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Feb 18, 2008 8:53 pm US/Central
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Book Details Celebrity 'Diet Secrets'
(CBS 11 News)
Have you ever wondered how Jessica Simpson or Jennifer Lopez got that lean, toned body? Now you can find out thanks to a new book that's revealing celebrity diet secrets.
"The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets" reveals tips and little known diet tricks that stars like Cindy Crawford, Halle Berry, and Jennifer Aniston use to stay fit.
One tip says that many celebs add large amounts of asparagus to their daily diets. Why? "Celebrities are using it as a laxative," explains Robin Plotkin, a registered dietician in Dallas. But don't think that taking off the pounds is as easy as that. "While yes, you might initially lose weight quickly by eating a lot of asparagus for example, it's not going to stay off," says Plotkin. "So it is just a quick fix."
Another item in the book has some celebs saying that brushing your teeth can help curb your appetite. Plotkin says - that's true! "It triggers our brain to say, 'Hey lets stop eating for a while and enjoy that nice flavor that's in our mouth'."
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and North Texas' own Kelly Clarkson have been known to use the cookie diet method. They replace two daily meals with a single cookie. This method doesn't rank very high on the list. "That's not a great suggestion," Plotkin says. "Obviously they're not getting the calories, they're not getting the nutrients they need to keep their metabolism firing and thereby losing weight the healthy way."
And what about bacon? British 'hottie' Elizabeth Hurley actually eats bacon as part of her diet. Plotkin says that's part of a mind game to overcome your cravings for high calorie foods. "She eats it at breakfast, a small portion, which allows her to satisfy that craving for a high fat item."
Plotkin says one of her concerns is that many of the tips could give people the wrong idea about true healthy eating and living. "I think that people are going to perhaps get themselves into a little bit of trouble by doing this and suffering from some of the effects of heavy duty laxative use, or simply calorie restriction," she warns.
CBS 11 News took the book to the Trophy Fitness Gym in Dallas where we asked people working out whether they would try the tips in the book.
"I like asparagus, but I don't know that I'd eat a ton of it," says one woman. Another woman said the book was crazy.
Fitness trainer Mark Seebaran worries that people looking for long term weight loss may not see lasting results. "With the stars who gain weight and lose weight so quickly, it just seems very shady," he says.
Seebaran says while the diet tips may not be 'so hot', there are some good work out suggestions - like one given by Reese Witherspoon, who sometimes walks backwards. "Getting up and walking backwards turns on all the muscles in our posterior," he explains. "Our calves, our hamstrings, our glutes, our upper backs, so it counteracts our seated posture."
Whether you're looking to drop a few pounds, or change your entire body, both of our experts agreed - losing weight takes dedication, and your best bet is always to combine a diet with an exercise program. And of course, always check with your doctor before starting any new programs.
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