Kathy Freston

Kathy Freston is an American four-time New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including The Lean, Veganist, Quantum Wellness, and Clean Protein. She has appeared frequently on national television, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Ellen, Dr. Oz, The View, Good Morning America, Charlie Rose, and Extra. Her work has been featured notably in Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Self, W, and Fitness. In addition, she has been a regular contributor to the The Huffington Post.

Kathy Freston
Freston at the Farm Sanctuary 25th Anniversary Gala in New York City
Born1964/1965 (age 55–56)[1]
United States
Occupation
  • Author
  • Wellness Activist
Spouse(s)
​
(divorced)​
Websitekathyfreston.com

Biography

Early life

Freston grew up in Doraville and later in Dunwoody, a suburb outside of Atlanta Her mother, Joan, and her father, Bill, worked together in a printing store they owned in Dunwoody; she has two younger brothers, Kevin and Jon.

Freston started studying meditation in her spare time, and began making her own guided meditation recordings. She said, "… I started creating tapes for friends and realized, "Hey, this is very useful to people". People "came to her for counseling," and so she became a meditation counselor, helping people find relationships or create abundance, get pregnant, or deal with disease. She helped Cyrinda Fox, ex-wife of Steven Tyler, find peace with her cancer diagnosis, and became a minister long enough to preside over the wedding of Cyrinda Fox[2] to her boyfriend while on her deathbed.

Career

Freston's book, The Lean: A Revolutionary (and Simple!) 30-Day Plan for Healthy, Lasting Weight Loss, was named one of VegNews' "Top 12 Vegan Books of 2012." [3]

According to the Editor Picks, "This author and activist had quite a year. Her book's a best-seller, her Twitter account and Huffington Post blog posts are active and educational, Vanity Fair writer John Helipern committed to going veg after just one lunch with her, and she appeared not only on The Oprah Winfrey Show, but helped a family adopt a vegan diet on Ellen, chatted veganism on The Martha Stewart Show with fellow activists Biz Stone and Gene Baur, and talked shop on Charlie Rose."

She has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and across Winfrey's network relating to a detox diet.[4][5]

In January 2014, Freston launched a Change.org petition titled "It's Time for a Healthy, Meatless Option (Please!)" urging McDonald's to debut a vegetarian burger item. In November 2020, McDonald's announced they would be creating a plant-based platform called "McPlant" that could lead to a plant-based burger being available on menus at McDonald's in 2021.[6]

Freston supported of California's Prop 2, a ballot measure that – among other things – required that by January 1, 2015, egg-laying hens raised in California be able to stand up, lie down, turn around, and fully extend their wings.[7]

Her work has been featured in the magazines Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Self, W, and Fitness. She is also a regular contributor to the Huffington Post.[8]

U2 frontman and humanitarian Bono says of Veganist, "Kathy Freston writes so beautifully and convincingly that even this most carnivorous of rock stars finds himself staring at his bleeding protein with new eyes."[9]

Awards

Freston was awarded "Person of the Year" by VegNews Magazine in 2011. [10]

Freston was awarded with the "Healthy Living Advocate Award" by Farm Sanctuary at the 25th Anniversary Farm Sanctuary gala in 2011.[11]

Last Chance for Animals (LCA) has honored writer and activist Kathy Freston with their "Vegan of the Year" award for 2016.[12]

Personal life

Freston wed Tom Freston on April 18, 1998 in California. She was a stepmother to his two sons, Andrew and Gil. Kathy and Tom split their time between their New York and Los Angeles residences. They traveled widely, entertained regularly at their townhouse (which once belonged to Andy Warhol) and were frequently photographed at MTVN events and cultural galas.

Freston was added to Vanity Fair's 2009 "International Best-Dressed List."[13]

They divorced in 2012 but remain friends.

Published works

Books
  • 72 Reasons to Be Vegan: Why Plant-Based. Why Now. (Workman Publishing Company, 2021)
  • Clean Protein: The Revolution that Will Reshape Your Body, Boost Your Energy—and Save Our Planet (Hachette Books, 2018)
  • The Book of Veganish: The Ultimate Guide to Easing into a Plant-Based, Cruelty-Free, Awesomely Delicious Way to Eat, with 70 Easy Recipes Anyone can Make: A Cookbook (Pam Krauss/Avery, 2016)
  • The Lean: A Revolutionary (and Simple!) 30-Day Plan for Healthy, Lasting Weight Loss (Weinstein, 2012)
  • Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change the World. New York City: Weinstein Books. 2011-02-01. ISBN 978-1-60286-133-6.
  • The Quantum Wellness Cleanse: A 21 Day Essential Guide to Healing Your Body, Mind, and Spirit (Weinstein, 2009)
  • Quantum Wellness: A Practical and Spiritual Guide to Health and Happiness (Weinstein, 2008)
  • The One (Hyperion, 2006)
  • Expect a Miracle (St. Martin's Press, 2003)

References
  1. Holt, Emily (May 1, 2008). "Guiding Light". W Magazine. ...the 43-year-old insists she’s able to reconcile her spirituality with her lifestyle.
  2. NY Post: Ex-Wife Of AEROSMITH Singer To Get Hitched August 28, 2002
  3. Connelly, Joseph. "Top 12 Vegan Books of 2012". VegNews.com. VegNews. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  4. Winfrey, Oprah. "Oprah Begins 21-Day Diet Detox". The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  5. Freston, Kathy. "The Vegan Challenge". Oprah.com. Harpo Productions. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  6. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2020/11/09/mcplant-mcdonalds-plant-based-burger-crispy-chicken-sandwich/6187977002/
  7. Hall, Carla. "ALL THINGS ANIMAL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND BEYOND". latimesblogs.latimes.com. LA Times. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  8. https://www.huffpost.com/author/kathy-freston%7Cwebsite=Huffington Post|publisher=Huffington Post|accessdate=6 December 2017}}
  9. (https://www.peta.org/blog/s-vegan-oprah-winfrey-show/)%7Cwebsite=PETA%7Caccessdate=31 January 2011
  10. Editors, VegNews. "The 2011 Veggie Awards". VegNews.com. VegNews. Retrieved 4 May 2015.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  11. Berman, Ali. "Exclusive: Kathy Freston Talks About Martha Stewart Using Honey on Vegan Episode". Ecorazzi.com. Ecorazzi, LLC. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  12. https://vegnews.com/2016/9/prominent-author-named-vegan-of-the-year%7Cwebsite=VegNews%7Cpublisher=VegNews%7Caccessdate=16 September 2016
  13. Harless, Kailey. "Kathy Freston, Fashionista". VegNews.com. VegNews. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
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