would go wayyyyy down.
"It's easy for us to connect with what's wrong with us... and not so easy to feel into, or to allow us, to connect with what's right and what's good in us."
Post Reply