10 Questions w/ Superstar Pro Wrestler Austin Aries!

So, I had the pleasure of talking with professional wrestler, Austin Aries, former WWE superstar, and widely known vocal vegan in the health food community. Whether you know him for his high-flying pro-wrestling moves or as the animal rights and healthy living advocate that he is, this interview where we talked about his new book FOOD FIGHT: My Plant Powered Journey from the Bingo Halls to the Big Time (which is described as a book "...not about veganism. It's not really about wrestling, either. It's about a decision every person has to make: Will you blindly color inside the lines that society has drawn for you? Or will you question the system, think for yourself, and have the bravery to make your own rules?"), his veganism and his future plans after the WWE, is a must read for you.

Photo Credit: Austin Aries

I didn't really know what to expect of talking to Austin, I mean he is a huge superstar and also has a reputation for being a badass, but to be completely honest, he was one of the warmest people I've spoken with in a while. His telephone style was real chill and laid back, mixed in with cool, smart, informed, "woke", and we laughed too. He was really easy to talk to, like an old friend that you can just sit around and shoot the breeze with. So here is what we chatted about and the questions I asked him; I bet you're dying to know!

1) What got you into wrestling and was it your first sport?

When Austin Aries was 4 years old, playing with GI Joe toys in fatigues, he recollected his first memory of experiencing wrestling, "I saw this guy come into the ring, I instantly became a fan and it consumed me", he also mentioned that when he first broke out into the wrestling world and when the opportunity presented itself, "I didn't really look back."

2) Is wrestling your passion or are you now finding your way to something else, like writing?

Austin Aries grew up playing baseball and he wasn't fully sure what he wanted to do, but when wrestling became a passion, he said, "It provided me a platform for bigger things that provides a platform to do bigger things; spread a message." He talked about wanting to get people who aren't in a healthy place to "think about what we are putting into out bodies" and start focusing more on health and obesity, especially in youth. He wants to urge kids to, "...put down the soda and pick up a pressed juice", leading us to chat about his new book.

3) Your new book FOOD FIGHT is so interesting. If you had to sum up the book to your readers, in terms of what to expect and what it means to you, what would you say about it?

"My journey came from normal circumstances and humble self discovery. By questioning what [food] is put in front of me, or, 'what is it?' and [the book] is about how I got here [as] a professional athlete on a plant-based diet; how the seeds were planted. And I want to plant seeds using my platform. It's about understanding you have a choice in your life and about your health."

4) It's so cool that you eat plant-based. How did you find this lifestyle and adopt it as your own?

He started laughing and cheekily told me the answer to that is in chapter 3 and throughout the book, so people have to buy it to find out; we both had a good chuckle. More seriously, he explained that his journey to veganism was a "learned behavior" and gave an analogy as an example, "Put me in the crib at 3 years old with a kitten, puppy, and piglet; I'm not gonna pet the kitten and make bacon, I'm gonna hug them all." He mentioned that eating meat is also a learned behavior and recalled how he grew up in a hunting environment, but as a child didn't feel right about it, it felt "weird and gross" to him. He also strongly stated that we must invest in our health and the food we eat, noting how important food is to us, but it seems like not all people are paying attention, "I see in front of me unhealthy people everywhere; at the airport food court there are shorter lines for the healthy options and long lines for the unhealthy choices. No one has ever had protein deficiency - what is the downside to improving our diets?" Amen!

5) Is your wrestling more improved since becoming an herbivore? How has your body and performance changed?

"I stopped eating meat when I started wrestling. I liked to think it was keeping the inflammation down...", then Austin's cardiologist reported to him that his results were like that of a high schooler, so he knew for sure that the "Plant-based diet is where it's at." We also discussed how there has been the same debate in the medical world, early on, about tobacco and cigarettes, and we know now that they aren't good for your health; same thing with eating meat.

Then I had to know...

6) What's your favorite veggie food?

"Pizza with cashew cheese or different personal pizza combos with veggie pepperoni or tempeh." Nice.

Then I had to address the elephant in the room. I knew you all wouldn't let me live it down if I didn't ask him...

7) I read in the news and it was also a trending topic all over social media, that you and the WWE parted ways. In your words, what is the real scoop and what is next for Austin Aries?

*cue ALL the nervous laughter*

"No scoops, unfortunately. No scoops of cashew ice cream in my cone." BUT he did say that he has some other "big scoops" like exciting book stuff, a multi-city book tour, and a really exciting piece of news - he is acquiring a cold press juice company based out of Milwaukee that will specialize in organic yummies delivered right to people's homes! Austin also mentioned that his wrestling is on hold right now and he will focus on his book and the book's message.

8) Exciting stuff! I hope everyone gets themselves a copy of FOOD FIGHT. If you had to describe your book in 3 words, what would they be?

"Interesting. Funny. Healthy (mind, body and spirit)."

9) If you had to describe yourself in 3 words, what are they?

"Sarcastic. Passionate. Caring."

10) To wrap up, what piece of advice would you give to all of your fans, that you would want them to truly listen to, take to heart, and take away?

"Invest in yourself and believe in yourself. What you put in your body, food, are building blocks. Being healthy and mindful will pay us back in so many different ways. Believe in yourself and don't take no for an answer." Well said.

Austin Aries was such a nice person to talk to and the conversation was so relaxed and easy. I told him that I didn't get a sarcastic vibe from him like he describes himself and he mentioned he thought he was being sarcastic a few times in our chat; I think he's just a really awesome dude with a good sense of humor. His passion and enthusiasm about life was also super motivating and inspiring. It is always refreshing to talk with people who embrace compassion, health and veganism the way Austin Aries does. Be sure to check him out on Twitter and he has info there about his book and upcoming projects.

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off - I hope your day is Austin Aries cool.

Hey Chili's - Chilli Isn't the Only One Who Wants More Vegan Food!

Did you hear the news that Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas of the group, TLC, asked Chili's restaurant to add more vegan options to the menu?

How CrazySexyCool of her! She speaks for many of us in the vegan community who dine at Chili's restaurant and are so bored with what they have to offer their plant-based guests.

Chilli asked Chili's to add vegan "chicken" and other more exciting animal-free food to their offerings, and I really hope the chain eatery takes notice of this message from the famous singer as well as the vegan community as a whole. Whether people dining at Chili's are vegan or not, society is going in the direction of more plant-based, for lots of reasons. I'm hearing more people than ever say that they are avoiding animal products for health and environmental reasons in addition to having compassion for animals. People who are battling health issues are being told by their doctors to go vegetarian to help lower cholesterol and help their health in many other ways. I've spoke to people who have trouble with allergies or acne and are being advised to avoid animal products like dairy to clear up their medical issues. So it would be a smart business move for Chili's to offer decent vegan options for EVERYONE. Just like diners have the choice between a variety of dishes, several plant-based ones should be offered as well. Think about it, restaurants have lots of different chicken or beef dishes on their menu, so why have only one vegan one to choose from? If someone wants chicken they have 10 options or more, but a person who wants to eat vegan at that meal, only has one option - that's not fair at all. I can even argue that it is discriminatory, Chili's.

I personally would love to see some of the menu items that I used to enjoy before going vegan, offered as a vegan option. I also think that all restaurants should have this; a dish, then the option to have it animal products OR plant-based. It's not hard to make it almost the same way, but use the vegan ingredients when the customer chooses their meal that way. That would make it fair and equal for ALL patrons and would also drive sales and profits through the roof. There's a whole group of people who feel they can't dine out much or at all, especially at chain restaurants, and make most meals at home or only visit vegan restaurants - because let us face it, dining out is expensive these days, so why waste your hard earned money on an overpriced salad when that is the only crappy option available for vegans? Maybe Chili's will be the restaurant to change that.

Hey Chili's, let me know if I can work with you on creating some exciting vegan options for your restaurants. As a vegan chef, former vegan bakery owner, pastry chef, longtime vegan and expert, and cookbook author, I know a thing or too about vegan cuisine - plus I'd LOVE to help with something like this!

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. I hope your day includes a vegan quesadilla or two!

Feel Like a Star On Your Period

Say Whaaat, you crazy broad!? <--- is what you want to say to me.

Hear me out. A company by the name of Cora contacted me to try out their tampons. I'm like, alright! Especially after hearing about their mission and what it means when you purchase this product. Here is their welcome to the Cora movement:

Every year 100 million girls miss school during their periods because they don't have access to feminine menstrual hygeine products. For every monthly supply that you purchase, Cora will give menstrual supply products to a girl in need, so she can have the freedom and ability to go anywhere or do anything during her period!

Wow, this is something that many women, including myself, take for granted. We have the ability to stock up on pads or tampons during a shopping trip at Target, at any grocery store, or pharmacy drug stores, that are on practically every corner in most areas. Cora products make me feel good about doing something that I have to do anyways. I have to have my period and I have to buy tampons. Might as well help other girls in need while I'm doing something that I already have to do. So instead of buying tampons manufactured with chemicals, I can buy Cora's premium 100% organic cotton tampons that are in BPA-free plastic applicators.

Where does feeling like a star come in, you ask? 

I'll tell you. Besides feeling like a star by doing an amazing service to humanity every month, you open the box of Cora tampons and you literally feel like a celebrity. Like who else gets a box of glamorous looking tampons that come with a chic vegan-leather carrying clutch?? They even include Stowaways that you can keep in your bag to give to a friend, which just so happens to be a little cardboard tube that says something like, Congrats on your free month of Cora tampons you lucky b! (there's a code on there for your friend to sign up for a free month, for reals)

Without getting too TMI on you, these tampons work awesome! Thank you, Cora, for sending me these fab tampons to try and for all of the good work you do! You've got a fan in me for sure! 

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. May your period be Beyonce fabulous!

The Dirty Vegan Cookbook

Howdy!

For anyone who hasn't read the news about my vegan cookbook on social media, it is coming along very well and will be released this Fall.

This cookbook is everything you'd expect from me: cheesy, gooey, buttery, sweet, savory, delicious (and everything in between) recipes for any occasion. This book will change the world, I just know it. Veganism has been scientifically proven to be the best lifestyle for the health of humans, the environment and of course for the animals. My cookbook is your one-stop resource for how to eat and cook vegan in the easiest way possible. I've taken the guesswork out of it because it is crucial to be including animal-free products in your diet, and I want everyone to be able to do it. You don't need fancy or hard-to-find ingredients to follow any of these recipes; this book is unlike any other vegan cookbook. Put it this way, if you make any one of these recipe for a non-vegan, I bet you'll make a believer out of them.

Here is the link to sign up for e-mail news about The Dirty Vegan Cookbook and you can also pre-order from this page as well. I recommend reserving your copy to ensure you won't have to wait or struggle to find a copy when they sell out, and you'll be able to get your copy when it is released. 

The Dirty Vegan Cookbook is available everywhere books are sold. If you are unable to pre-order online, you can call your local Barnes and Noble or book retailer and reserve over the phone or in person. I've personally called the wonderful folks at B&N to confirm this because I know people like to visit the store to do things in person, I prefer that interaction as well. 

Also, sorry if I have neglected this blog for a couple of months - writing a cookbook is much harder work than I thought it would be. But you know what they say, the best books are the ones that the author absolutely obsessed over, making it an easy and effortless read for the user. Maya Angelou said something like that, about when she wrote her books. Hang on, let me go get the actual quote because I think I absolutely butchered that one - be right back...

Got it! I'm not going to admit how long it took me to find this excerpt:

"Will I write a sentence that will just float off the page? Easy reading is damn hard writing. But if it’s right, it’s easy. It’s the other way round, too. If it’s slovenly written, then it’s hard to read. It doesn’t give the reader what the careful writer can give the reader." -Maya Angelou

I have been agonizingly particular about every tiny detail of this book. It is very important to me that, for animals, for the cause, this cookbook is perfect. I wanted it to be such fun to read and with instructions so detailed but simple and easy to understand, that anyone can go vegan, and they'll be absolutely compelled to. Please check it out: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/557574/the-dirty-vegan-cookbook-by-catherine-gill/

Also, there is another reason for my brief hiatus on this page - well two actually. One: they deleted the Blogger app, which made it so easy for me to post anywhere or anytime. Two: I discovered the new plant-based social app, Vegan Amino, which is void of politics or trolls and is all vegan, all the time. Here's a link to my Amino page, you should definitely check it out; this is where I've been microblogging (besides on Twitter, which is where I hang out most): http://aminoapps.com/page/vegan/2520449/thedirtyvegan

But no worries, I will be posting here on thedirtyvegan.com regularly once again, going forward. I've been told by many people that they use this website as a recipe archive and resource due to how well I labeled the posts, so I'm happy that even when I took a little time off from blogging to write this book, this site is still a useful vegan source.

Ok, that's all for today. You know how I can go on-and-on. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Peace and love.

Fab Glasses: Get the Designer Look NOT the High Price Tag!

Sometimes when I see celebrities and famous people wearing cool eyewear, I wonder to myself, how can I do that without breaking the bank? I especially like the recent trend of the Great Gatsby era style sunglasses. I noticed that celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and others were wearing these super cool looking shades, so I looked them up online. 

photo courtesy of Christian Roth

photo courtesy of Pinterest

The designers that celebrities are wearing were going to cost me at least 100 bucks and the really costly designers were closer to $500 per pair! I can't do that sort of thing, not many of us can. Then I discovered GlassesShop, a way to order all sorts of glasses online, both sunglasses and prescription glasses, in the specific styles that I crave, the ones that all the celebs are rocking, for such a reasonable price that I cannot even believe it myself!

Get the look I'm wearing! Sans round in tortoise/black style: 

Thanks to GlassesShop, I got these glasses in the Great Gatsby style that I wanted that is similar to the ones that I spied online that cost over $200! And let me tell you, I am someone who has the costly designer brands as well, and these rival those pairs, in quality and style. They arrived neatly wrapped in a cleaning cloth, inside of a sturdy and slim eyeglasses case. I really like the case too. These are some NICE sunnies! I love them!

If you visit GlassesShop.com and use this code at checkout (GSHOT50), my readers will receive 50% off ... even prescription sunglasses! That's eyeglasses and sunglasses with free frames, but it does exclude frames already on sale. 

So, if you are in need of a new pair, check out GlassesShop! And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. I hope your day is Leonardo DiCaprio cool.

You Can't Do Nerdy Without a Pair of Nerds!

Hi Everyone! So I wanted to share Firmoo with you. They are an eyeglasses and sunglasses retailer who specialize in the more current and modern styles. Firmoo is aimed at a young and hip audience, and has an awesome selection of Nerd-style glasses as well. Their aim is to provide fashionable vision-wear for the more frugal crowd. Basically, people who want gorgeous eye-wear but don't want to pay the high price-tag that normally come along with it, would benefit from taking a peak at http://www.firmoo.com/. They offer prescription and non-prescription, so you can choose a pair for function or fashion. They have something for everyone.

 I am wearing the style #SD2249 in Black (C01). Kind of the typical "nerd" style but totally cute, right? These are also available in Tortoise color.

I like that these are great quality and at a fantastic price; can't beat that. These aren't like the cheapo glasses you would pick up at the mall either, these are durable enough for everyday use. It couldn't be easier to get prescription or fashion glasses at such a low price. The only thing I didn't like is that the plain lenses (non-prescription) that I am using get super smudgy, so if you choose to go non-prescription just for fashion, be sure to keep them clean or the smudges can be annoying. They just show up more on plain lenses than they do on prescription ones.

 Firmoo also has a neat program they are running that gets brand new customers a FREE pair of glasses! All you have to pay is shipping, so it is definitely worth it to try them out. You can check out the program here.

Firmoo has tons of different styles to suit every type of personality. I really like their Nerds, which they do a great job with and they frame the face very nicely. A lot of celebrities are wearing this style right now. Check out these pictures of celebs wearing nerd glasses. I bet they cost a fortune and are some crazy-expensive designer brand. I love that you can get the same style from Firmoo for literally cheaper than my mascara costs.

Nerdy, but never nerdy, Johnny Depp.

Chris Brown rocking some Nerds.

The ever fabulous Anne Hathaway wearing a similar style.

Britney's glasses look just like mine! Pair them with ripped jeans and you're a rock-star.

Justin bringing nerdy back.

Jay-Z a grown-up nerd.

Mila Kunis wearing this style.

Look, even Kim Kardashian has em'!

I hope Everyone has a super nerdy day! I will be wearing these to Starbucks. A perfect coffeehouse look. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. SEE you later!

Questions That I Would Ask Famous People

I meet "famous" people. In fact, tons of well-known vegans at benefits, parties, galas, etc. I say famous in quotations, because I believe famous people are just like you and me...except someone decided to make them "famous" for whatever reason. Sometimes fame comes from talent, sometimes from looks, sometimes from being original or being the first person to do something weird and be eaten up by the public (i.e. the Chocolate Rain guy), and many other reasons. Some may even call me a little "famous" - hey I've been addressed as the Dirty Vegan by people while shopping in Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. People tell me all the time that they read my blog or know me from being co-founder of Dirty Vegan Foods, from being in the newspaper, or in an online article, or someone's blog, or just as a local entrepreneur and socialite who likes to spread veganism, meet people, and network. Therefor I now answer to Dirty Vegan and barely anymore to my name that I was born with (Do you have any idea how funny it is when I make a business call and say I'm calling on behalf of Dirty Vegan Foods and I hear, "hey it's the Dirty Vegan on line 1"?). Now I just go with it, what the heck else can I do? I imagine this sort of thing happened to Carrot Top or maybe even Weird Al. So, I don't get all starstruck when I meet a public figure. I consider myself equal to "famous" people, even though I am on the Z-list. You should consider yourself no lower than a "famous" person - because after all, we are all only human.

So as I was thinking about "famous" people, I thought, boy would I love to meet certain "famous" people, to ask them certain questions. You always hear the question asked, "what celebrity would you want to meet?", or hang out with, or spend a day with, etc. So here are some people I would want to meet, and questions I would ask them...

My Questions For "Famous" People

Alica Silverstone - Who, what, why, and how??? Who do you think you are? What makes you vegan? Why do you wear vintage wool and leather, and eat fish and dairy on "occasion"? And how do you profit off being vegan when you are sometimes a vegan and sometimes not? Girl, I just want to call the Vegan Police on you (like in Scott Pilgrim VS. the World)!

BTW...

-Recently someone on Twitter called me an "Elitist Vegan" because I drank a fair-trade iced coffee with soy milk from a chain coffee house. Now, can you think of better people to call elitist?

-I actually did meet Alicia at a book signing and told her all that I do in the vegan community and she wrote something nice in my book. She wrote, "thank God for you". So I don't want to bash her, I just want to ask her these questions and most certainly will if I ever canoodle with her again.

Kathy Freeston - How do you figure honey is vegan-friendly? And, are you crazy?

Rachel Bilson - You have such amazing style. Why can't you be a vegan-friendly fashionista and save a whole lotta animals' lives? If you did become vegan I would propose marriage to you. Sorry hubby, its vegan Rachel Bilson! She is basically my girl crush.

Stella McCartney - How did you become some sort of ambassador for veganism when you recently hosted a party and served duck and dairy and your clothing line is also full of silk?? Yes you have vegan pieces and I commend you for it, but why not go all the way and really make a statement?

Woody Harrelson - You are awesome! Just the fact that you wouldn't even take a bite of a Twinkie in Zombieland and they made you an almost inedible vegan substitute for the filming, is just great and makes you such a cool vegan! My question is, why haven't you tried my Winkie yet?!??

So have you ever met a "famous" person before? Yeah, who? And also, what question(s) are you longing to ask your favorite star?

Tweet

Adversity

This Chris Crocker video inspired me to write on this particular blog topic. I've written a lot of inspiring posts and I also stand up for the rights of animals, vegans, vegetarians, gay and lesbian community, people of all races, shapes, and sizes, victims of bullying domestic violence, and anyone who needs me to be a megaphone of a voice for them until theirs can be. If you check out the labels "Lesson" and "Rights" on this blog, you can see some past posts where I address these topics and help to provide some hope when you feel that you need it the most.



Today I wanted to address the adversity vegans and vegetarians face. But first, I wanted to give you some background on Chris Crocker, a pioneer for social movements. Chris Crocker is a YouTube sensation, and probably made famous for his well known video LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!, which has been seen by millions and surfaced all over the internet. If that is the only Crocker video you have seen, you have been missing out. Crocker is entertaining and humorous, but also teaches a lesson within each video, if you are open to seeing it. Whether Chris is inspiring confidence with his Bitch Bell or giving advice on Dealing with Unsupportive Family, like in the above video, his videos reach people who need to hear his advice. I've seen Chris spreading important messages like, confidence, to be strong, to work it, and also speaking on various social topics; I think he is fascinating. There really isn't a topic that Crocker hasn't spoken on. His messages about gender equality and being different, remind me of issues I have faced being different myself.

At any age, especially young, vegans live a constant battle. We try to surround ourselves with like-minded people, but sometimes that is just not always possible. We face adversity, criticism, and debates (sometimes arguments) about our moral choices. For being good people with good hearts, we face consequences, sometimes negative ones, from people who are close minded and that don't want to accept people for who they are. Sometimes the source of stress is from the ones that we love, and should love us back unconditionally. I am telling you today that no matter what battle you are fighting for - animal rights, gay and lesbian rights, racial equality, anything - you are not alone and it will get better. It does get better with age. When I was younger, I was simply inexperienced. When someone would say, "You need meat, meat is good, vegans don't get protein...", I would freeze up, be at a loss for words, and lose all of the vegan knowledge I had swirling around in my head. Now, I am still faced with so many people like that at events I do for Dirty Vegan Foods and various life situations. However, now I can spit out knowledge, statistics, and facts like you wouldn't believe and my ability to have a smart and true answer for everything has enabled me to not care about the haters, put them in their place kindly, politely, and with poise, and also enable me to change people's minds about veganism through knowledge and leading by example.

Anyone who has a struggle, knows the struggle that animals face. Voiceless yet beautiful and fascinating, we must be their voice for them. To all my young readers, please know that I have been in your shoes. Family who thinks I'm not getting enough protein (most days I eat more protein than I should), vitamins (DEVA makes vegan multi and even vegan glucosamine - so eat that haters), and the feeling of being left out or shunned. We have either been invited or not been invited to uncomfortable outings (things like fishing, pig roasts, crap like that), been criticized, scoffed at, or people being overly mean because they are intimidated by our lifestyle and that we have such a great time doing it (its a peaceful way to be). We also have to deal with people who think we eat fish, dairy, eggs, seafood, and offer it to us on a regular basis - seeming to ignore that we are vegans and ignore what we are doing in the Animal Rights world. I continually get offered non-vegan food, goods (like leather), etc. and people seem to ignore the fact that not only is it not suitable or appropriate, it is offensive to me and all that I believe in! Ignore these people, focus on the good and the mission. The mission is equality for all. And also, try and give people the benefit of the doubt; not everyone is being mean on purpose, sometimes people just don't realize. Just because you are an aware and accepting person, doesn't mean everyone else is. So just do your best to lead a happy life and always put thought into your actions. Pass it along to whoever you can - kindness is contagious!

I like Chris Crocker's message and it is similar to mine. Its basically, live your life, don't let haters get you down, don't get discouraged because the best is yet to come, use common sense, and stand up for yourself. Like Crocker, i am out here getting the message out about peace - peace for ALL. I really feel if we brought together all the social rights activists, we can work together on turning this place around for the good! Let's team up, Everyone!

Chris will be coming out with a documentary in 2012 and I'm psyched for it. He has a good heart and big personality. His message and making light of heavy situations, is just the kind of social crusader we need and I think he is a positive voice in the gay and lesbian community. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Peace.

Tweet

What Do Vegans and the President Have In Common?

The President just loves Dirty Vegan Foods! Do you like how I totally nailed the accent and speech pauses?!


He likes us so much, he has even sent us on very serious missions to change America and save animals, such as this one...


Wowzers, look at me in my belly shirt! Those abs gotta be from being vegan!!!

Hope these gave you a laugh and helped brighten your day. Now continue to giggle through the rest of it!

Tweet

Talk Show Vegans

We've got a new breed of vegans in town. Talk Show Vegans. They are typically fairly new to the game and are the perfect package for talk shows. They will oblige to withholding all the gory details about factory farms (the facts) and are just the most appealing thing ,since sliced bread, on camera. These Talk Show Vegans tend to focus on weight loss and veganism as a diet rather than a moral choice. I am happy when people choose veganism for any reason, because it save animals and is better for the environment, but I have some bones to pick with these Talk Show Vegans.


The problem I have is that by presenting veganism as a diet or a trendy new way to lose weight, leaves the person with the inevitable downfall of their "diet". Let's be real, how many people really stick to a weight loss diet forever? Its not really healthy to be losing weight forever or to be trying to. The key is to get to a healthy place and stay there. I know personally, when I was on weight loss diets, I would get so fed up or sick of them, that I would do the opposite of what the stupid book or video told me to do; I would rebel. So now, the people who are not presented with veganism as a moral decision to save the lives of animals, might rebel against this way of life once their weight loss diet fails, and could possibly go back to eating more animal products than ever before.


I know that anyone who sees a video from a factory farm, and sees the abuses against animals, will make some kind of decision. They will either choose right there and then to stop eating animals and stop supporting abuse, or they will choose to continue to eat animals and try to ignore what was just imprinted into their mind. However, the neat little package that is Talk Show Vegans, present little to none of the facts about the industry and why most of us choose this lifestyle in the first place. I personally gave a crap less about health, I saw a video of a chicken supplier, the abuses were awful (I had no clue before then), I immediately changed my lifestyle that very moment and never turned back. I do not have cravings for "meat", because "meat" to me is not food, it is a carcass of a dead animal who once was; a tortured dead animal at that. The health benefits of veganism are an awesome bonus that I enjoy, but not my motivation whatsoever. I ensure I get the proper amounts of all my nutrients, protein, fruits, veggies, carbs, omegas, etc. and I also take a vegan multivitamin with all my B vitamins (although I get them all pretty much from food) and you all know that I am a big fan of liquid aminos for amino acids - but I do all that so that I remain in excellent health so I can continue to fight for animals for as long as I possibly can. You all know I eat my junk food and I love it!


Now, what I think, is that talk shows that choose to talk about veganism, should incorporate or completely focus on the animals (which is the importance of this) and convenience/ family friendly foods; the things that really concern most people who are weary about this lifestyle. Show people what is easy, where to get vegan products, what to do with them, tips and tricks, etc. Help take the guesswork out of it. A lot of people in America live on Pillsbury brand - show them which Pillsbury items are vegan! Yeah of coarse quinoa is a lot healthier than crescent rolls, but people will get there, lets stop throwing all of our fancy vegan foods/ words at people because we have been doing this for a while and its so easy for us (now).


These Talk Show Vegans lure people in with promises of weight loss and health benefits (which will absolutely happen), so people happily buy their quinoa, kombucha, burdock, daikon, kombu, etc. to lose weight, but get easily turned off or frustrated when their own (normal human) willpower gives into a decadent cookie or a crescent roll! How about first teaching principles of compassion and some factual talk or footage about animal cruelty then we can focus on being a squeaky clean vegan. I lose weight sometimes. I eat clean sometimes. I use macrobiotic or raw principles for a few days after being really Dirty. But that is not a starting point for new vegans. If it works then I am glad; all I want is to see animals being liberated from their abuse and tortures. But people who are introduced to veganism solely as a weight loss diet run the risk of "falling off the bandwagon" and "cheating" to eat something naughty. For them, all they know is "clean=vegan", "dirty=non-vegan". I would like to see people start off by seeing veganism as normal, learn how to make all the foods (including Dirty, yummy, cakey, crumby, greasy, convenient - and also the healthy stuff), so when they feel the urge to be "bad", they can eat something that's bad and also vegan. It is better for you because it won't have cholesterol whatsoever, but at least people will be going into veganism the right way, for the right reasons. I personally know people who were gong-ho veg and are no longer.


If you are vegan for health or weight loss; great! I hope you keep it up forever. This post is directed towards the Talk Show Vegans and talk show hosts who influence so many and encourage people to do things; just start including some facts about the lives of these animals, will ya?

There is definitely a vegan "trend" happening right now. Every talk show, newspaper, article, is talking about it. I love that the word vegan is becoming more mainstream, but I fear the disappointment I will feel if it phases out and people who have turned "vegan" now, turn to something else instead. What do you think about it? If you are vegan, how does it make you feel? How about if you were vegan for a very long time, before it was trendy? Do you think this will last; is this a major turning point for this social movement? Let me know what you think; I look forward to reading your comments. Have a Dirty day!

Go eat something good, will ya? When I say good I really mean bad-in-a-good-way.

Dirty Vegan Foods

Tweet

The Rich. The Famous. The Fabulous. The Vegan.

Famous Vegetarians

Have you seen anyone more fabulous and full of life, than a vegetarian, particularly, a vegan? You may look at some celebrities who are not veggie and think they are gorgeous looking, but when you really look at people and become perceptive after doing this thing for so many years, you see that they look worn. They typically look older than they should look. However, vegans tend to look much younger and wear their age extremely well, don't they? I get mistaken for a high schooler all the time and I am in my late 20s!


When you eat living foods, whole and healthy foods, you eat life not death. When you eat death, I am sorry, but it just helps your body deteriorate faster. And is that not what we are doing? Everyone is dying, face it. Aging is deterioration of sorts, however vegetarians seem to slow and in some cases stop that process. Here are just a few famous people who either have confirmed or are rumored to currently be vegan or vegetarians:

Alanis Morisette

Veggie Badass! Looks fabulous and full of youth, especially for her age.

Alicia Silverstone

Kind Vegan. Looks the same as her Aerosmith music video and Clueless days! Wowzers!

Carrie Underwood

Practically Ageless Vegetarian! Look at that glow! 

Woody Harrelson 

Activist Multi-tasker Vegan! Gives off great vibes and spirit!

Natalie Portman

Forever Young Vegan! Looks amazing always, and makes a line of vegan shoes!

Some other rumored vegetarian celebs include Fiona Apple, Pam Anderson, and Reese Witherspoon, just to name a few. There are and have been so many famous vegetarian people in history. The general public must have missed the memo. I would advise society to get on the bandwagon, because let's face it, you are not getting any younger! And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off.

One Smart Beatle

I read an interview with Paul McCartney where he was talking about how he became vegetarian...and it was brilliant! He hit the nail on the head. This is an excellent article to read and I encourage you to do so whether or not you are vegetarian or plan to become vegetarian, that doesn't matter, to hear a topic as such, eloquently discussed by the famous Beatle, is amazing. This is a must read for any Beatles fan!

Click here to read Paul's interview!

Shooo-La-La!

Greetings my Little Naughties! Have you ever wondered how to rock shoes as glamorous as celebrities while still being vegan and not spending your entire life's savings? Look no further! You too can wear shoes that can be compared to designer Christian Louboutin's for a fraction of the price and you guessed it...cruelty free! I buy my red sole heels from a brand called Oh Deer. The silver ones below are all manmade materials. Not all their stuff may be vegan, so do your research and if you are unsure by the item listing online or in the stores, ask a representative for help or send an e-mail and ask them. The black ones are also vegan and have the nice red sole and designer couture style, however I bought them on e-Bay and they are a different brand. Today's lesson is: you can still be fabulous and be vegan. You don't have to support cruelty to be drop dead gorgeous and stylish, just be a savvy shopper and do your research. You will be very surprised in the designers who do make fashions with non-animal materials. So make it a point to buy those items and not to support items in which were made in an inhumane manner. Also, if you really like a designer but they do not offer vegan options, tell them to! Speak up and write to these companies; they want to hear from consumers to improve their products. Companies also would like to broaden their fan base, so let them know..and for now the Dirty Vegan is signing off.