Celebrity diets tested - by you!
Tuesday 29 July 2008
Celebs will try any diet to stay skinny - but do they work in the real world? Four readers put them to the test for seven weeks - here are the results!
SKINNY BITCH DIET
Celebrity fan: Victoria Beckham
What's involved?
This cult diet book advises you to cut out all meat, dairy, alcohol and coffee. You can eat fruit, veg, nuts, brown rice and potatoes.
Tester: Mellesha McKoy, 22, 5ft 8, a student from London
Weight: 14st 6lbs
Size:16-18 Bust 38in
Waist: 37in
Hips: 45in
Mellesha's typical daily diet
Breakfast: Muesli with soya milk, fruit
Lunch: Vegetable soup with noodles, water
Dinner: Vegetarian spaghetti Bolognese
Total lost: 13lb
Weight: 13st 7lbs
Size: 14-16 Bust 38in
Waist: 35in
Hips: 44in
Verdict: This diet is very complicated to follow, but it worked!
Mellesha says:
'My thighs and bottom were out of control due to my weakness for crisps, cheese, fried chicken and dumplings – so this strict vegan diet was a big change! You’re supposed to eat organic food, but I couldn’t afford it, so I bought fresh, non-organic produce from the market.
It ruined my social life as eating out was a nightmare – lots of veggie dishes contain milk and cheese and swapping booze for water was tough. But because I cut out so many foods to eat healthier, smaller portions, I’ve lost nearly a stone.
My stomach’s flatter and my thighs are thinner. I’m not going to keep up the diet as it’s too restrictive, but it’s encouraged me to eat healthily.
Skinny Bitch by Kim Barnouin, £7.99
BABY FOOD DIET
Celebrity fan: Jennifer Aniston
What's involved?
This diet, devised by fashion designer Hedi Slimane, involves replacing adult-sized snacks with 70-calorie jars of baby food.
Tester Rhian Tippett, 23, 5ft 3, a flight attendant from East Sussex
Weight: 11st 1lb
Size: 12 Bust 38in
Waist: 33in
Hips: 40in
Rhyan’s typical daily diet:
Breakfast: Porridge
Snack: Mango and banana babyfood
Lunch: Hoummos and cuucmber wrap, fruit
3PM: Rice pudding baby food
Dinner: Sweet potato with tuna salad
Total Lost: 4lbs
Verdict: Surprisingly tasty, but you do get odd looks eating baby food!
Rhian says:
‘I used to be a slim size 8, but a lack of exercise meant the pounds crept on. And when I went vegetarian last year, I’d eat sweets to fill myself up after meals. The thought of replacing my chocolate snacks with baby food was disgusting, but they actually weren’t too bad.
The fruity ones were nice, and even took the edge off my chocolate cravings. I got some very funny looks from my colleagues – but I’ve since converted several to banana-custard flavour!
The diet was easy to do as I didn’t have to alter my main meals – I just had to remember to stock up with jars. I lost 4lbs, dropped from a size 12 to a 10 and lost 3 inches off my hips.’
After:
Weight: 10st 11lbs
Size: 10 Bust 36in
Waist: 31in
Hips: 37in
5-FACTOR DIET
Celebrity fan: Alicia Keys
What's involved?
Devised by US celeb trainer Harley Pasternak, you eat five meals a day containing five types of food – protein, good fat, carbs, fibre and a drink.
Tester: Lisa Cachia, 34, 5ft 7, a writer from Surrey
Weight 14st 8lbs
Size 16 Bust 46in
Waist 40in
Hips 48in
Lisa's typical daily diet:
Breakfast: Weetabix, fruit LUNCH: Tortilla pizza
Snacks: Crackers with cream cheese and smoked salmon
Dinner: Scrambled eggs with sweet potato
Total lost: 1st
Verdict: With easy-to-prepare meals, this is the best diet I’ve ever done!
Lisa says:
'With five kids under seven, I’d gained weight throughout my pregnancies and was horrified by the way I looked, so this plan was great. Having five meals a day meant I never got hungry, and wasn’t tempted to snack.
The recipes were really quick too, so it was easy to prepare my food while cooking for the family. I’m surprised I lost a stone – it didn’t feel like I was dieting, and I wasn’t doing any exercise.
I didn’t even take the weekly day off you’re allowed as I enjoyed it so much – and I barely missed chocolate. Now I have more energy, I’ve lost four inches off my thighs and my love handles are going!'
After:
Weight 13st 8lbs
Size 14 Bust 42in
Waist 36in
Hips 44in
The 5-Factor Diet by Harley Pasternak, £12. Visit www.5factordiet.com
PU-ERH TEA DIET
Celebrity fan: Joss Stone
What's involved?
You drink Pu-erh tea, a Chinese tea, three times a day, after each meal. Fans claim it helps aid digestion and boosts the metabolism.
Tester: Helen Bladen, 34, 5ft 4, a medical secretary from Bristol
Weight 10st 7lbs
Size 14 Bust 35in
Waist 30in
Hips 43in
Helen's daily diet
Breakfast: Bread and jam, Pu-erh tea
Lunch: Jacket potato with tuna, Pu-erh tea
Dinner: Spaghetti Bolognese, Pu-erh tea
Snacks: Crisps, chocolate, sweets, cakes
Total lost: 8lbs
Verdict: ‘I’d definitely recommend doing this – it was incredibly easy’
Helen says:
'I’m a classic pear shape – all my weight is on my bum and hips. I find it hard to stick to diets, so the idea of just drinking tea was appealing. I could also see the logic in drinking more to flush the toxins out of my body.
This system was so easy, it wasn’t like being on a diet. I ate normally, didn’t really do any exercise and just drank the Pu-erh tea (pronounced “p-wear”) after every meal – it looked like ordinary tea and had hardly any taste.
I was thrilled to see I was losing about a pound a week – I lost half a stone overall. I have IBS and it calmed that down, too, so I’ll definitely carry on.'
After
Weight 9st 13lbs
Size 14 Bust 34in
Waist 29in
Hips 41in
Pu-erh is available from health-food stores or order from www.teawarehouse.co.uk
By Judy Yorke
Photos: Gareth Davies,
Skye Brackpool-Connors Brighton, Rex Features