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Spiritual Weight Loss

Spiritual weight loss is a fairly contemporary practice with ancient origins. Like most spiritual belief systems, eating is a large (yet often overlooked) component of spiritual life. Mindful eating, fasting and spiritual dieting have been important aspects of various belief systems and religions for ages. Regardless of your personal belief system or religion, you can incorporate your weight loss goals with your spirituality in order to keep your body, mind, and spirit healthy.

  1. Mindful Eating

    • Mindful eating is the process of eating while aware of the nourishment your food offers, the way that your food is connected to the earth (and yourself), and becoming aware of authentic hunger as opposed to eating for emotional reasons. According to the Center for Mindful Eating, the first step in mindful eating is to use your senses. For many of us, seeing food can make us hungry. A form of meditation, mindful eating encourages you to focus on the aroma of your food, the appearance of your food, the taste, texture, and flavor of your food, and the sound of your food as it is being chewed. Enjoy these moments slowly. Mindful eating will help you eat without judgment but also reconnect to eating for nourishment, not to fill emotional needs.

    Fasting

    • Many spiritual practitioners will occasionally fast to increase spiritual awareness, mental clarity and general health. Fasting is the practice of abstaining from eating solid food for a given period of time. According to Healthy.net, fasting can increase the metabolism that in turn detoxifies the body and clarifies the mind. You can also lose weight by fasting. You should first consult a medical professional before you begin any type of diet, but you can fast for a few days by limiting your diet to fruit juices, teas and water. This will help flush your body of the toxins released into your body during the fasting process.

    Spiritual Dieting

    • According to GodWeb.org, spiritual dieting is a form of dieting in which you focus on spiritually potent foods and avoid high cholesterol, high fat and nutritionally low foods. The article "The Spirit Diet" outlines a number of foods that have religious and spiritual significance across faiths. For example, figs represent prosperity and fulfillment, while fish represent spirituality and energy. Both foods are low-fat and high in nutrients. Following the spirit diet keeps your energy focused on spiritual fulfillment instead of counting calories to lose weight, which in turn causes you less stress and enables your body to metabolize those foods you eat even faster.

      Another example of spiritual dieting is the Rev. George Malkmus' Hallelujah Diet. According to YourLifeSource.com, the Hallelujah Diet is based on Biblical teachings and the research and experiences of its developer, Malkmus. Primarily a raw-foods diet, the Hallelujah Diet involves the eating of raw fruits and vegetables, nutritional supplements in drink or powder form, and cooked fruits and vegetables once a day. The diet also suggests daily exercise and spiritual devotion. However, QuackWatch.com suggests that the Hallelujah Diet is deficient in B-12, vitamin D, and other minerals. Consult your physician before beginning any diet.

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