How to Stop Overeating

Compulsive overeating:

This  is a problem for many of us at some time during our lives.   What are some of the things which can cause us to be compulsive eaters? Emotional causes,  depression,  stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, toxins held in the body, feelings of self doubt, boredom,  and/or  nutritional deficiences  can  fuel our cravings for more and more food.

One very nice remedy for obsessive overeating, which you might add to your well rounded programme to lose weight,  is given by  Dr Vasant Lad in his Ayurvedic Medicine book, see details below.  His Ayurvedic suggestion is to eat bananas. Here is  a version of   Dr Vasant Lad’s simple suggestion on  how to stop overeating:

  • Take one banana .  Mash it up.
  • Add one teaspoon of ghee to the banana.
  • Add between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder to the banana.
  • Mix ingredients together and eat when you are hungry.

Acupuncture and counselling are recommended to all those who have an obsessive eating disorder of any kind,  whether it be undereating or overeating.  Acupuncture can take care of the physical yearnings and help to increase the energy in the right places.  And counselling can help greatly to establish feelings of self worth and release negative emotions.

Look at merrilyn’s post on Qi Gong for Weight Loss for an exercise which will help to build courage and emotional strength, as well as increase qi energy in the physical body.

Alternate Nostril Breathing is a useful exercise which will help relax the body and  calm the emotions and the brain.  It is a good exercise to do prior to meditating.  See merrilyn’s post entitled ‘Yoga Breath and Sleeping Well‘  for instructions on how to perform Alternate Nostril Breathing.  See also the post entitled ‘Yoga Nidra’ for a deep relaxation exercise which will aid your ‘How to Stop Eating’ programme.

For more advice on Ayurvedic Remedies, consult Vasant Lad’s book entitled Ayurvedic Home Remedies:  A Comprehensive Guide to the Ancient Healing of India. This is published in the U.K., 1999,  by Judy Piatkus (Publishers Limited), 5 Windmill St, London W1T. 2JA.   Reprinted 2002.

Qi Gong for Weight Loss

Simple Qi Gong can be effective in helping you to lose weight.  Anything which raises your qi levels, or your vital energy force, will help you to overcome health problems and addiction problems.

The art of Qi gong has developed from the ancient martial arts of China and other areas. It combines movement with meditation. This Qi gong exercise is from Professor Yu’s system for generating Qi in the body,  and promoting harmony in the mind. However, the exercise included here  is an adaptation of his original teachings.

Here is the simple Standing Qi gong exercise which will help to build up strength in your nervous system.  The more you practice the exercise, the better things will be, as your perseverance and determination will be strengthened as well as your physical body.

Although it appears as if you are ‘doing nothing’, the exertion from holding this posture  helps to remove toxins from the body.  You  will find that, with  extended periods of holding the posture, that you begin to sweat.  This  aids elimination of toxins from the body, invigorates the vital organs,  and cleanses the skin.

If you persist with this exercise and practice good eating habits:  eat brown rice with vegetables and protein;  resist all those problematic foods such as wheat products, bread,  dairy, and sugar;  then you should lose some weight.

So now – get ready to perform the exercise.

Step One: Make sure your bowels and bladder are empty, and the phone is off the hook. Eat something light before you begin, such as a bowl of porridge or rice,  or some fruit.

Step Two: Simply stand with your feet apart, so that the feet are level with the shoulders. The hands hang loosely at your sides at this point.

Step Three: Slowly bring the arms up in a fluid movement in front of you so that the palms face downwards to the floor.  The arms are fully stretched out in front of the chest now, palms down.  Your knees are still bent.  Make sure the posture is erect.  Your back should be nice and straight with your nose in line with your navel.

Step Four: Simply stay in this position whilst you breath normally, watching the breath flow.

Just do the exercise for as long as is comfortable.  Even  a couple of minutes will do to begin with.  Try to perform the exercise twice  day.  Do in the morning, and again in the evening before bed.  Build up the time you spend on the exercise, increasing gradually.

Finish the exercise by gently stroking the face, from the temples downward.  Then stroke the arms from the shoulders down to the fingers.

The next step is to getly massage the abdomen in a circular motion with the right hand.  Do this just three times.

Next, rub your back with your clenched knuckles. Just half a dozen rubs over the kidney and back area.

Now sit down ad massage the legs briefly, from the thigh area down to the calves to the ankles.