CBS: What kind of diet plan are you on in order to be able to lift all this weight?

Sri Chinmoy: My diet is absurd, to tell you the truth! I was 180 pounds a few months ago and I wanted to lose weight, so I started taking only 200 calories per day, believe it or not. For two months I took 200 calories, sometimes 250 calories maximum. In that way, I came down from 180 pounds to 144. Yesterday my bodyweight was 143 pounds.

But I do not advise anybody to follow my diet. It applies to me but medical science will say that it is absurd, ridiculous. I have about fifteen students who are also medical doctors. They are shocked that I could live on 200 calories. Even yesterday, before I left in the evening to lift up such heavy weights, I took only 200 calories. So my way is absurdity.

CBS: Are you a vegetarian?

Sri Chinmoy: I am a strict vegetarian. We have an Indian restaurant in this neighbourhood. It is called Annam Brahma. My students there cook for me. I have been a strict vegetarian for over fifty years. I feel that if we eat vegetables, we will absorb the consciousness of Mother Earth. Mother Earth is so kind and compassionate to us, and she has infinite strength. But if we eat meat and fish, we absorb the aggressive and restless consciousness of the animal kingdom. We believe that this restlessness weakens us. So my students all over the world do not eat meat and fish. We are trying to get rid of this restlessness which we find in the animal world.

CBS: It was a pleasure talking to you. Thank you very much for your time.