Victoria Beckham's Slim Physique Due to Healthful Diet

Although the tabloids are rife with tales of Victoria Beckham's supposed anorexia, this article from People's website indicates that her lithe figure is the result of healthy eating.

According to the article, Victoria eats quite well:

"I eat really healthy, I love Japanese food, lots of fish, any sort of fish, any sort of vegetable, lots of fruit, that kind of thing."

"I think there's a big difference between someone having an eating disorder and someone who is controlled about what they eat. There's a big difference, and every now and then of course I go out and eat what I like. But I do try to be quite disciplined in the way that I eat."

Friends insist that "she doesn't exercise at all," which might be a problem.

Victoria Beckham Thinspiration

I ran across this video the other day. I find it very inspiring!

A different way to think of diet yogurt...

The Brazillians have come up with a controversial ad campaign that points out some brutal realities. This series of ads, created last year to promote Fit Light Yogurt, feature a provocative caption that sums up the ad agencies take on size and body image:
"Forget about it. Men's preference will never change. Fit Light Yogurt."




Some find these ads incredibly offensive. I think they're rather realistic, plus the women that "inspired" the photos (Mena Suvari, SHaron Stone and Marilyn Monroe) are not stick-thin--they are all of healthy average weight. What do you think?

The Diet is Working

Well, I lost two pounds yesterday, although I tinkered with the diet somewhat.

Here's my new rules:
1. Instead of skipping breakfast, as Lewis suggests, I'm eating a normal breakfast (I eat breakfast with my hubby and I don't want to look obsessive!).
2. I eat 5 bites at lunch and dinner, not including negative calorie/low calorie foods like vegetables.
3. As for the bites, I eyeball it. I take extremeley small bites and I would starve to death if I only had five bites at lunch and dinner.
4. Lewis says you can have all the "diet" beverages you want. I am letting myself have all the beverages I want, within reason. I don't drink soda, but I have juice with breakfast and I'm not cutting that out.

After counting up what I ate yesterday, it added up to 1200 calories. A perfectly reasonable diet! I always take a multi vitamin anyway, so I'm sticking to that aspect of his diet.

Overall, I would say this is a great diet and I plan on sticking with it, though I wouldn't follow his guidelines to the letter.

Britney Spears and Why a Celebrity's Shape Matters

Celebrities live and die based on their looks. Don't believe me? Take a look at Britney Spears. She has gained maybe 20 pounds since having kids, and the media has been merciless (the picture on the left shows her at the height of her weight gain--she'd probably lost another 10 pounds before the VMA performance where she was completely ridiculed).

You might be thinking, sheesh, nobody is as critical of me as they are of Britney! Well, you're wrong on that count too. People may not be shouting it from the rooftops as they are with Spears, but believe me, your friends and acquaintances pay just as much attention. When was the last time you saw someone you know lose a lot of weight? What did people say? Chances are, things like "you look like a totally different person" or "gosh, he looks twenty years younger" or "she looks amazing." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that people didn't think they looked that hot before.

Your figure may not be in the pages of the New York Times or People Magazine, but it's still important. People pay attention. Your weight can help you attract a better spouse, find a better job, or even make friends. I'm not saying this is a good thing, or that I agree with it, but unfortunately, that's the way the world works. In fact, I actually have a lot of sympathy with the fat acceptance movmement. But until they win, this is dog-eat-dog world, and if you don't look great, it's going to be incredibly difficult for you to do great things. So put down the brownie, turn of your computer, and get yourself to the gym. Because nobody is going to do it for you.

Gossip Girl and Why the Wealthy Often Have Perfect Figures

The girls on Gossip Girl have perfect figures. While this is a TV show and not real life, you would be surprised at how similar real-life girls in Manhattan's Upper East Side look! Why? Because the rich eat differently than the rest of us do. Does that mean that if you don't have millions you're destined to be fat? Absolutely not. But you need to educate yourself. Here are a few tips:

1. Money may not buy happiness, but shopping can burn a lot of calories! Go shopping but exercise your willpower--a few hours of running around the mall in high heels will strengthen your calves and entertain you while keeping your mind off food.

2. Eat like a rich girl! Go to nice restaurants, but order a side salad and mineral water. This should cost you less than ten bucks and you can go to the nicest place in town. It feels so satisfying to eat well!

3. Stop drinking soda, diet or otherwise. Sparkling mineral water is a million times less tacky, tasets better than diet, and is great for you.

4. For a special treat, have a small glass of white wine (about 70 calories). This is the best alcahol option. And make the glass last all night.

5. Find a recreational sport that you enjoy. The rich indulge in a lot of "incidental" exercise through recreational activities like skiing, golfing and rowing. If you can't afford to go skiing or golfing every week, try something like walking or tennis.

Anna Wintour's Diet

Vogue's famed editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, is said to maintain her figure through a power lunch consisting of rare red meat and a salad (no dressing). She orders her meat every day from Royalton Hotel. She also never stays at a party for more than the first 15 minutes, which probably helps limit her snacking on canapes.

Although Wintour claims in this month's edition of Vogue that she wants to bring a new, more athletic look to the pages of Vogue, don't hold your breath.

Vogue's editor at large, Leon Talley, once said of Wintour: "Most of the Vogue girls are so thin, tremendously thin, because Miss Anna (Wintour) don't like fat people."

Welcome to Slim Luxe

Real luxury means living healthy. You may have noticed that most celebrities are in great shape. That's because they spend significantly on taking care of their bodies. Generally, people with higher incomes are the most healthy, slim, and active. More than half of all Americans are overweight or obese and the percentages are highest among low income groups. They simply are not getting enough activity and are eating poorly.

The stress of life at low educational and socioeconomic levels is considered a direct cause of obesity. However, if you can help reduce some of these stresses and take time out for yourself, you can help to avoid these problems and improve your quality of life.

I created this blog in order to address some of these issues and provide tips for healthy living that are accessible to almost everyone.

Gemma Ward Heath Ledger's Last Girlfriend

Super slim model Gemma Ward was Heath Ledger's last girlfriend!

In an interview with the Sidney Morning Herald , Ward confessed she was dating Ledger at the time of his death.

"I think he operated from the heart. He really, really knew that if he was going to make a decision to be in a film, then he needed to be really committed to it.

"He wasn't afraid to fight with people involved, he wasn't afraid to perhaps piss people off.

"He told me to always be a punk and 'stand up for yourself.'"

I found this interesting, since Mary Kate Olson (another celebrity known for her lithe figure) was his first 911 call. Heath Ledger seems to have been attracted to very slim women (Michelle Williams and Naomi Watts were very skinny as well).

An Enduring Measure of Fitness: The Simple Push-Up

The New York Times reported today that
"Based on national averages, a 40-year-old woman should be able to do 16 push-ups and a man the same age should be able to do 27."

Can you do that many push-ups? I'm 23 and I'm not sure if I can!

Five Bite Diet

Have you heard of the five bite diet? In his book Why Weight Around, Dr. Alwin C. Lewis promotes a simple crash diet he argues will make the pounds fall off and make your stomach shrink. I'm going to try it out! It sounds rather unhealthy in the long term, but I don't think it will hurt to follow it for one week.

Here's the rules:
1. Eat a regular, well-balanced breakfast
2. Eat five bites of food for lunch
3. Five bites for dinner
4. Have as many zero calories beverages as you want
5. Eat at least 1 bite of protein
You can see Lewis describe his diet on Extra. He claims that after 3 days, you won't feel hungry any longer.

IMHO this is a wretched crash diet with a decidedly tabloid touch, but I'll do my best to reserve judgement. However, despite the negatives, it has a few benefits that are likely to make it successful:
1. Easy to follow. People get confused by complex diets and this is about as simple as it gets.
2. Heavy restriction means that your stomach will shrink (one of Dr. Alwin C. Lewis main arguments--he calls it a "surgery-free gastric bypass").
3. Cravings are satisfied. In small amounts. This keeps you from bingeing.
Dr. Alwin C. Lewis claims that people will lose as much as 15 pounds per week. I am going with a more conservative 5 pounds (I'm not sure how I will be able to justify all this to my husband. I'm sure I can do it at lunch, but dinner may be another story).

10 Things to Make You feel Thinner Now

1. Get a tan. Real or fake, it doesn't really matter. A tan is a huge boost to your self-confidence and it will make you look and feel thinner. Almost every celebrity is tan, and there's a reason!

2. Have your eyebrows by the best professional around. Your eyebrows frame your face and they are the only thing that trumps your hair cut in importance. A good wax can make your face seem more beautiful. Bad brows are the kiss of death. My celebrity pick for great brows? JLo. Her brows have been consistantly amazing for years.

3. This is obvious, but go out and get your hair cut and coloured. A bad haircut can DEFINITELY make you look fat. Seek out a great hairdresser that is familiar with the latest celebrity styles and bring a picture (even the best stylists can't read minds). A good basic cut for most people? Shoulder length with light layering.

5. Wear heels. They subtract a whopping 5 pounds per inch! You look 15 pounds thinner with 3 inch heels. Do you really want to reach for those flats? Save them till you're skinny!!!!

6. Get your nails done regularly. Nothing says cheap like a bad manicure. It adds "polish" to your entire look.

7. In general, avoid patterned clothes.

8. Buy jeans that fit you! A too-tight waistband makes you look chubby. And wearing stuff that is too big doesn't fool anyone, sorry.

9. Don't eat too many carbs, especially at night. They make you retain water and nothing can make you feel like crap like feeling you've gained weight, even if you haven't. And if you feel fat, chances are you'll get depressed and overeat.

10. Accentuate the positive. If you have a great chest, show it off (within reason). If you have a nice butt, be sure to choose higher riding pants. Why? Extreme low rises (and skinny jeans) are made for girls with no booty, in order to create the illusion of booty. So, a higher rise (combined with a slight flair)complements your natural curves and doesn't add an extra illusion of fat that you probably don't need.

Celebrity Diet Profile: Sarah Jessica Parker

I saw the trailer for Sex and the City at the movies last night and I couldn't help but notice how skinny Sarah Jessica Parker is! She has always been slim, but seems to be losing more weight as the years go by.

According to reports she is 5'3 and weighs 100 pounds. I believe she may be slightly thinner than that.

Parker adheres to a low carb diet and it seems to be working for her! Though she has claimed in the past that she would love a voluptuous look, she doesn't seem to be trying too hard to gain weight. And despite criticizing other celebrity moms for trying to lose weight too quickly after giving birth, there's no baby fat anywhere on Sarah Jessica (source:starpulse).

What are Sarah Jessica Parker's secrets for staying slender?

1. She maintains to a high protein, low-carbohydrate diet, which helps curb the appetite. She has followed both the Zone and South Beach diet plans.
2. Sarah Jessica Parker limits her portion sizes at meals.
3. She's not afraid to leave some food on her plate when dining out (this reduces your risk of overeating).
4. She engages in a lot of non-intentional exercise. Rather than only going to the gym, she tries to walk as much as possible and avoid driving.

How can you adopt Sarah Jessica Parker's smart slimming style?

1. Learn portion control and stick to it:
A serving of protein is the size of a deck of cards.
A single serving of bread is about the size of a cassette tape (about 1/2 a slice of most breads).
A serving of pasta, rice or potatoes is about the size of a tennis ball.
2. Get more exercise--and not just at the gym! It's essential for raising your metabolism and keeping you strong.

source: Sarah Jessica Parker's Diet Secrets, by Kristie Leong M.D

Celebrity BMIs

Would you like your body to look like one of your favourite celebrities? One of the best ways to start is to find a celebrity whose body type is similar to your own and is of a similar height. Then take a look at their BMI, or Body Mass Index. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women.

Try to get your own BMI to the same level, work out consistantly, and your bodies will look alike. This is better than going by weight alone, because if you are 5'10 and want to look like say, Audrey Hepburn, (who was 5'6")you don't need to weigh what Audrey does in order to look the same--you can add a few pounds to her weight in order to be the same size. BMI is the most accurate way to do this.

Here are a few celebrities BMI's:
Eva Longoria
Height: 5ft 2in
BMI: 17.4
Eva Longoria keeps in shape by kickboxing two or three times a week, adding, 'The rest of the time I do yoga, stairs and a little weight training. But I'm lucky because I don't put on weight very easily.'

Victoria Beckham
Height: 5ft 6in
BMI: 15.3 (rather underweight)
Reports have suggested that Victoria Beckham eats steamed fish, vegetables and salad a day to maintain her slim figure. Victoria insists that her stick-thin physique is down to watching what she eats and working out: 'I eat really healthy, and love Japanese food, lots of fish, any sort of fish, any sort of vegetable, lots of fruit, that kind of thing. Every now and then I go out and eat what I like.'


Lindsay Lohan
Height: 5ft 6in
BMI: 18
Lindsay denies that lost weight because of pressure to look thin. She maintains that she "wanted to get rid of a few pounds, that's all. Image is important, but that's not why I lost weight. I just like to look good and be healthy.'

Beyoncé Knowles
Height: 5ft 6in
BMI: 23.1

Beyoncé went on a crash maple syrup diet to lose a staggering 20lbs in just 10 days for the 'Dreamgirls' movie. She literally existed on glasses of lemon and maple syrup with cayenne pepper for the entire diet.

Angelina Jolie
Height: 5ft 7in
BMI: 15.3 - underweight
While preparing for the role of Lara Croft in 'Tomb Raider', Angelina used kickboxing, canoeing, yoga and even street fighting to really get herself into the role. She ate steamed beef, sea bass and vegetables, cut out sugar and drank only soya milk.

Jessica Alba
Height: 5ft 6in
BMI: 17.8
Jessica admits that she has to work hard to maintain her slim figure. According to 'Us Weekly', Jessica works out five times a week and has followed a healthy eating plan since she was just 12 years old.

Jennifer Lopez
Height: 5ft 6in
BMI: 20 - healthy
Jennifer Lopez is proud of her voluptuous frame. 'I couldn't ever be a size zero. I just don't see how I could get down to that size and still be healthy. I have a butt, I have boobs, I have a woman's curves; there is no way I would see them go to size zero.' Still, she works out for hours each day to preserve her celebrated figure!

BMI source: Handbag

Inspirational Quotes

1. Nothing Tastes as Good as Thin Feels (my all time favourite)
2. A Moment on the Lips, A Lifetime on the Hips
3. You can never be to rich, or too thin (well, actually you can be too thin, but whatev).
4. Do not give up on what you want most, for what you want at the moment
5. Your only limits are self-imposed
6. Successful people do what unsuccessful people don't dare
7. Feeling healthy and feeling good about yourself is not a luxury - it's an absolute necessity
8. There are only 2 choices: make progress or make excuses.
9. It's your choice - will you choose to be a victim or the victor?
10. Your life is not a rehearsal. Don't leave it without giving it your all.

Eating at Restaurants on a Diet

When you're on a diet, one of the worst things you can do is avoid restaurants. I know this sounds like it's against all the advice you've ever heard about dieting, but it's absolutely true. Why? Here's a couple of reasons:
1. If you avoid restaurants, you'll feel bad about your diet (it's keeping you from your friends, after all) and you'll want to give it up.
2. When you reach your goal weight, chances are, you'll start eating out again. You're likely to regain the weight because you haven't learned the discipline of eating out properly
3. Related: Eating out is THE BEST WAY to learn self control.

Intrigued? The following are some tips I've compiled for learning to eat out responsibly.

1. When you arrive, ask the waitress for a glass of water, or tea (the warmth of it makes you feel full). Drink it before ordering, it will take the edge off your appetite. Get a refill when the waiter comes to take your order.

2. Many diets will tell you to avoid all breaded, or fried foods, breads, pasta, rices, sweetended drinks, and of course, desserts. If you learn to exercise some restraint, you can eat these foods, just be smart about it. Ideally, oder lean foods in the freshest form possible. In addition to chicken breast, an old standby, try poached salmon and sea bass. Chilean Sea Bass is an incredibly luxurious dinner that is almost always cooked very simply. You'll look chic and nobody can tell you're on a diet. Most shellfish is also low in calories, just avoid the sauce.

3. Don't drive the waitress crazy trying to order lunch portions or change your order around. Just eat less when it arrives. Eat most or all of the protein, all of the vegetables, and a few bites of whatever carbs come with the meal.

4. Do request salad dressings on the side. Restaurants put TONS of dressing on salads and it's fairly common to ask for it on the side.

5. DO order a side salad instead of fries. Pay extra if you need to. Fries are empty calories, whereas salad is great for you and fills you up for very few calories. The salad itself usually only has 20-50 calories if it's all vegetables--so skimp on the dressing.

6. Slow down. Chew slowly and take time to actually taste and appreciate your food. Talk more. Take one or two sips of water between bites. Set down fork after each bite. At the end of the meal, you will have probably eaten less than half of your entree (you'll start to be amazed at how people wolf down their food in a short amount of time). When the waitress asks if your done, say YES.

7. Be discreet about your diet! You are there to enjoy time with others, not to draw attention to your relationship with food. Nobody, I repeat, Nobody, wants to hear about your diet. And the more you talk about it, the more you will feel like you're depriving yourself, and the more likely you are to quit or cheat.

8. When dessert time comes around, order a nice drink, such as a cognac if you drink alcohol (a shot of most liquors contains only 70 calories, compared to more than 600 for the average restaurant dessert). If you're with a date, offer to share and have a bite of his (I have a 3 bite rule: eat no more than three bites of a dessert. You'll find you enjoy it more if you savour a few bites of a delicious dessert).

9. If you don't drink, order a tea or coffee. Feel free to add a spoon of sugar--a teaspoon is only 15 calories and it makes it seem like a treat.

10. Feel free to take home your leftovers if your dinner companions are doing so. If not, leave them behind. It's a small price to pay for a trim waistline.

Dieting Basics--10 Important Facts to Keep in Mind

1. A pound of fat equals 3500 calories, so most diets that claim to cause extremely rapid weight loss are lying to you. You may lose more weight in water (up to ten pounds) at the beginning of a diet, but after that, your weight loss will slow considerably, so don't get discouraged!

2. To lose 1 pound of fat a week, cut 500 calories from your diet each day. To lose 2 pounds, cut 1000 calories, and so on.

3. Burning another 500 calories per day through exercise will also help you lose a pound. Walking is one of the best ways to do this, because you can be sure you're losing fat rather than muscle, since running and other intense cardio activities force your body to access its glycogen stores (more on this in the next point).

4. Have you ever been doing great on a diet, eaten a slice of cake and then stepped on the scale the next day to see that you've gained 3 pounds? How could you gain 3 pounds from a slice of cake? It's simple: You can't. Our bodies have something called a glycogen storage. Our bodies store extra energy as glycogen. Think of glycogen as "a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy weighs more than a pound and it’s packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it’s stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates." for more info on water retention, check out this site

So, basically, if you overdo the carbs, your body will "save them" for the near future in your glycogen storage tank. If you don't use up that storage, it will turn to fat.

5. If you restrict calories excessively, your metabolism will slow down and you might even gain weight.

What can you do about this? Exercise. It's an amazing way to boost your metabolism. Also, exercising ensures that you will be losing fat, not muscle. If you lose too much muscle, you will be burning calories because muscle uses calories even when your sitting. Fat tissue, sadly, burns no calories and is pretty much totally useless.

6. A calorie is a calorie, is a calorie. Sort of. You should try to eat well, but remember, if you eat a low or non-fat diet and consume 3000 calories a day, you are going to gain weight, even if you don't eat a gram of fat. Portion control is absolutely essential.

7. It doesn't matter what time of day you eat! Obviously it's best to spread your calories out--you'll feel less hungry. But if you have a big event in the evening that you "save up" calories for, you'll still lose weight. If you want a drink in the evening, it's okay to cut out a soda in the afternoon, etc.

8. Related issue: It doesn't really matter how many times you eat each day! Eating 6 mini meals may keep you from getting hungry, but it's not a recipe for automatic weight loss. If you have social occassions where you need to eat, save your calories for those occassions!

9. There should be no "forbidden foods" you may have an occassion where you must eat, say, chocolate cake or you'll look antisocial. Just determine how much you'll be eating ahead of time and stick to it.

10. People seem to think that models and actresses are thin because they get lipo and have personal trainers. That's what the tabloids say because they want to make jealous people happy. Sorry--it's simply not true. While some celebrities may take advantage of lipo, it can't make you look amazing. Celebs look awesome because they work incredibly hard and they are MOTIVATED. Everyone can look like a model or actress. It is no lie. It's about determination and dedication. Do you have it in you? Then you'll succeed.

How the Rich Get Thin

In How the Riche Get Thin, Jana Klauer, a research fellow at St. Luke's–Roosevelt Hospital who has a practice on Park Avenue, argues that the rich are thin because they exercise, are motivated to keep fit, and eat well.

Klauer, whose clientele is composed of successful businesspeople, socialites and celebrities, argues that to lose weight, we should learn to exercise daily, eliminate processed foods and make sure that we get adequate daily dose of vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium.

While Klauer's advice is aimed at the rich and famous, (not everyone can afford a personal trainer), she has many useful suggestions that many of us will be able to take advantage of.

1. Eat less of better quality food.
2. Take time to get exercise.
3. Consume your daily recommended dose of calcium: it will reduce food cravings
4. Eat lean protein: it will also help curb your appetite

In an interview with Newsweek, Klauer stated boldly
...just because you're poor doesn't mean you have to be fat. You just have to make the right choices. I know it's easier to rely on convenience foods. But fresh vegetables aren't expensive. You can buy less-expensive cuts of meat and cook it longer with fresh herbs.

This is so, so true! I wish more people could know this. When I was in University (2000-2004) I spent 80 dollars on groceries a month. Seriously. I bought fresh fruit, vegetables, and tofu at the farmers market (that was pretty much the only place I shopped).