Don’t be a fat slob anymore. You know what you have to do, now do it. But don’t go manorexic on us, either. It’s easy to get caught up in any lifestyle change and go overboard.
Make healthy choices and take excellent care of yourself without getting neurotic and obsessive.
Use your head. We can’t say it enough. Use your own head and think about what you are eating. Forget what you’ve ever read, heard, or learned and just think for yourself. Once they’ve recovered, your body, brain, and instincts will always lead you down the right food path. Obey them and disregard everyone and everything else.
You know the truth.
Read the ingredients. This goes hand in hand with using your head. If you plan on eating something, you should know exactly what it is. Even if it’s a product that we’ve recommended, you still need to check the ingredients. Companies change their recipes all the time.
Two vegan products we loved and suggested weren’t vegan by the time we were finished writing this book, and we had to remove them from our recommendation lists. Trust no one. Not even us. Some of the products on our suggested food lists aren’t perfect; we make certain allowances based on our own opinions and desires. Read and decide for yourself. And if you don’t recognize an ingredient, call the company’s toll-free number on the package and ask what it is. If it’s not something you would put in your body, tell them, and suggest that they improve their product. Companies really do take comments into account, so always voice your opinion.
Now that you’re a Skinny Bastard, don’t turn into a skinny bastard.
We conceived the titles of our books Skinny Bitch and Skinny Bastard to get attention. We just wanted to spread our message far and wide and thought this was a good way to do it. But we are not bitches, we hate men who are bastards, and we have no desire to promote douchey behavior. There is nothing uglier than a hot guy who’s an asshole. If you look great, you should feel good about yourself and be happy. Instead of fixating on the last five pounds you want to lose, celebrate the five you already lost. Progress, not perfection. While women aren’t hung up on landing a guy who’s gorgeous, we are hung up on guys who are sweet, funny, and confident. Don’t be insecure or competitive or feel threatened by guys who are richer or hotter or who have more hair than you. Respect them; it will make you look better.
Soon, you’ll notice people (especially women, but some gay guys, too) flocking to the new you. Not just because you’re buff but because you are happier, healthier, and eating a cruelty-free diet. So feel free to share your new wealth of information with everyone who asks.
Spread the good word, but be careful not to preach. You’ll see that some people get very defensive about their diets when you tell them about yours. Even if you are being nonjudgmental, people may feel threatened by your stance. Understandably, your being vegan shines a spotlight on the cruelty they’re contributing to, and it makes them feel uncomfortable. When asked, you can describe what you’ve learned about the treatment of farm animals and all of the health benefits of being vegan. By all means, let people know how great you feel and how much weight you’ve lost. But never suggest that they try it or make them feel bad about their diet. Offer to lend them your copy of Skinny Bastard or give them the GoVeg.com website. But don’t cram it down their throats. Everyone seeks the truth in his or her own time.
Now that you’ve got your diet, health, and appearance under control, fix other areas of your life. After all, there’s no point in being shredded if your life is a mess. Repair or end your co-dependent relationship, quit your dead-end job, and ditch your lame-ass friends. Make a list of goals and start chipping away at them. THIS IS YOUR LIFE!
Live it to the fullest with reckless abandon. Seize the day. And do it again tomorrow. Live. Go get your dream job. Search for your dream girl (or guy). Fear nothing. Try everything. Be excited. You’ll never get yesterday back, but today is yours for the taking. Make it great.
Bravo. You’ve got your life and your diet on track. But you still need to move your ass. Exercise will boost your self-esteem, reduce your junk-food cravings, and help you lose weight. Being physically fit can also reduce your risk of stroke by up to 40 percent!553 (Stroke is our nation’s third leading cause of death.)554 If you can commit to a gym routine, fantastic! You will reach your fitness goals faster. But you don’t need to be a gym rat. Just do something! It can even be fun.
Take a kickboxing class or go to a “bootcamp.” Go for walks after dinner or bike rides on weekends. Better yet, walk or bike to work or the commuter train. Whatever you choose, exercise makes you feel great about yourself. And that alone is priceless.
You are what you think. Our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and experiences create tangible, concrete reactions at cellular and atomic levels.
So whether something is “real” or not doesn’t matter. If we think, feel, believe, or experience it, it will become a reality. Slow down and think about this and realize the implications it can have on your life. It can work for or against you. For example, if you think you are fat and that diets never work and that you’ll always be fat, then yes, you are fat and diets never work and you will always be fat. What you think actually becomes embedded in your brain and your cells and the energy field surrounding you. Your thoughts are that powerful. So if you feel you are meant to be lean and believe this lifestyle will make you lose weight and know that this book is going to change your life, you will be lean, you will lose weight, and your life will change. It is just that simple.
In her book, Anatomy of the Spirit, Dr. Caroline Myss examines the unquestionable link between negative emotions and physical illnesses. Take “Julie,” for example. Julie’s husband treated her with contempt and disdain, frequently said the mere sight of her repulsed him, and refused to sleep with her. It is no coincidence that Julie was diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancer, reflecting her lack of selflove for her “womanhood.” She could not leave her husband, never recovered from her cancer, and died as a result. “Joanna” was married to a man who had multiple affairs that she knew about but tried to live with. Not surprisingly, she developed breast cancer.
Eventually, she confronted her husband and demanded fidelity.
However, he was unable to change, so she left the marriage. Joanna recovered from her cancer. Anatomy of the Spirit chronicles one history after another of people sickening themselves or healing themselves with thought and emotion. (Of course, we are not suggesting that everyone suffering from a disease has brought it upon himor herself. We are, however, saying it is entirely possible to do so.) Our minds are infinitely powerful. Our favorite self-help gurus, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, and Anthony (Tony) Robbins, understand this, and they all preach the power of daily affirmations. An affirmation is a positive statement you make that allows you to clearly envision an achieved goal or mindset. It is declared as if it is already happening, and it can be anything you want: “Every day in every way I’m losing more and more weight.” “Every day in every way my body is getting leaner.” “Every day in every way my stomach is getting flatter.” “Every day in every way my muscles are getting bigger.” “Every day in every way I’m loving my body more.” “Every day in every way I’m getting healthier and healthier.” Create your own affirmations and say them (in your head or aloud, if you can) when you wake up in the morning, while exercising, in your car, and in bed at night. You will immediately notice how good they make you feel and be astonished at the results. This book is the result of our affirmations, so we know they truly work.
You worked hard for this body, and you shouldn’t waste it by covering it up in crappy clothes. So take your ass on a shopping spree and upgrade your wardrobe. We know it can feel a little strange, paying so much attention to your looks—like you don’t have the right or aren’t worthy. But you are good enough, you do deserve it, and no one is thinking otherwise. This is your body for this lifetime. Dress it well and love it. If you have poor fashion sense (you know who you are), ask someone for guidance.
Now we know we keep encouraging you to look your best, but, for the love of God, don’t associate your worth with your appearance. We are spiritual beings walking around in these crazy bodies. Our insides are much more important than our outsides. So don’t you dare measure your worth by the amount of attention or validation you get from women. It’s nice to be appreciated, but it is not a necessity. Love yourself and your looks, even if no one else seems to. In time, your confidence and self-love will attract a winner.
Well, it’s all there in black and white. We sincerely hope you will take the knowledge you’ve learned and put it to use from this moment on. YOU hold the power to change your life, and it’s really so simple. Use your head, lose your ass.
Afterword.
Isn’t man an amazing animal? He kills wildlife by the millions in order to protect his domestic animals and their feed. Then he kills domestic animals by the billions and eats them. This in turn kills man by the millions, because eating all those animals leads to degenerative—and fatal—health conditions like heart disease, kid ney disease, and cancer. So then man tortures and kills millions more animals to look for cures for these diseases. Elsewhere, millions of other human beings are being killed by hunger and malnutrition because food they could eat is being used to fatten domestic animals.
Meanwhile, some people are dying of sad laughter at the absurdity of man, who kills so easily and so violently, and once a year sends out cards praying for “Peace on Earth. —Old MacDonald’s Factory Farm, by C. David Coates
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