So… What Does a Yogi Eat?
Reflections on Food, Identity & Just Eating Like a Decent Human
I’ve tried just about every diet you can name. High-protein. Low-carb. Keto. Paleo. Vegetarian. Vegan. Some of them were for health. Some were for ethics. But honestly? A lot of it was just because… I wanted to look good - which isn’t a necessarily bad thing.
There were phases where I genuinely believed I was doing the “right” thing. And other times, I was just trying to keep up with what I thought being a “proper yogi” looked like - eat plants, speak softly, you know the vibe. I fell into all of it. And that’s okay. It’s human. We all want to feel like we belong.
I eventually realised, I wasn’t just choosing food — I was choosing identity.
I wasn’t eating for me — I was eating for the version of me I wanted others to see. The one who belonged to the “serious yoga club.” The one who got the quiet nod of approval from the tribe. And that… is exactly what yoga teaches us to be careful of. One of yoga’s big teachings is about not clinging too tightly to identities — the masks, the roles, the personas we wear to feel safe or liked. We’re allowed to belong. But when we’re bending ourselves out of shape just to fit in, we lose something important: authenticity.
I was vegan for a while. Fully in. It felt aligned with the yoga idea of ahimsa — non-harming. Ahimsa shows up in texts like the Yoga Sutras and is central in traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The logic is simple: causing unnecessary harm isn’t yogic. And I still agree with that.
But then I started thinking deeper. What if any diet causes harm? No matter what we eat — animals, plants, imported quinoa, out-of-season fruit flown halfway across the world — something, somewhere, pays the price. It might be the earth, a person, or another being. The Bhagavad Gita even says it: “you can’t not act, and every action has impact.” So, avoiding harm completely? Not possible.
Does that mean we throw in the towel and live like hedonists? No. But it does mean we stop pretending that one diet makes us morally superior to another.
What Do I Eat Now?
Now, I focus on principles, not perfection. I eat meat. I eat fish. I eat eggs - but I try to know where it comes from. I look for grass-fed, line-caught, free-range. I still eat mostly plants — every meal has veggies or fruit. I eat fermented foods daily because gut health = brain health. I drizzle everything in good olive oil and drink more herbal tea than most people think is legal. I eat to feel good — in my body, in my conscience, and in my life. I don’t calorie count. I don’t obsess. I just aim to eat food that supports my work, my movement, and my mood. And yeah — I still eat pizza. I love a big hot curry - the kind that makes your eyes water and body sweat - I drink alcohol sometimes. One of the biggest lessons was letting go of the guilt around “breaking my diet” - I don’t punish myself for what I eat. I enjoy it, then move on. That’s balance.
What’s a “Yogi Diet,” Then? First of all, I’m not the person to ask as I don’t call myself a yogi - I think that’s for a set of amazing individuals who are searching for transcendent states & it’s not what Instagram says either, I’ll tell you that!
What I can share is what I do:
Eat like someone who cares.
Know where your food comes from.
Cook when you can.
Share meals with people you love.
Don’t be a slave to trends, fads, or fear.
Be honest with what your body needs.
Choose foods that support your life and leave a lighter footprint on the world.
It’s not about abstinence. It’s about awareness. It’s not about being strict. It’s about being on purpose.
My Shopping List (More or Less)
Here’s what I eat on repeat.
Plants (half the plate, most of the time)
Peppers, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, greens, mushrooms, etc
Berries, bananas, kiwi, mango,
Gut Boosters:
Kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha (daily)
Protein:
Liver, salmon, mackerel, white fish
Lentils, yellow split peas,
Sweet Stuff:
Dates, dark chocolate (80%+)... but also milk chocolate with sea salt, Gold Bars (cheep, processed and nostalgic - lovely stuff now and then), and Galaxy (I’m only human).
Supplements:
Extra virgin olive oil (cold-pressed, dark glass bottle — not a blend!)
Creatine (focus + recovery)
Magnesium threonate (for sleep)
Omega 3s
Vitamin D3 & K2 (in winter)
Glutathione (still testing it)
Teas all day. A couple of decaf brews and then herbal teas. My other was has fresh lemon + Celtic salt or electrolytes.
There isn’t one yogi diet. There’s no sacred cookbook. No enlightened meal plan.
There’s just you — your values, your body, your energy, your context.
And the practice of listening. Eat like someone who’s awake. Eat like someone who’s aware. And maybe eat like someone who enjoys being alive while they’re at it.
Don’t forget to follow my page on instagram and YouTube for videos, tutorials and classes.
Thanks for being here,
Stuart