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Diet Tricks the Stars Use to Stay Thin
When you see photos of Cameron Diazs slim silhouette or Jessica Albas flat postpregnancy tummy you probably wonder just how Hollywood stars stay so lean or snap back into shape so quickly. While many swear their svelte bods come from eating right and exercising round the clock, the truth is that some celebs may go to strange and interesting lengths to get or stay pin thin. Here, the skinny on exactly what the big names do to get red-carpet ready—from the healthy strategies youll want to steal to the just plain wacky ideas youll want to avoid.
Next Page: They eat breakfast
Celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson (whose clients include Jennifer Lopez, Leah Remini, and Penelope Cruz) recommends popping something into your mouth within 30 minutes of waking. “You want to send your body a sign that youre not starving so it starts burning fat,” Peterson says. His suggestion: a cup of oatmeal with some sliced fruit and several scrambled egg whites. The oatmeal and fruit pack a huge punch of filling fiber, and the egg whites are rich in protein, which is satiating.Research shows breakfast eaters are more successful at long-term weight loss than those who skip this meal. “It jump-starts your metabolism and prevents you from getting so ravenous you overeat later in the day,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, New York City–based a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Next Page: They cut out white foods
Trainer Teddy Bass, whose celebrity clients include Cameron Diaz, suggests ditching any carb that is white—bread, pasta, cookies, rice—when a star is trying to lose weight for a movie or a big event. “These foods are high in sugar, which means your body burns off the sugar first rather than the stored fat,” he says. So is Diaz entirely carbophobic? No—she gets them instead in the form of fruits and veggies.Its true that white processed carbs are high in calories and sugar, so limiting them is a healthy strategy. But dont just sub in a boatload of nonwhite foods. “I see clients who shun these foods but end up eating just as many calories by having a field day with whole-wheat products,” Taub-Dix says. “Even if its a cake made with whole-wheat flour, its still loaded with calories.”
Next Page: Theyre picky about veggies
Theyre picky about veggiesA few days before a be-seen event, some Los Angeles nutritionists and trainers tell clients to put gas-producing produce like cauliflower and broccoli on the black list. Nutritionist Carrie Wiatt has Denise Richards and Fergie stock up on watery veggies and fruits instead like lettuce, celery, cucumbers, watermelon, melon, oranges, and grapes, which help banish bloat by flushing out your system. And L.A. nutritionist Jackie Keller tells clients like Charlize Theron to pile their plates high with asparagus and green beans. “Theyre high in filling fiber, but less likely to expand in your stomach,” Keller says.
Produce like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onions, beans, apples, pears, and prunes do lead to gas and bloating, says Jennifer Crum, MS, RD, a nutritionist at New York University Langone Medical Center. Crum also suggests cutting out diet drinks before a big event, since carbonation and artificial sweeteners can lead to bloat. Dandelion tea, a diuretic, is a safe drink option, Taub-Dix says. Dont like the bitter taste? Try peppermint or chamomile, which have a similar effect.
Next Page: They eat spicy
They eat spicySupermodel trainer David Kirsch helps clients like Anne Hathaway and Liv Tyler stay in great shape by pushing them to add red pepper flakes, chopped jalapeños, and hot pepper sauce to their meals. “It makes food taste delicious and turns down hunger, so you eat less,” he says.
A study out of Laval University in Quebec found that people who consumed hot red pepper ate less food and burned more calories (probably because the pepper increased their metabolism) than those who didnt. Just remember, more isnt necessarily better—and may leave you with steam coming out of your ears. A quarter teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a dash or hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco) should do the trick. Other spices may help, too: “Anything that makes food more interesting, like paprika or garlic, will make you feel more satisfied so youre less likely to overeat,” Crum says.
Next Page: They snack
They snackTrainer Valerie Waters has clients, including Jennifer Garner and Elizabeth Berkley, who tote 150-calorie snacks in coolers wherever they go. Favorite snack combos include apple slices and low-fat string cheese, a few crackers (like Wasa Crispbread) topped with chicken salad, or a few slices of rolled-up turkey and a handful of grapes. “Its really important to eat something, even if its just 150 to 200 calories, every three to four hours,” Waters says. “Blood sugar can drop quickly, taking you from just feeling kind of hungry to ‘Omigod if I dont eat now I will kill somebody. ”
“Its great to have snacks with you, so if you do suddenly become ravenous youre not tempted to grab the first high-cal thing you see,” Taub-Dix says. Your best bet is a snack that contains a little bit of carbohydrate, to give you an energy boost, with some protein to make you feel satiated. And if youve got to have a sweet, trainer Rob Parr, whose clients have included Madonna and Naomi Watts, recommends this trick: Mix 4 ounces of fruit juice with 4 ounces of water, and blend it with a handful of berries or a banana. Its a 200-calorie smoothie.
Next Page: They eat organic
They eat organicOrganic is all the rage in Hollywood. “The hormones in dairy, meat, and poultry raise estrogen levels, which can cause you to hold onto body fat,” nutritionist Wiatt claims. The pesticides on nonorganic fruits and veggies also inhibit hormonal activity in the body, leading to weight gain, claims trainer Kirsch, who has also worked with Heidi Klum. Another no-no: Anything thats processed or packaged, since its often laden with preservatives and salt. “I encourage clients to eat as simply as possible—for example, have just a plain chicken breast sauteed in a little lemon juice to add some flavor,” says trainer Patrick Murphy, who works with Eva Longoria.
While its definitely wise to avoid exposure to potentially harmful pesticides and eating organic can be healthy, theres no research to show that organic foods actually help with weight loss. “Studies that look at the levels of hormones in people consuming conventional dairy products show pesticide levels are negligible,” Crum says. Plus, “Its impossible to cut all sodium and refined sugars out of your diet—even a plain chicken breast has some salt!” Taub-Dix says. “You shouldnt assume, either, that all packaged food is bad for you. There are some products, like the Kashi line, that are high in fiber and low in calories, fat, and salt.” (For more great convenience food choices, go to Health.com/healthy-snacks.)
Next Page: They count backward
They count backwardThe 3-2-1 Baby Bulge Be Gone plan from Hollywood trainer Ramona Braganza helped both Jessica Alba and Halle Berry get back in prepregnancy shape. They ate three meals, had two snacks, and drank a minimum of 1 liter of water a day. “Their meals were as lean and clean as possible—they ate about 1,700 calories a day and completely avoided refined sugar, sauces, and sodium,” Braganza says. Heres a sample of a days menu: a breakfast of egg whites, strawberries, and whole-wheat toast; a snack of low-fat string cheese and almonds; a lunch of green salad topped with salmon; another snack of low-fat yogurt and fruit; and a dinner of baked chicken breast drizzled with lemon juice and mustard, paired with helping of vegetables. Alba met her H2O quotient with vitamin-enriched flavored water.
“The only thing I would neg in this plan is the flavored water with vitamins—it adds an extra 50 calories per bottle—and if youre already taking a multivitamin, you may run the risk of overdoing it,” Taub-Dix says. You can sub in a zero-calorie flavored water instead.
Next Page: They take ADD meds
They take ADD medsParis Hilton and a number of hot Hollywood actresses are reportedly using Adderall, the attention-deficit disorder (ADD) medication. In Paris case, she says she takes it for ADD, which she has suffered from since she was 12. But the drug may have an added attraction: Adderall, a stimulant, was first marketed in the 1960s and 1970s as a diet pill because it decreases appetite and ramps up metabolism. “Unfortunately, this drug is all too easy to get,” says Scott Isaacs, MD, an endocrinologist and obesity specialist at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. “Anyone can walk into an unscrupulous doctors office claiming she has ADD symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating and forgetfulness, and walk out with a prescription.”
You shouldnt be taking this drug unless youre under a doctors supervision, Dr. Isaacs says. Side effects include potentially dangerous increased blood pressure and heart rate. Its also been linked to problems such as hearing voices and maniacal behavior. If youre seriously overweight or obese, talk to your doctor about legitimate weight-loss drugs like Alli or phentermine.
Next Page: They cleanse
They cleanseEver since Beyonce admitted to losing 20 pounds on the Master Cleanse—a fast that usually involves at least 10 days of sipping nothing but an elixir of maple syrup, lemon juice, water, and cayenne pepper—Hollywood has been buzzing about the weight-loss technique (also called the lemonade diet). The lemon supposedly acts as a purifier and provides bloat-reducing potassium, the cayenne pepper adds metabolism-boosting B vitamins, and the maple syrup provides the energy needed to get through such a grueling ordeal. “While I wouldnt recommend doing something so drastic for more than a couple days, I can say it works if you want to quickly shed three to five pounds,” Peterson says. Another popular, less-dramatic cleanse is the 30-day Isagenix program, which involves eating about 1,000 calories a day in the form of shakes and snack bars that contain diuretics like aloe vera.
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