Diet Secrets of the Hollywood Stars

Number two: They don't know any more than we do. Most of them go to their friends or hairdressers for diet tips, or get introduced to the latest diet guru because they share the same publicist.

Some stars hire people to tell them what to do, and the people they hire are as different in their approaches and as varied in their skills as any group of experts on diet and nutrition anywhere. Of course, some trainers or nutritionists become fashionable for a while, just like a hairstylist does, but they can quickly become out of favour.

Number three: They struggle with the same issues about food and drink as we do, and their bodies respond in the same variety of ways. The only differences are that they do it in full view of the public and that they have access to magicians - otherwise known as hair, make-up and lighting people - who do things to them that you simply can't believe unless you've seen it done in front of your very eyes.

Once in a while, a star will lend her name to a diet book or workout video. Most of the time, if it's any good, it was designed by someone else. The stars may have some input, just like they do when they release a signature-line perfume, but you don't really think Elizabeth Taylor sat there and blended 65 notes of fragrance, do you?

New York trainer Radu designed Cindy Crawford's first video. Keli Roberts did Cher's. And the popular Somersizing books are basically modified versions of The Schwarzbein Principle by Dr. Diana Schwarzbein, who was Somers's advisor on the project. (But Suzanne does look great on the book cover.)

Now this is not a put-down to Hollywood stars. I've known many of them and they're very nice people (at least some are). But they are not the best people to turn to for nutritional advice. It's hard enough to find a nutritionist who knows what he or she is doing - why would you expect biochemistry expertise from Gwyneth Paltrow?

There is one secret to Hollywood diets, and it's the same secret I've been telling people on the Shape Up Challenge for years now. It's the only secret you'll ever need to know, and if you really get it and accept it, you'll be on the way to success not only in weight loss but also in life. Here it is:
Everybody's different.