Food (or more accurately, my eating habits) has been an interesting journey since starting yoga. For about 6 months, I had no desire to make any changes. I grew up my whole life eating meat and I think especially in our society, meat is the main course of every meal and all the others dishes are a compliment to it. A meal without meat was more like a snack. Ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration but you know what I mean.
However, as my yogic journey evolved, I became much more conscious of my eating habits which stemmed a desire to eat healthier. I’ve never been a big advocate of dieting or suppression, instead believing that moderation is key to change. Especially if you wish to make drastic changes in your life, I believe in taking small steps toward a goal. In baseball, four singles achieves the same result as a homerun… 1 run. However, the difference is that in the first example, the bases are loaded and ready to bring in another run. A homerun puts you back to square one. So many people only want to hit the homerun. They only want to be Mighty Casey….. except Mighty Casey struck out.
There is much debate about yoga and vegetarianism. Do you HAVE to be vegetarian to be a “real” yogi? And is vegetarian really enough or do you have to be vegan? And for me, my honest answer is, “I don’t care.” I’m sorry, I just really don’t. Aren’t some of the benefits of yoga: Self-realization? Honoring your Self? Awareness of breath, body, mind, and spirit?
So why would I try to fit into another’s mold? Why be similarly them instead of uniquely you?
I know my eating habits and I accept them. There are foods I’ve naturally begun cutting out of my diet that make me feel lethargic, such as steak, which is very understandable. However, I still love a burger and fries or slice of pizza from time to time and see no need to cut them out, at least not yet. I know they aren’t the healthiest things for me to eat but it’s also the comfort food of my upbringing so not an easy habit to break.
However, I think the main point is not giving up the things you enjoy but rather finding new things you enjoy just as much. For example, I love acai bowls! There is a health bar across the street from my yoga studio that makes the best acai bowls and is the perfect ending to a yoga class. A friend also introduced me to a small vegan eatery that opened just a few months ago that is awesome! Everything I’ve eaten there is delicious and fulfilling. I’ve also eaten vegetarian meals at restaurants, get together’s, etc that I thoroughly enjoy and no longer leave me “lacking”. In fact, when I am at a restaurant I usually check for vegetarian dishes and decide if I’m in the mood for a meat or vegetarian meal. It has become a natural progression that hardly takes any effort at all.
At least for me, that is how I’m going to make healthy, lasting changes in my life. Will I ever be vegetarian? Umm, I’m really not sure… But for the time being, I definitely enjoy being one part time. And for now, I think that’s enough.
Namaste.
Namaste,
ahhh, my good yogi, the seeds of change have been planted…eat what you sow! It’s great that you’re eating healthier and taking note of it. If and when you make a decided transition…you know who to call for recipes!
Om Shanti!