How the weight loss diets of hot celebrities measure up in the real world
Gawking at weight loss before-and-after shots of celebs is the ultimate guilty pleasure. But you’d need a blockbuster paycheck to get the same results, right? With nutritionist Keri Glassman, R.D., we put that theory to the test and rated red-carpet weight-loss techniques by how pricey—and healthy—they really are.
Good for You
Diana DeGarmo
On the 5-Factor Diet (5 small meals a day 6 days a week, 1 cheat day), this ex-Idol shrank three sizes in 2 months. Find the book at 5factordiet.com.
Valerie Bertinelli
The three-meal/three-snack-a-day plan that helped Jenny Craig’s new pitchwoman lose 25 pounds is portion control at its best (especially for just $468 a month).
Actually Affordable
Arden Myrin
Mad props to this TV comic—she lost 30 pounds on her own by sticking to three meals a day (no snacks) and avoiding sugar and flour. The one catch: Skipping snacks can slow metabolism.
Robin Quivers
The radio sidekick surpassed the goal of the “21 Pounds in 21 Days” plan by 3 pounds. But results can be as unpredictable as Howard Stern’s on-air stunts.
Ridiculously Expensive
Janet Jackson
A personal chef-nutritionist-trainer combo helped her slash calories healthfully—at more than $200 a day. We’re pulling for her to keep it off this time.
Ricki Lake
The former yo-yoer kicked the last 25 pounds with daily 1,200-calorie deliveries from Fresh Dining. It’s a not-cheap $45 a day, but c’mon, she’s earned it.
Courtney Love
The rocker shelled out top dollar (easily $100 a day) for Gwyneth Paltrow’s macrobiotic chef, then gained weight, hitting 182 pounds. Moral: Even healthy diets require portion control.
Khaliah Ali
Muhammad Ali’s daughter KO’d 100-plus pounds with a gut-cinching gastric Lap-Band. The $12,000 to $25,000 surgery can help the severely obese, but diet and exercise have to change for the results to stick.
Downright Dangerous
Angelina Jolie
It’s the Save the World Slimdown: The once-voluptuous vixen is now simply skeletal, and her brother, James Haven, reportedly has told tabloids he thinks all that jet-setting to countries where people are starving has made her feel guilty about what she eats.
Beyoncé
The Dreamgirl lost 22 pounds in 10 days on the Master Cleanse (lemon juice, maple syrup, spring water, and cayenne pepper). But eat real food and you’ll gain in a flash.
Paris Hilton
Jail does wonders for a girl’s figure. The heiress told Larry King she lost a few pounds in the pokey on a diet of mystery meat, orange juice, and fear.