Forest Whitaker’s slimmed down Oscar look: He’s a vegetarian!
March 8th, 2010
Photo via Flickr: Shavar Ross
Last night’s 82nd annual Academy Awards ceremony was an unmitigated snoozefest, but there was one image that made me and my fellow Oscar-watchers snap to attention: A strikingly svelte Forest Whitaker, who took the stage late in the evening to introduce Sandra Bullock for the Best Actress nomination. While Whitaker has yet to talk about his weight loss, I’m betting that a healthy meatless diet likely played a role. That’s right, folks — the Academy Award winning actor is a vegetarian.
Check out this video he recorded with his adorable daughter a few years back for the animal rights organization PETA:
[Watch video on YouTube]
Inspired by Whitaker? Going vegetarian can be a great way to lose weight, as well as lower your risk for diet-related illnesses like heart disease and diabetes, since research shows that vegetarians are significantly slimmer than meat-eaters. But foregoing meat alone won’t be enough to get you in movie star shape; healthy, balanced meals are still a must. One friend of mine packed on the pounds after switching to a “vegetarian” diet. Only later was it revealed that she was basing her meals around pizza, mac and cheese, and tater tots.
–Jennifer Grayson
Do this now: Want to know what other celebs owe their red-carpet figures to a vegetarian diet? Click here.
More Meatless Monday posts:
Spring clean your diet: This Blissful Chef eCookbook has arrived!
Your holiday weekend read: The Flexitarian Diet
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March 8th, 2010 at 11:00 am
There are definitely good and bad types of vegetarianism. I think it’s reasonably easy to stay on the good side: cut the cheesy/fried indiscretions to once a week or less, avoid most processed foods, and make sure vegetables make up 50% or more of a meal. Big platefuls of brightly colored vegetables make me happy!
March 9th, 2010 at 10:41 am
I agree! I was a vegetarian in college, and once I lived off campus and stopped going to the dining hall (where they had amazing and healthy vegetarian entrees every day), my diet really suffered because I didn’t take the time to plan my meals. I basically lived on cereal. Obviously, I’ve learned a lot since then!