In 2020, Tia Russell decided to become a pescatarian.

Then a sophomore, Russell decided that she wanted to live a healthier lifestyle, which included exercising regularly and eating better. She said, “I wasn’t happy with my previous eating, and I felt that the food lifestyle I was living was unhealthy.”

She wanted to explore different options and try something new in her life. She said, “A part of me is sort of tired of eating the same thing over and over. I want to venture out and eat foods I side-eyed before.”

Russell says that overall as a person, she has improved. She said, “Mentally, I was doing better; I was more energetic, awake, and happy with how I was taking care of myself. Physically, I was losing weight, my body wasn’t feeling tired/draining, and I felt more active.”

She said that she has cut out “meat, chicken, lamb, pork, anything that isn’t fish-related.”

When Russell goes to restaurants, she indulges in a variety of foods. She said, “I usually order shrimp, salad, salmon, pasta and seafood, or other dishes that just don’t require meat.”

Also, while switching to pescetarianism, she also decided to exercise more by joining LA Fitness. She said, “I honestly love it there. The gym is filled with things to do, and I can try new techniques that work best for me there.”

Anthony Brown, a friend of Russell’s, says he’s noticed a change within her. Brown said, “I’ve definitely seen a positive change in her attitude and energy.”

Brown says that he’s noticed her increased uplift in mood, as soon as she changed her diet. He describes her as “real happy and energetic.”

He’s said that she has inspired him to switch up his lifestyle. He said, “I want to be happy and have my insides feel clean. Meat almost sounds nasty now.”

Although he would like to switch up his lifestyle, he is still skeptical. He said, “I wanna transition to pescatarian and maybe slowly go vegetarian, and if I’m comfortable and committed, [then I’ll try] vegan.”

She says that this diet will not work for everyone. Russell said, “If you don’t and still want to make a change, try other diets like vegetarian, vegan, removing a certain type of meat out of your diet, cutting on sweets, or just eating in moderation. That was my first step.”

Russell says that she would cautiously recommend this to other people. She said, “Fish is healthier than all the meats that we eat; but at the same time, you gotta find other sources of protein and some people may not like seafood. If you like seafood, then yes, try it.”