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

Jessica Berger Gross (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2009

An absorbing, entertaining diet memoir with humor, empathy, and yoga.

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I love enLIGHTened. Anyone who has struggled with weight will relate to Jessica's story and her message.  This book is brave and honest, inspiring and heartwarming." -- Allison Fishman, author of You Can Trust A Skinny Cook and host of the television show Cook Yourself Thin

"Jessica Berger Gross occupies that rare space on the bookshelf of writers I want to become and befriend. She can be both funny and very honest about her journey, and her plan for becoming the best and truest version of herself was inspiring. And doable!"-Suzan Colon, author of Cherries in Winter: My Family's Recipe for Hope in Hard Times

"Jessica Berger Gross is movingly honest about her struggles with weight (and motherhood). The key to her success? Thinking about yoga as a whole life practice. This beautifully written, intimate, and upbeat book inspired me, and will inspire others, too."-Kristen Rentz Lewis, author of YogaNap: Restorative Poses for Deep Relaxation

"A charming testimony to yoga's ability to heal the body and mind." -- Neal Pollack, author of Stretch: The Unlikely Making of a Yoga Dude

“Recipes, philosophy, yoga poses, compassion, pineapple cutting lessons, and practical tips about diet and health. (Catherine Newman, author of Waiting for Birdy)”

About the Author

Jessica Berger Gross is a longtime yoga devotee and editor of the award-winning anthology About What Was Lost: 20 Writers on Miscarriage, Healing and Hope. Originally from New York, Jessica lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and son. Her essays and articles have appeared in Salon, Babble, The Globe and Mail, Yoga Journal, Yoga International, The Huffington Post, momfilter.com and more. She writes the Enlightened Motherhood blog for yogajournal.com.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing; 1 edition (May 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602396396
• ISBN-13: 978-1602396395
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #628,277 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jessica Berger Gross is a mother, writer, and yogi. Her essays and articles have appeared in and on Yoga Journal, Salon, Babble, Yoga International, The Huffington Post, The Globe and Mail, momfilter.com, and more. She writes the Enlightened Motherhood blog for yogajournal.com and tries her best to practice yoga and meditation each morning before coming downstairs for breakfast with her husband and son.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very engrossing and informative June 28, 2009

By Tina

Format:Hardcover

I discovered the joys of yoga and pilates a year ago. I love it, although I am not as flexible as I would like to be (Jessica actually talks about this in her book). So, of course, this book hit me and I had to read it.

It is extremely well written, with honesty and I love that Jessica was completely opened about her weight issues, as well as some of her relationship issues with her parents. This book feels like a girlfriend and I talking -

I love the subject matter and Jessica touches on Ayuverda which is something that I have developed an interest in as well. Its almost as if Jessica was reading my mind.

I even love the quick and healthy recipes that are in the book. I have to say though, that, at times, Jessica makes the whole overeating thing a little too simplistic. As someone with an eating disorder (binge eating( its not always quite enough to talk to yourself or go for a long walk - but Jessica is right about trying to get to the root of the problems.

One of the things that I felt a little off about was the fact that Jessica always seems to have the time AND money to do all the things she wants to do. ALthough she and her hubby sounded as though they were not necessarily stable in the finance dept, especially since he was looking for another job - she goes ahead and becomes a yoga teacher and from the rest of the book, I did not get the feeling as though Jessica really ever had a full time job other than that of teaching yoga. Yet, she seems to be able to benefit from everything from Kripalu retreats to invitro, etc. I felt a disconnect there - what about the rest of us who have to hold down full time jobs, juggle kids and are just making ends meet???

I know that Jessica claims that you don't need a lot of $$$ to be healthy, etc. - she does not really lead by example on that particular subject. Yet, this is her story, so I guess she is just telling us what she lives.

I know, from experience, that if you want to get totally healthy and eat all these nutritious meals and enjoy walking, yoga and other various activities as suggested, you had better have a gift for making time for yourself AND a nice little amount of money to do it with.

Still, this book is hearwarming and encouraging and i loved it.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and Inspiring Read January 4, 2011

By Susan Yellen

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have never written a review before, but feel that this book was too important to not write a review for. The book is inspiring, engaging and touching. It was recommended to me by a friend of mine who knows the spiritual "weight loss" journey that I've been on for the last six months. I was able to relate on many levels to the authors battle with weight loss, food as comfort and her relationship with her parents. Finding comfort in eating the right foods and yoga has replaced bags of chips, eating out of comfort and being a couch potato. This book is a must read for anyone who is struggling to find their own path and road to better eating, better living and overall well being.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best weight loss journey book I've read May 11, 2010

By J. Curran

Format:Hardcover

I've been reading weight loss books for motivation non-stop for over nine months, first how-to/info and story/journey books moreso lately. This is by far the best of the latter. She's like a wise friend who has been there, done that. Reading the book felt like a great, long talk marathon with a soul mate, except she's conquered her food issues for good and has a ton of great advice. Very well-written, honest, warm. Made me wish I lived in Vancouver and could take her class and go have a hot tea with her afterwards.

I'm not sure why this one got in deeper than "French Women," "Skinny Bitch," "Dietgirl," and "My Big Fat Greek Diet" but it did. Maybe the yoga, which I've always wanted to try and am about to start in a couple of weeks. I think I could identify more with Jessica because of her troubles with her parents, husband in academia, and not being extremely overweight. She's just a great writer who writes very honestly about a very personal and fraught topic. Great recipes too. I got this book originally from the library but have now bought it so it's at my fingertips all the time. Can't recommend it highly enough.