Anne H.

At 57 years old, this is the first time in 30 years of dieting that I’ve kept the weight off! When I saw Kripalu’s The Kripalu Approach to Diet: An Integrative Weight-Loss Program, I knew it was what I needed. Since my 30s, I’d dieted and put the weight back on again and again. I’d also gained a lot of weight since my breast cancer diagnosis 10 years ago. During treatments, I used food to comfort me. I didn’t know how heavy I’d gotten because I avoided the scale. I’d taken yoga for years, and it made me feel better the more I practiced, but as I was getting heavier, it was getting harder to do the poses.

The Kripalu faculty said, “You can’t go on a diet; you just have to change your diet.” My experience proves it. I don’t crave pasta and bread anymore, and I now have a rice cooker so that I can have all my grains cooked for days ahead. I experiment with new recipes. I eat fruits and vegetables that are alkaline, and a lot of apples. And if I really want something special, I’ll have an apple with almond butter on it. I’ve had no problem implementing these changes—it was really easy.

Since the program at Kripalu last year, I’ve lost 40 pounds. I had a small relapse when a friend got sick and eventually died, but I regrouped and got back on track, which I’d never done before. In addition to feeling lighter, my yoga poses are so much more comfortable. After a year, I came back to Kripalu for a refresher to help me get started on losing another 40.

During that trip, the one-on-one nutrition session really helped me. I’ve been vegetarian for many years and thought I knew how to eat, since I already ate whole, organic foods. The nutritionist, John Bagnulo, looked at what I ate and asked me if I could make some small changes. After four days following his recommendations, I felt a thousand times better. And the food at Kripalu is terrific. I ate the right foods for my body, and I felt satisfied. I was never desperately waiting for the next meal. I also practiced mindful eating and eating more slowly, which made a huge difference.

I come back from Kripalu such a happy person, at peace with things.

—Anne H., artist and art gallery owner, Prince Edward County, Ontario