Victoria Moran is an American
author
In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...
and speaker. She has written a number of books specializing in both
spirituality
The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...
and
veganism
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a vega ...
. Moran hosts the "Main Street Vegan" radio show and
podcast
A podcast is a Radio program, program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an Episode, episodic series of digital audio Computer file, files that users can download to a personal device or str ...
on ''Unity Online Radio''.
She started her career as a freelance magazine writer and has gone on to publish a number of best-selling
vegan
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a ve ...
books, starting in 1985 with ''Compassion the Ultimate Ethic'', which was based on her undergraduate
college thesis. Her 2012 book, ''Main Street Vegan'', is the basis of her company and outreach, including the Main Street Vegan podcast, Main Street Vegan Academy, and Main Street Vegan Productions. Her work in the field of
veganism
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a vega ...
led her to win the Vegan of The Year award in 2012; her podcast won a Vegan Media Outlet Award in 2015.
Her most recent book was published in 2015 and is titled ''The Good Karma Diet''.
Career
Moran began writing for music and fan magazines as a teenager in the 1960s. After moving from her hometown of
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
,
Missouri
Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
, to London in 1968 to attend the
Lucie Clayton School of Fashion, she went
vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...
and began to do freelance writing in this field. Following her studies in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, Moran attended North Central College, Naperville, Illinois, majoring in religious studies in her late twenties. She earned a Richter Fellowship for Foreign Study and traveled to the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
in the early 1980s to research the paper that would become her first book, ''Compassion the Ultimate Ethic''. This book was published in
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, before going out of print. It was then picked up by the
American Vegan Society
The American Vegan Society (AVS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes veganism in the United States. It was founded in 1960 by H. Jay Dinshah. The date of the earlier The Vegan Society (UK)'s founding, November 1, is now celebr ...
, which continues to offer the title. The book drew information from interviews with
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
vegans and answered a number of common questions about
veganism
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a vega ...
.
After meeting Patti Breitman at a vegan conference in 1989, Moran released a
weight loss
Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health, or physical fitness, refers to a reduction of the total body mass, by a mean loss of fluid, body fat (adipose tissue), or lean mass (namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon, and other conn ...
book called ''The Love-Powered Diet'' in 1991. An excerpt from the book discusses Moran's own quest to stop her compulsive eating with the help of a Twelve Step recovery program. Moran speaks about the physiological and spiritual aspects of eating issues that are often missed and combines the spiritual turnaround of the Twelve Steps with a vegan lifestyle. The book at the time was seen as a unique take on food issues and Moran received accolades for her approach.
This book had a new life under the title Love Yourself Thin, which was published in 1997. It went back into print in 2009 under the original title, The Love-Powered Diet.
Her next book was ''Get the Fat Out'', which was published by Harmony Books in 1994. She branched out into the self-help/spirituality arena with 1997's ''Shelter for the Spirit: Create Your Own Haven in a Hectic World''. She featured on
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...
's show in 1999, in a segment called "Remembering your Spirit", where she discussed the book.
Earlier that year, Moran's fifth book, ''Creating a Charmed Life'', had been published by
HarperCollins
HarperCollins Publishers LLC is a British–American publishing company that is considered to be one of the "Big Five (publishers), Big Five" English-language publishers, along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group USA, Hachette, Macmi ...
. This is a
self-help
Self-help or self-improvement is "a focus on self-guided, in contrast to professionally guided, efforts to cope with life problems" —economically, physically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis.
When ...
book, predominantly offering advice to busy women. Like many of her books, ''Creating a Charmed Life'' also focuses on
spirituality
The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...
. ''Creating a Charmed Life'' went on to become a bestseller, Moran's biggest selling book to date.
Moran continued to publish in the fields of
self-help
Self-help or self-improvement is "a focus on self-guided, in contrast to professionally guided, efforts to cope with life problems" —economically, physically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis.
When ...
and
spirituality
The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...
with her next book, ''Lit From Within'', which was released in 2001. It is an exploration of beauty from the inside out and Moran appeared on
The Oprah Winfrey Show
''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...
with this book at that time. In 2002 came the bestselling ''Fit from Within: 101 Simple Ways to Change Your Body and Your Life''. The book contains tips for improving one's relationship with food, based on Moran's experience of making peace in this area and maintaining a long-term weight loss.
In 2004, ''Younger by the Day'' was published by
HarperOne
HarperOne is a publishing imprint of HarperCollins, specializing in books that aim to "transform, inspire, change lives, and influence cultural discussions." Under the original name of Harper San Francisco, the imprint was founded in 1977 by 13 e ...
. The book continued to focus on
self-help
Self-help or self-improvement is "a focus on self-guided, in contrast to professionally guided, efforts to cope with life problems" —economically, physically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis.
When ...
and
spirituality
The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...
, with the core focus of the book to help women age with genuine grace, terrific health, and a buoyant spirit. In the synopsis, she asked the question, ''why do some women blossom with age while others wither?'' The question summarizes the book's overall approach. In 2007,
HarperOne
HarperOne is a publishing imprint of HarperCollins, specializing in books that aim to "transform, inspire, change lives, and influence cultural discussions." Under the original name of Harper San Francisco, the imprint was founded in 1977 by 13 e ...
released the book titled ''Fat, Broke & Lonely No More''. The book focuses on healthy dealings with food, money, and romantic connections.
In 2009, HarperOne published Living a Charmed Life, a tenth-anniversary sequel to the successful Creating a Charmed Life, an entirely new book.
Main Street Vegan came in April 2012 from
TarcherPenguin, and is Moran's eleventh book. Well-known vegan
Moby
Richard Melville Hall (September 11, 1965), known professionally as Moby, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, disc jockey, and animal rights activist. He has sold 20 million records worldwide. AllMusic considers him to be "amo ...
commented that the book was, ''"a great book for anyone who’s curious about veganism."'' The book is also endorsed by filmmaker,
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. Moore's work frequently addresses various Social issue, social, political, and economic topics. He first became publicly known for his award-winning debut ...
. VegNews called the book "the vegan Bible, New Testament" and rated is as one of the ''Top 12 Vegan Books of 2012''.
In June of that year, Moran, who had hosted the program, “Your Charmed Life,” on the
Martha Stewart
Martha Helen Stewart (, ; born August 3, 1941) is an American retail business woman, writer, and television personality. As the founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, focusing on home and hospitality, she gained success through a variety ...
Channel of
Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Greek word (Latin script: ), meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated Canis Majoris, Latinized to Alpha Canis Majoris, and abbr ...
Satellite Radio in 2006, became the co-host with her daughter, Adair, of the show Main Street Vegan on Unity.FM, the radio arm of the Unity churches. Adair, co-author of Main Street Vegan, resigned from the show after the first few months, and Victoria has stayed on as the solo host. The weekly radio show has an hour runtime and is devoted to every aspect of vegan living. Moran regularly interviews vegan authors, activists, physicians, celebrities, and
chef
A chef is a professional Cook (profession), cook and tradesperson who is proficient in all aspects of outline of food preparation, food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term (), the di ...
s. 2012 was also the inauguration year of Main Street Vegan Academy, Moran's program to train and certify Vegan Lifestyle Coaches and Educators. The program is located in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.
During the same year, she received one of her major accolades, winning the female Vegan of The Year award. The award was presented by ''Vegans Are Cool'', with
Dr. Michael Greger finishing as the male winner of the award. TarcherPenguin published Moran's latest book in 2015, ''The Good Karma Diet: Dine Gently, Feel Amazing, Age in Slow Motion.'' This book reveals that by aligning your eating with your ethics, you will not only eat a healthier diet but also feel better about yourself. This is two-prong look at “good karma dining,” focusing on both going vegan and emphasizing a “high-green, high-raw, high-energy” lifestyle.
Personal life & family
Moran was born in
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
,
Missouri
Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
, in 1950. She was baptized
Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
but was introduced as a young child to the teachings of the
Unity Church
Unity is a spiritual organization founded by Charles Fillmore (Unity Church), Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in 1889. It grew out of Transcendentalism and became part of the New Thought movement. Unity may be best known for its ''Daily Word'' devot ...
by her nanny and “first guru,” Adelene DeSoto. She married Patrick Moran in 1977 and their daughter, Rachael Adair, was born in 1983. Patrick died in 1987. Her daughter Adair is a lifelong vegan, an aerialist, stunt performer, actor, and playwright, as well as an NY licensed wildlife rehabilitator and co-founder of Urban Utopia Wildlife in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Victoria married William Melton in 1997, and together they wrote the script for Miss Liberty, a family feature film in pre-production about a cow who escapes from a slaughterhouse.
Victoria started her vegetarian journey in 1969, sparked by an interest in
yoga
Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...
that began in 1967. She was able to move seriously toward veganism in 1983 after experiencing sufficient recovery from her own compulsive eating to be able to make that choice. Her primary motivation for being
vegan
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a ve ...
is ethical: the desire to mitigate the suffering of animals. She lives in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
with her husband and their rescue dog, Forbes. She writes in cafes where she indulges her passion for tea; practices her hobby of
aerial yoga
Aerial yoga is a hybrid type of yoga developed by Michelle Dortignac in 2006 combining traditional yoga poses, pilates, and dance with the use of a hammock. By 2009, this was followed by multiple aerial yoga brands including Florie Ravinet's Fl ...
, and is active in animal rights and vegan events in the NYC area.
References
External links
Main Street Vegan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moran, Victoria
1950 births
21st-century American women
American veganism activists
American women writers
Living people