Stars who spend their lives in front of the camera are more body conscious than most. Any extra weight is painfully obvious when shown in living colour, so it is no surprise that diet trends are set by those in the spotlight.
But what diets have worked for who? And which diets are sustainable in the long term? Below is a quick look at some favourite celebrity diets and what they involve.
The Zone
The Zone diet advocates a balanced approach to nutrition with followers concentrating on the ratios of food groups in every meal.
Reported followers: Jennifer Aniston, Ben Stiller, Brad Pitt, Cindy Crawford and Sandra Bullock.
Type: Moderate carbohyrdrate, moderate fat, moderate protein.
Theory: Eating moderately from all food groups balances hormones and helps to control hunger.
Excluded Foods: None – moderation is key. Sugar, starch alcohol and caffeine should be limited.
Sample Menu: Breakfast – Egg white omelette, porridge and berries. Lunch – Chicken breast with salad and fruit. Dinner – Stir fried prawns with Chinese vegetables, blueberries.
Atkins
The Atkins diet is the original low carbohydrate eating plan. Often portrayed as an unhealthy plan which involves gorging on meats and fats, the Atkins diet in fact includes lots of fresh vegetables.
Reported followers: Geri Halliwell, Minnie Driver and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Type: Low carbohydrate
Theory: Lowering carbohydrate intake forces body to consume its own fat as fuel.
Excluded foods: Sugar (including natural sugars from fruit and mik) starches, alcohol and caffeine at the beginning, the diet becomes less strict as it progresses allowing followers to reintroduce many of these foods in moderation.
Sample Menu: Breakfast – Eggs, bacon, sausage, mushroom and tomato. Lunch – Chicken breast and a cup of salad. Dinner – No-bun burger, two cups of salad.
Maple Syrup
An extreme liquid fast, the Maple Syrup diet claims to offer fast weight loss in a short time. Criticised by nutritionists, the diet has been used by celebs as a short term fix.
Reported followers: Beyonce Knowles
Type: Extremely low calorie/ fasting /crash diet
Theory: Drinking a mixture of maple syrup, lemon juice, water and cayenne pepper for two weeks in place of meals will lead to rapid weight loss. The syrup provides minimal calories, while the cayenne pepper is believed to speed up metabolism
Excluded foods: All!
Sample menu: Breakfast – Water with syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Lunch – Water with syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Dinner – Water with syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
Detox
Detoxing has become a fashionable way to kick-start weight loss. As well as weight loss, celeb followers report improvements to energy levels and skin appearance.
Reported Followers: Anne Hathaway, Megan Fox
Type: Low cal, organic, natural.
Theory: Clearing your body of toxins helps the body work more efficiently.
Excluded foods: Junk foods, processed foods, anything with artificial additives.
Sample menu: Breakfast – Hot water with lemon, seeds, smoothie. Lunch – Vegetable soup, brown rice and vegetables. Dinner – Curried pulses with a mixed salad.
South Beach
Developed by a cardiologist hoping to fight heart disease, the South Beach Diet emphasizes “good” foods – it does not prohibit fats, carbs or sugars but teaches followers to choose healthy versions of these food groups.
Reported followers: Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Bette Middler, Kim Catrall
Type: Sensible food choices
Excluded foods: “Bad” sugars (processed) “Bad” fats (saturated/trans fats) Bad Carbs (refined)
Sample menu: Breakfast – Scrambled egg, mushrooms, lean bacon. Lunch – Open granary bread sandwich with roast beef and salad. Dinner – chicken breast with cous-cous and greek salad followed by pear with cottage cheese and walnuts.
Blood Group
The blood group diet advocates tailoring food intake according to the follower's blood group.
Reported followers: Liz Hurley, Courtney Cox Arquette, Martine McCutcheon
Type: Tailored to the individual
Excluded foods: Varies according to blood type.
Sample menu: For type O – high protein meat-based diet. For type A – vegetarian based meals.For type B – varied meals with a mix of meat, dairy, grains and vegetables. For type AB – meals based on meat and vegetables.
Macrobiotic
Designed to increase longevity, the macrobiotic diet is predominantly vegetarian with an emphasis on whole foods.
Reported Followers: Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow
Type: Low fat, high fibre
Excluded foods: Meat, poultry, eggs and dairy.
Sample menu: Breakfast – Wholegrain cereal with soy milk. Lunch – Miso soups with wholegrain crispbread, cucumber slices. Dinner – Brown rice with vegetables.
Anyone embarking on any type of weight loss plan is advised to consult with his doctor beforehand.
 |
