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Alicia Silverstone Talks Eating Vegan and Gardening Naked

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:30:05 -0700

Alicia Silverstone knows that eating well can help the planet, which is one reason she decided to swear off meat and dairy and adopt a vegan lifestyle. But it's not all selfless: she also appreciates how her improved diet makes her look younger and glowing.

In a new interview with Health, the Clueless star talks about her eating philosophy, her line of cruelty-free beauty products, and her book The Kind Diet, coming out in October. Here are highlights:

On why she wrote the book: "Once you're informed, then you can be really gentle and kind to yourself, by giving yourself all the gifts life has to offer - like mental clarity and vitality - all while making the planet better."
On why she went vegan: "I didn't come at it, honestly, from a health point of view. I was 21 when I went vegan. And when anybody told me to be healthy, I thought people were just telling me [to lose weight] because I'm in this business. So I was like, 'Go F yourself!' [Laughs.] Yet when I look at those pictures from back then, I can see the puffiness in my eyes. It's weird to be 32 now and feel and look younger. . . . Right after I first made the switch to a plant-based diet, people were literally telling me, 'What have you done? You’re sparkling.'"

To read more highlights - including what Silverstone has to say about being naked in her backyard - read more.

On reports that she likes to garden naked: "It's true. It probably started when I was doing my garden the first time. I'd be out there, and it would be scorching hot, so I would take off all of my clothes and garden. And then I would jump in the pool and swim - and I always get in the pool naked, because why would you want to put on a bathing suit? . . . I don't want anybody to take a picture of me naked. But in my own home, in my garden, [nudity]'s OK."
On losing weight: "Diet first, exercise second. Exercise is fantastic, and when I need to be a certain way quickly, I amp up my exercise by walking the dogs and doing yoga."

What do you think about Silvertone's perspective? Are you interested in buying her book? If you've ever tried a vegan diet, tell me what you thought about how it affected your overall health below.

Healthy Eating Tip: Make Nori Wraps Like Alicia Silverstone

FitSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:00:00 -0700

The Kind Diet book by Alicia Silverstone doesn't hit stores until Fall, but you don't have to wait until then to get a taste of her vegan tips. A common qualm about veganism is that meals are time-consuming, but this famous vegan implied that doesn't have to be true and said, "One of the recipes in my book is leftover nori (a type of seaweed) wraps. Anything in the fridge I want to use up, I shove into nori. It's delicious."

Alicia sells the perks of seaweed by saying, "It makes your skin look amazing and your hair really strong," but the benefits of including seaweed in your diet are more than skin-deep. The sea vegetable is an excellent source of essential minerals like iodine, vitamin K, B-vitamins, magnesium, iron, and calcium.

You can usually find packages of nori in the Asian food section of your supermarket. It comes in thin sheets, making it ideal for wrapping, and Alicia has shown us that it's not just for wrapping raw fish.

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Alicia Silverstone: The Kind Diet

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:30:00 -0800

It's no secret that Alicia Silverstone is an animal lover. Remember how she starred in that sexy commercial for PETA to tell the world she's a vegetarian? Well now she's taking her passionate views a step further with her new book about going vegan, titled The Kind Diet, that's set to hit stores in the Fall of 2009. In case you're not familiar with a vegan diet, it involves not eating any animal products including meat, milk, or honey. Alicia enthusiastically illustrates how choosing a plant-based diet can benefit your body and how you feel about your body. Although Alicia is vegan mostly for humane reasons, the Kind Diet is also healthy since it's high in protein and fiber and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Even though the foods are plant-based, she makes them sound delicious and indulgent.

A vegan diet doesn't just benefit the people following it. It also obviously saves the lives of many animals, and in her book Alicia explains how choosing a vegan diet can benefit our world as well. Talk about a win-win-win.

I'm curious, will any of you buy this book and try a vegan diet?

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Alicia Silverstone PETA Ad: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:45:00 -0700

A very controversial commercial for PETA starring Alicia Silverstone has hit the airways recently and I am curious what you guys think....

The new ads were set to hit Houston airwaves more than twenty times Wednesday, and PETA claims they chose Houston for the debut because it so often ranks high on lists of cities with the worst eating habits.

Does this video make you want to swear off meat? Check out this print ad.

(A reminder: Whether you're a herbivore or carnivore, please be nice to each other in your comments.)

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Alicia Silverstone: Inspiring Animal Lover and Vegan

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Alicia Silverstone, well-known for her role in the movie Clueless is one of the more vocal animal lovers out there. It is her love of animals that inspired her to become vegan and it helps her stay trim. So what is the deal with eating vegan?

Vegans believe it is morally wrong to eat or use anything that came from an animal. Vegans don't eat meat, eggs, dairy products like cheese and ice cream, gelatin, or honey. Strict vegans do not wear leather, fur, feathers, pearls, bone, silk, wool, or use lanolin.

Vegans study products to figure out what ones are cruelty-free (not tested on animals) and contain no animal ingredients. For instance, Alicia uses products from Kiss My Face and Burt's Bees because they are not tested on animals. Vegans feel animals have rights and deserve to be treated with respect.

Along with compassion for animals, Alicia also believes in making a conscious effort to have a positive effect on our world . She uses canvas bags instead of plastic ones, and she believes in recycling to decrease waste that goes into land fills.

Fit's Tips: You don't need to become a vegan to be healthy and environmentally conscious. You can opt for products that are cruelty free, as well as buy free-range meat and cage-free eggs whenever possible. And look for milk that clearly states it's rGBH-free.

Need a little more information? Let Steven the Vegan explain. He may be joking around, but his values come straight from the heart. To see the video, read more

In the mood for something funny and light? Check this out. This girl is definitely no vegan.

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Bethenny Frankel: Natural Chef to the Stars

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 04:00:00 -0700

What do Paris Hilton, Alicia Silverstone and Mariska Hargitay (from TV's Law & Order) all have in common? The answer would be Bethenny Frankel a natural food chef of the stars.

Bethenny believes that a person's diet is like a "bank account." You want to eat a balanced diet, but you don't want to restrict yourself either. It's fine to try a bit of everything. It's when you eat all of everything that can get you into trouble. She healthily believes in moderation.

After watching this video clip, you will know that Bethenny is into healthy bodies and chocolate, but she doesn't have a great opinion of the ultra slim size zero body.

Celebrity Video, Bethenny Frankel Talks Lindsay And Nicole - Awesome video clips here

Want to know some healthy tips from celebs like Paris Hilton, Randy Jackson, and Alicia Silverstone? Then read more

Healthy Tip #1: Don't eat everything on your plate.

Paris and Nicky Hilton try to be as healthy as possible (Bethenny has known them since they were kids). What keeps them so slim is this little trick: they never finish all the food on their plate. Some would say this is wasteful, but overeating is a big problem with people. We often eat more food just because it's in front of us.

Healthy Tip #2: Load Up on Veggies.

Mariska Hargitay loves Mediterranean foods with lots of flavor. Vegetables offer a variety of different tastes and textures, and can be easily flavored with fresh herbs and spices. Veggies are just so healthy for you, you really can't go wrong with them.

Healthy Tip #3: Use Fresh Ingredients for Flavor.

Randy Jackson went through gastric bypass surgery in 2003. He dropped over 100 pounds, and had to change his eating habits to keep up with his new body. He's a huge fan of southern foods, so he uses fresh spices and ingredients to give those foods the flavor he craves.

Healthy Tip #4: Simply Substitute.

The Hogans are an all-American family, loving the types of food you get at fast food joints. In order to eat the high-fat foods they loved, Bethenny would just substitute healthier ingredients. She'd use olive oil instead of butter, and low-sugar maple syrup in place of real sugar. Your taste buds won't notice the difference much, but your body will.

Healthy Tip #5: Don't Be Afraid to Experiment.

Alicia Silverstone is a committed vegan, believing whole-heartedly in not consuming any animal products. When you don't eat meat, dairy products, or eggs, you've got to get a little creative in your meal-making. Alicia wasn't afraid to experiment with new ingredients like tofu, tempeh, and seitan to make mock-foods such as veggie "chicken" burgers.

FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 05:50:01 -0700

Alicia Silverstone helps the planet by gardening naked.
You can satisfy your sweet tooth with snacks under 200 calories.
Tell me, what kind of stomach do you have?
Is diet soda healthier than regular? Read and learn.
Check out my September must haves. They'll help you stay fit as the seasons change.
With so many ways to top a bagel, how do you choose?
Drinking alcohol could motivate you to exercise.
Tone your shoulders with these simple moves.
Can you name the yoga pose?

Guess the Celeb Vegetarian

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Going meat-free is not only good for your heart and waistline, but it also helps the environment by not contributing to factory-farm pollution. Many celebs - such as Natalie Portman and Alicia Silverstone - avoid animal products, but can you guess which other celebs keep meat off their plates?

Question 1 of 10

Which young actress doesn't eat meat?

Have You Ever Tried to Be a Vegetarian?

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:30:00 -0800

For many food-conscious diners, eating flesh doesn't mesh with their ideological standards, and their values lead them to vegetarianism. For others, going meatless has more to do with health than compassion for animals, a distaste for meat, or a combination of these reasons.

Whether they've adopted vegetarian diets for health reasons or animal rights, several celebrities have made their dietary choices publicly known. Famous vegetarian and vegan ladies like Carrie Underwood, Natalie Portman, Alicia Silverstone, and Alanis Morissette haven't been shy about the fact that they say no to meat. They've been vocal about their personal choices, so tell me, have you ever tried to be a vegetarian?

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YouTube Creates Teenage Vegetarians

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0800

A vegetarian diet is becoming increasingly popular. Many celebs forgo meat to be healthier, such as Marla Maples and Alanis Morissette. Others, like Alicia Silverstone and Kellie Pickler, choose this lifestyle for moral reasons. According to recent news, as many as one in 200 teens are ditching meat because of animals rights issues as well. Easy Internet access and shocking animal slaughter videos on YouTube have been cited as reasons for this lifestyle change. Teens under 18 choose tofu over chicken not for their health, but rather out of their compassion for animals. Once they make the connection that what they're eating was a living being, just like their family pet, eating meat just isn't an option.

Why are parents concerned? To find out, read more.

A vegetarian diet can be extremely healthy, if it includes fruits, veggies, whole grains, and a sufficient amount of protein. The problem is, many kids are giving up cheeseburgers and eating french fries and other junk food instead. Not only are they filling up on refined carbs and sugar, but those who are vegan (no meat, dairy, or eggs) aren't getting enough vitamin B12, D, iron, or calcium. Plus sticking to a diet full of bread, pasta, and potato chips isn't exactly low-calorie, so parents are concerned about their children gaining weight. Since teens are old enough to choose what they eat, it's up to the parents to help educate their kids about how to achieve a balanced vegetarian diet.

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