A reflection on how the phrase “I eat for fat loss” led me to explore yoga philosophy, mitāhāra in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and how we relate to food through the lens of ahimsa, or non-harming.

Ahimsa, the first of the yamas in yoga philosophy, is often translated as non-harming. Rather than a fixed ideal, it may be understood as a lived inquiry—an invitation to meet our choices, our impact, and our relationships with greater awareness and compassion.