My Journey to a Plant-Based, Yogic Diet: From Struggle to Serenity

One evening in 1997, while cooking dinner for my dad and husband, I was preparing a Chinese stir-fry with beef and vegetables. As I sliced the meat, a flash of insight hit me: How was this animal’s flesh any different from mine? Though I finished making the meal, I decided that day to stop eating red meat for good.

Without much knowledge, I became a vegetarian overnight. I remember walking through our college town in Texas, feeling overwhelmed by the smell of burgers and BBQ. Back then, I was strict about not eating meat but still consumed eggs and dairy. In 2003, while heavily pregnant and chasing after a toddler, I found myself craving chicken nuggets at a McDonald’s. My family, like most, was conditioned to believe meat was necessary for health, so they encouraged me to eat them. Reluctantly, I returned to eating chicken and fish.

In 2007, while living in the jungles of Sumatra, Indonesia, I took a 45-minute flight to Singapore for my first yoga teacher training. I had been practicing yoga and meditation for a decade by then. The training was simple yet intense, like something out of the Kung Fu TV show I’d watched as a child. We spent the month sitting on the floor and contorting our bodies into shapes that soothed the soul. Part of the training required a research project, and I chose to study the yogic, sattvic diet—a plant-based way of eating that promotes health, peace, and serenity. I was inspired by the plant-based meals we ate during the training, which included no animal products.

When I returned to Indonesia, I had lost a significant amount of weight and began teaching the yogic diet to my neighbors. Many of them lost 20 pounds working with me, and it was an exciting time. We didn’t just focus on eating more plants; we also encouraged cutting back on alcohol and caffeine, as the yogic diet is about more than just avoiding animal products.

Unfortunately, without proper knowledge, I attempted a low-carb vegan version of the diet, fearing weight gain, and ended up with anemia. Concerned for my health, I reintroduced animal products into my diet.

In 2011, while living in Kuwait, I decided to try again. Our housekeeper cooked Indian food for us every day, and I was back to teaching yoga and promoting the yogic diet. Things went well, but the dishes were heavy on oil and high-fat coconut products, so I didn’t feel as amazing as I could have, and my weight fluctuated.

When we returned to Texas in 2015, I became the primary cook for our family of four, who all wanted to eat meat. So, I cooked chicken, salmon, and eggs, and ate them too. After Hurricane Harvey flooded our home and a family member fell ill, I turned to emotional eating and gained around 20 pounds.

Finally, in 2019, after leaving a toxic job, I decided to fully commit to a vegetarian lifestyle. The film The Game Changers inspired me to embrace a plant-based, diet. I took a certification course in plant-based nutrition from Cornell University, and this time I was ready. Equipped with the knowledge I needed, I transitioned to a whole-food, plant-based, vegan diet. The results have been transformative—my weight stabilized, my blood work is excellent, and I feel amazing. 

I am incredibly grateful to have found peace with my body and my food choices. Now, I can fully embrace a yogic diet and teach others how to do the same.