enLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer

by Jessica Berger Gross

Meet your new best yoga-and-healthy-eating friend in this smart, accessible, and funny memoir of dieting and discovery.



For years, Jessica struggled with fluctuating weight and bouts of
unhappiness. Like many of us, she found comfort in food and craved
cigarettes and self-confidence. Then one day Jessica took her first
yoga class in Katmandu. She lost 40 pounds and changed her life
forever.



In enLIGHTened, Jessica shares the core principles of yoga
philosophy—not the poses and postures, but the ancient system of ideas
that lies behind them, drawn from a 2000-year-old text called the Yoga Sutras.
The inspiration for this memoir-driven diet and health book is studied
by devout yoga students and teachers, and offers answers to eating
smartly, living right, and losing weight.


Jessica goes beyond
yoga's merge into mainstream—beyond trendy diets, unsustainable
exercise routines, and the quest for the perfect figure. Using
spiritual philosophy, and personal stories everyone can relate to, she
sets the reader on a journey to self-acceptance, personal peace, and
long-term health.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Self Help, Health, Food, Audiobook, Spirituality

207 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2009

About the author

Jessica Berger Gross is the author of the memoir Estranged: Leaving Family and Finding Home. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Cut, Longreads and many more. She lives in Maine with her husband and teenage son. Hazel Says No, coming June 2025 from Hanover Square Press/HarperCollins, is her first novel.

Reviews

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

When her preachiness about the benefits of vegetarianism started to annoy the crap out of even me (the vegetarian), I decided she had reached the point of no return for me ever liking this book. It did encourage me to do yoga, which is great, but I found myself rolling my eyes a lot of the time. When you tell me your "splurge" food is going out for whole wheat pizza with a small amount of low-fat organic cheese (very occasionally), it just makes me want to punch you in the face.

[Anne Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things I took away:
1. When eating- 1/2 full of food, 1/4 full of water, 1/4 air for space
2. Have a healthy staple meal you can make anytime
3. When you are digging in the fridge, think about what you might really need (a short walk outside, play with the dog, deep breathing, stretching...)
4. "Global livestock production is responsible for about 1/5 of all greenhouse gases- more than transportation...Another way to put it is that eating a typical family-of-four steak dinner is the rough equivilent, energy-wise, of driving around in a SUV for three hours while leaving the lights on at home." Food Matters by Mark Bittman
5. If your body is a temple, would you really want to leave Doritos at the altar?

[Kelli Santistevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here’s what this book is about:”In enLIGHTened, Jessica shares the core principles of yoga philosophy—not the poses and postures, but the ancient system of ideas that lies behind them, drawn from a 2000-year-old text called the Yoga Sutras. The inspiration for this memoir-driven diet and health book is studied by devout yoga students and teachers, and offers answers to eating smartly, living right, and losing weight. Jessica goes beyond yoga's merge into mainstream—beyond trendy diets, unsustainable exercise routines, and the quest for the perfect figure. Using spiritual philosophy, and personal stories everyone can relate to, she sets the reader on a journey to self-acceptance, personal peace, and long-term health.”

I listened to this book on Audible. I got this book for free from Audible recently and I enjoyed it. I found it very interesting. I wanted to read this book because I’m overweight and I like doing yoga. I also like how I feel after doing yoga. I was practicing yoga a lot for awhile by watching yoga videos on YouTube and then I got out of the habit of doing it. I find it hard to stay motivated sometimes but I also know that I can be really disciplined about doing something when I put my mind to it. This book didn’t inspire me to change my diet and exercise more even though my doctor has told me many times that I need to exercise more but this book has inspired me to get back to doing yoga again.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Offering much advice on how to lose weight, Jessica Berger Gross also spends a lot of time preaching up yoga and vegetarianism. She calls us, as a society, on many of our excuses for not losing weight. I got very hung up on her lack of contact with her family. I found it very difficult to take her advice for a 'healthy' life seriously because she made the decision to stop all contact with her parents. I cannot reconcile this decision with all the teachings from yoga, but especially the "Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked." (p21) Cutting her parents out of her life allows her to avoid the unhappy and the wicked, not cultivate either compassion or indifference. Instead she is avoiding and causing harm to those who raised her. While her life may be easier, I'm sure that theirs is not. I hope that the majority of readers take the advice about healthy portions and exercise but do not follow this misleading example of dropping the people who raised you.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good for what it is: a light, fun introduction to yoga philosophy and a healthy lifestyle. The cover art is hideous--I'm sure its cartoonish curves are supposed to attract young women to the tome--but Bobby Clennell's illustrations are great. I've also read Neal Pollack's Stretch, another yoga memoir, and while Pollack's is a better introduction to yoga culture, Berger Gross's work is a better introduction to the yogic lifestyle.

Also, as far as diet books go, this one has minimal fat shaming, but I think there is a bit too much emphasis on being "thin." (I can only hope that was the work of some profit-driven editor.) Berger Gross even recommends Skinny Bitch. (Eww. Fat shaming galore.) However, she issues a slight barb at Mireille Guiliano, which I enjoyed.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping this would be more of a yoga memoir, like Poser by Claire Dederer. Skip this one and read the latter.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fast read. I found this through my yogis on Instagram network. But ultimately disappointing. The author uses the yoga sutras as the structure for her book, bringing in recommended yoga poses for every chapter. I liked this approach.

But I couldn't reconcile the fact that she cut out her parents from her life entirely despite advocating for "coming to terms with your past through forgiveness." I didn't love the (insidious, but present) fat-shaming, equating yogi with thinness. She is dismissive of the body acceptance movement, saying that she's a better feminist now that she's thin. She even has a chapter about limiting exposure to other fat people. (I can see this happening to me even in yoga classes; the number of times that someone hasn't wanted to set up their mat next to me makes me wonder if my fatness is catching.) The tone felt dripping with privilege. I don't disagree with the heart of her thesis - moderation, discipline, and putting in the work. But when I finished, I felt sad. For the author, for myself, for the generation of women who equate healthiness entirely with a number on a scale? I'm not sure.

I'm still searching for a yoga memoir that connects with me; I'm open to all recommendations, if anyone has thoughts.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Glad I only paid $.99 for it on Amazon's Kindle. It just failed to hold my interest though I did finish it. I think I was expecting something witty & perhaps sarcastic but it just came off as very "I once was lost & now I'm found."

I don't like yoga but can see the health benefits in doing it. I was hoping this book would give me something to help me like yoga more. A different way of viewing it so that it didn't seem so boring & tedious. It didn't.

The writing is not bad & I can see that someone else may benefit from this book though. It just wasn't for me.

[Asher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually tend to steer clear of weight-loss memoirs - sometimes they come across as preachy and smug. Most of the time Bergre Gross avoided doing so. (There were a couple of times I had to cringe - her commentary about feminism and fat was one.)

I found the yoga philosophy compelling.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author did get a little bit preachy at times, but overall I agreed with her philosophy. I was able to read it in about two sittings and there are some recipes inside I look forward to trying.

[jill crotty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I for one enjoy reading about people’s journeys. This started off quite enjoyable! But there is a turn with a lot of preaching I was not expecting. The author wasn’t just telling us about her conversion to vegetarian but was pushing it on the reader. She went off on a tangent then said call it like it is
“ a piece of cow” ....if we can handle it.....it was a little too pushy for my taste. I finished it, but not enthusiastically.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 2 out of 5]

From the get-go, I felt preached at and patronized. Completely disappointed in the whole feel and message of this book...especially the way it's handled, seemed to put the reader down rather than build them up. Thoroughly annoyed.

But yoga is great and moderation is key. (I agree COMPLETELY, but could explain it to you in a nicer and encouraging way.)

Skip this one.

[Taylor Kundel-Gower · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some hard truths in here about moderation, excuses, self-discipline, and animal consumption. There are also some glimmers of hope: getting healthier is as simple as taking walks or starting a yoga and meditation practice at home.

Ultimately, there is some good advice in this book, but I would not call it profound and I would definitely say that much of it was a little bougie for me.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dragged On

The yoga, quotes at the beginning of the chapters, tips on sensible eating (not the vegetarianism rants), gauging fullness, and getting to the root of why you are overeating were the best parts of the book. The rest of it kind of dragged on and I kept losing interest. I will not read this book again.

[Tami · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just wasn't invested in this author's journey. I never could connect with her therefore I could care less about her discovering yoga, meditation and becoming a vegetarian. Wasn't inspired one bit. The part about taking a couple of years to finally stand on her head, yeah, not interested and who cares?

[Shannon Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally an inspiring yoga/healthy eating/weight loss story. At times, lacking self awareness. A few pretty cringey moments where the author fat shames and uses gimmickey terminology like “clean” eating, as if a bagel is the biggest sin someone could commit. Writing could have been better.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read. Good tips.

[Eydie Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick enjoyable read. Anyone who has been dieting and doing yoga for a while knows much of what is stated here but it’s always s good reminder and an inspiration to read someone work it all out.

[Piepie | The Napping Bibliophile]

Being a beginner yogi myself (and a dog lover!) this book was fun to read. All the info about yoga and healthy food was very informative.

[Anita Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this for the most part. I read it in just over the course of one day. As someone who is just starting out in the yoga world and is loving it more and more with each Downward Dog pose, I could definitely identify with the author. I've been through a rough couple of years myself and in many ways, yoga has helped me more than anything, even therapy. I really liked the author's writing style and how she incorporated old Sanskrit philosophies and yoga teachings into everyday life in today's fast-paced, busy times. Loved the parts about mindful eating and trying to eat as healthy as possible. I'm a total health nut and this was right up my alley. :-) And I really enjoyed the section on emotional healing and showing compassion and kindness towards others, even those we feel have hurt us and wronged us, and having an open mind and an open heart.

The one major point of contention for me: Jessica, dear, while I applaud your healthy eating and wanting everything to be as free-range and organic as possible for you and your family, I do feel the need to let you know that if you do eat fish, you are not a vegetarian. You are a flexitarian. Nothing wrong with that. I'm one myself. I don't eat red meat but would never stop eating chicken, fish, and turkey. That being said, please don't call yourself a vegetarian when you eat salmon. Please don't speak about the cruelty of animals and all the hormones and pesticides and then act like there's nothing at all wrong with eating our little friends in the ocean. They're still animals too.It drove me up a wall when she preached about polluting your body with the evil horrors of meat and then talked about how much she loved a good fresh piece of salmon. Other than that, I thought everything that she said about moderation and mindful eating was spot-on. I don't necessarily think you need to go completely organic and free-range and co-op unless it aligns with your beliefs and your fiscal budget. If you choose to, great; if not, I wouldn't stress about it. A lot of people lived long, healthy lives long before Organic Yellow Mustard and Organic Gummy Bears hit the market. The only organic product I use is organic ketchup, b/c it tastes so much better than the HCFS-laden stuff. You can really taste the difference there. I got my roommate and sister addicted. Oh, and Peanut Butter Puffins cereal, but only b/c they taste so damn good- not b/c they're organic. I'd eat them even if they weren't. Other than that, nah, I'm more impacted by the dollar sign that anything else. And no complaints from my doctor yet. ;-)

So the minor contradictory food preaching aside, all in all, I really enjoyed this book. I'd pick up a used copy at a book sale, but not pay full price for it (especially since I've already read it, but also b/c I'm cheap like that- this was from the library). If you're just getting into yoga, are looking to find peace of mind and get physically and emotionally healthy and strong, or both, you'll like this book.
I'm all about this stuff these days, and I felt she got the message across without getting too preachy or over-the-top about it. And I liked her overall message that is was NOT a diet book, yoga isn't about losing weight. It's about getting your body and mind completely in sync with each other. Physical wellness is meaningless without emotional wellness, and vice versa. Is it hard to balance? Hell yeah. For most people, myself included, sure. But is it worth it? Hell yeah. For all of us. :-)

[Angelina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read. I could have finished in one sitting if I wanted to.

This is a good overview book for yoga newbies! The formatting in the Kindle version was wonky (yes, I used that word.) Sometimes, the line breaks were crazy. In other spots, the illustrations were split and/or cut off. The recipes were difficult to read because of formatting and font issues.

I did enjoy the resource list. This is more like a memoir than self-help or a guide. I liked her relaxed chatty style until we got to the vegetarian lecture I mean chapter. It got so preachy that I couldn't finish that chapter. I'm a straight-up carnivore. For this to be a more comprehensive guide, the personal story should've been condensed. She wasn't really clear on the specific step-by-step "how to lose 40 lbs;" but perfectly captured the thought patterns of disordered eaters.

The section Warning: Fat is Contagious put me off so much that I stopped reading it for two days. Like other reviewers have mentioned, there is an undercurrent of fat phobia. Advising people to ditch their fatty friends or "take under your yogic wing" is obnoxious. It's not going to go over well but you can fit into your lululemon pants ;)

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was much better than I thought it would be. The reviews on Amazon weren't always kind. I think the problem is when people who aren't into yoga read a book written by someone passionate about yoga, they don't "get" it, and they trash a book. That said, I love yoga, and I could understand this author's journey and how yoga changed her life.

If you like yoga, you will probably like this book. This is a memoir, not a "chick lit" fiction book. It takes courage to write a memoir and tell the not-so-pretty details of one's life.

Yes, the author writes about how yoga helped her to lose weight, but it's so much more than that. This is about how yoga changed her life, from her mind to her body, to her relationships and more.

The only part I didn't like is the author's insistence that vegetarianism or veganism is the ONLY way EVERYONE should eat. I don't like anyone insisting that there's only ONE way of 1) practicing a philosophy or religion or 2) eating. I love yoga, but that doesn't mean that I think everyone should be doing it. To me, it seems very "unyoga like" to insist that vegetarianism is the way EVERYONE should eat.

It's not great, but it's a nice read for those who like yoga or are interested in reading how yoga changed one person's life.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very quick read -- took me 55 minutes. This is a good book for anyone who's new to yoga, the yoga sutras, or healthy eating, but for me it didn't do anything except remind me of what I already know I should be doing! For more in-depth (and engaging) discussion of the yoga sutras, I recommend Stephen Cope's The Wisdom of Yoga, which also contains a section on mindful eating. For more detailed tips on a healthy vegetarian diet, including a 21-day detox and kick-start diet plan, read Christina Pirello's This Crazy Vegan Life.

**update**
I want to add, a couple of days after writing my original review, that there is one other thing about this book that helped me. Gross understands that those of us who eat compulsively can get a real feeling of panic when we're told to limit our portions! There's a hunger there that's not related to physical hunger, and that hunger can get desperate when it's not being plied with food. As yogis do, Gross recognizes this feeling and doesn't judge it, but tells us to take it slowly so this feeling can adjust gradually. I find that this advice really resonates with me as I continue my path toward healthy eating!

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

An autobiography peppered with yoga poses and recipes, Jessica Berger Gross, tells the story of her own struggles with being overweight and depressed. Through yoga, she finds a committment to physical health and well-being in her practice, exercise, and eating habits. The voice is reassuring--like talking with a close friend. At times, she seems a bit more preoccupied with thinness than health.

For more serious readers, I would suggest some other books first.
Yogis: Yoga and Vegetarianism: The Path to Greater Health and Happiness
Those interested in food: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Lifeor Eating Animals

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up as I have recently begun yoga class and as a rather "hefty" gal, I was hoping yoga would help me lose weight. This book is not only a great beginner guide to some of the philosophy and teachings of yoga but the author also includes some great recipes to try as well. I do want to stress that this book is specifically geared towards weight loss and so the seven teachings she covers are focused to that end goal. If you are looking for something that covers the sutras in a more general form, this book is not for you. But if you want to learn how to use the sutras to help you overcome the "reasons" for your weight struggles, this is for you.
The author writes in an unhurried fashion and I felt like I was reading a letter from one of my girlfriends. It's accessible, useful, and frankly quite enjoyable as well. Not someone I can say about every "self-help" book I've read.

A delightful, insightful, and useful book that made my weight loss not seem so impossible. I would highly recommend to anyone.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the addition of specific yoga poses to try in the book and I found the writer's journey interesting, but it doesn't leave me wanting to pick up another book of hers. I know she had lots of work to do emotionally with regards to dealing with her parents and maybe that is why I was frustrated with the book...if tools and a philosophy for approaching problems is listed, I want to have more "evidence" that it is worthwhile to work through the solutions because we all know how tough it is to deal with the excess baggage and all the feelings related to it.

The yoga principles addressed were:
Truthfulness
Moderation
Discipline and zeal
Purity, cleanliness
Non-violence
Self-study and introspection
Touching enlightenment

Poses described in the book are:
Child's pose
Mountain pose
Triangle pose
Warrior II
Downward facing dog
Standing forward bend
Cobbler's pose
Simple seated pose
Corpse's pose

I loved the quotes throughout the book


The veggie chili is a recipe I'd like to try.

[Royale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really would like to give this 3.5 stars. I thought the book had a great message especially for those new to yoga. She presents a simple down to earth explanation for the tenets of yoga, but it did seem to me to be very heavy on the weight-loss aspect, which in fairness to the author was stated in the title. I do think that the author's lifestyle with yoga, classes, and practice, is unrealistic for most of us, especially working mothers with multiple children and juggling responsibilities. And I did also as many other reviewers have stated, find the authors treatment of her relationship with her parents to be incongruous with the teachings of yoga. Set boundaries, yes, minimize contact, yes, be honest about your expectations, yes, but cut ties altogether, no I don't think that's practicing of compassion and understanding or indifference, it feels more like punishment to me, which is not a part of yoga.

[Kelly Olexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely wowed by this book. I stumbled upon it on Amazon, and since I had just recently discovered a love of Hot Yoga...I purchased the Kindle Version. Perhaps it was just at the right time for me, but this woman's story of personal transformation, both emotional and physical, was really moving to me. A lot of the "aha" moments she experienced were things that I too have just been discovering in my own life. This is not a "diet" book or a "how to do yoga" book but more of a story of this woman's cathartic journey...and yea, if you had any interest in yoga prior to reading this, you'll want to do more...and you may just find yourself adjusting your diet too, but not for the "lose weight FAST" reasons, more about being HEALTHY and good....inside and out. I can't recommend this book enough.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stumbled on this book while perusing the library shelves for yoga books that might get me started on some home practice. I generally find self-help type books to be so oversimplified that they aren't particularly useful but the title of this one intrigued me as it seemed to hit everything I was looking for - weightloss, yoga, and I'm a sucker for the dog reference. This book certainly has some parts that I felt were oversimplified but there were also quite a few useful tidbits along with a useful "yoga 101" that taught me about yoga as more than a series of poses. Presented in an easy to read, engaging format, I leave this book more knowledgeable and taking along some suggestions for becoming "enLIGHTened".

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Motivation, yoga poses, inspirational quotes to start each chapter, and a great chili recipe. This is just a sampling of what this book has to offer. I recently finished reading enLIGHTened on my kindle and thoroughly enjoyed it. Jessica Berger Gross's colloquial writing style provides a way for the reader to really connect with the author. By the end, you'll feel like you've known her for years. Gross demonstrates how someone can take charge of life's journey, chart his or her own course, and own it. Her thoughts are insightful and personal stories of struggle and success are an inspiration for anyone who is thinking, "how can I change x, y, or z?" The only thing I warn you about is that after reading this book, you may have a serious craving for pineapple. Namaste.