That's Fit

PETA is holding is third annual world's sexiest vegetarian contest. Past winners, including Kristen Bell, Carrie Underwood, Alicia Silverstone, and Tobey Maguire are all in the running again. You can cast your vote here.

According to PETA, each vegetarian saves the lives of more than 100 animals per year -- cutting down on the environmental impact of raising animals for food as well as, hopefully, reducing demand and the cruelty that is sometimes practiced in meat production.

PETA also states that, on average, vegetarians are 10 to 20 pounds lighter than those who eat meat. And, PETA's research indicates that many vegetarians state that they feel better, have clearer skin, and have more energy on a vegetarian diet. If you're considering a vegetarian diet, be sure to do your research. It can be a very healthy way of living but it requires taking steps to get enough protein and iron.

Are you trying to live a greener lifestyle? Looking at your diet is a good place to start. Pesticides, food miles, and factory farms are three important issues when we talk about the environment, as are artificial additives, food diversity, and vegetarianism.

The Daily Green has an excellent 30-day guide to greening up your diet. For instance, you could eat one meal a week that comes 100% from local sources. You could buy organic fruits and vegetables, instead of the conventionally grown versions. You could shop at a farmer's market or CSA, find a source of compassionately grown meat, or even make meatless meals twice a week. Finally, you can read books on the subject like Michael Pollen's In Defense of Food and Alice Water's The Art of Simple Food.

Check out the rest of their suggestions and start eating a greener diet today.

Kenneth G. Williams. That's him in the picture. Pretty big guy. More than just a little ripped. Body builder. Vegan.

Wait, what?!? A bodybuilding vegan? That's right.

Williams hasn't always been a vegan, in fact back when he first got started in body building he was very much into the usual fare of meat, eggs, and dairy. But then one day, in the middle of the night, he had "a moment" and has been a vegan ever since.

Just goes to show that you don't need to eat meat to feel "tough" and to be healthy and fit. If you want to eat meat, then by all means go ahead. But if you've been leaning towards vegetarianism or veganism then don't let stereotypes be the thing that holds you back.

In May, Vanity Fair magazine published their "Green Issue" -- their first issue devoted to issues of eco-living and the environment. It was a great issue, featuring some of the more prominent individuals involved in saving the environment (the minds behind Treehugger and Ideal Bite among them), and laid out beautifully the case for living a more green life.

One of the really interesting articles in this issue was the piece entitled "Fifty Ways to Save the Planet," describing different ways you can change your life to make a difference. Some require more commitment than others, but one that really stuck out for me was the suggestion of going vegetarian one day a week -- for surprisingly non-animal-friendly reasons:

To produce one pound of beef requires 2,500 gallons of water-that's 40 times more water than is used to produce a pound of potatoes.