If you're looking to shift the flab fast, then David Kirsch is your man. His new book The Ultimate New York Diet can see you lose up to 14 pounds in two weeks, but you're going to have to work for it
Most fitness trainers and nutritionists advocate slow, steady weight loss, but David Kirsch believes fast weight loss can be a healthy, attainable way to slim and keep the weight off, as long as you do it properly. He says: 'When you don't lose weight fast enough you get discouraged. Rapid weight loss is the best motivator for people who need to shed a lot of weight. In training countless clients, I've found that you can lose stunning amounts of weight in record time without ruining your health and without damaging your metabolism.'
David Kirsch is best known as the secret weapon of numerous top models and actors, including Heidi Klum and Liv Tyler, but before you dismiss him as the latest celebrity fad, you should know his clientele also includes new mums, office workers, retirees and his own parents.
How does the plan work?
Diet
Prepare to get strict with yourself as alcohol, dairy, starchy foods, coffee, sweets, fruits and most fats are out. You're about to embark on eight weeks of tough love, but don't panic, you're not going to go hungry. Kirsch advocates frequent meals of lean protein and fibre-rich vegetables.
Designed to break psychological addictions to things like carbohydrates and eating to cope with stress, phase one is undoubtedly the toughest. In this stage, breakfast could be a protein shake or vegetable and egg white omelette, lunch a salad with plenty of protein (wild salmon, tuna, chicken or turkey breast) and dinner the same as lunch or a protein shake. Snacks are included, from basics such as almonds and egg whites, to recipes for things like Sesame Chicken Fingers, Salmon Cakes and Mexican Turkey Burgers.
Phase two sees restrictions ease up to include some carbohydrates at lunch, such as quinoa, beans, lentils and sweet potatoes. The third and final phase is a guide to lifetime wellness. You can eat a small serving (100-150 calories) of any carbohydrate of your choice as your morning snack and once a week you can have a 'cheat meal' and wine.
The beauty of the plan is that Kirsch admits to being a 'foodie'. He enjoys good food and eating out so the book includes a guide to ordering in restaurants, healthy food choices when eating anything from Chinese to Mexican and some delicious sounding recipes such as the Wild Salmon Burger, Guiltless Barbecue Burger and Ginger-Glazed Halibut.
Exercise
Ideally you should do 45 minutes of cardio - running, cycling or power walking - a day, plus 30 minutes of toning and sculpting (see The Ultimate New York Body Plan DVD, available from www.amazon.co.uk. If you're pushed for time, you can do a ten-minute mini workout detailed in The Ultimate New York Diet. Ideally you should try to incorporate three or four of these into your day. The mini-workouts cover abs and core, total body, legs and bum and upper body and are designed to fit into different areas of your life, from those suitable for the office, to those you can do in the comfort of your own home or hotel room to parent workouts you can do with your kids.
Liv Tyler visited Kirsch ten months after giving birth to her son, Milo. Her advice is: 'Don't trick yourself into thinking that you can lose weight through diet alone. I've tried every diet and every programme out there. If you are not eating healthily and exercising, you will gain back everything that you lose.'
Supplements
Even Kirsch admits supplements aren't a necessity. He says: 'You could do it alone, but your journey would be much tougher.' He does, though, list supplements you may want to try to help combat food cravings, energy slumps and promote cleansing while warning against those that promise miraculous weight loss without dieting or exercising. For those on a budget he advocates a vitamin-mineral supplement and a meal-replacement powder.
Will it work for you?
Yes, if you're prepared to put in the work. Kirsch is all about no excuses. In fact, clients who come to him having skipped workouts are greeted with the phrase 'And your point is?'
New Yorker Virginia Gordon completed the programme a year ago and was delighted by the results. Her advice is: 'Hang in there. The first day of the plan, you're going to think, "What have I got myself into?" On the second day, you will think, "OK, maybe I can do this." By the third day, you'll see results and you'll have the determination to move forward.'
David Kirsch's One of a Kind Dietary Supplements and his Meal Replacement Powder (protein shake) available in Chocolate and Vanilla, are available in the UK, only from www.davidkirsch.co.uk
iVillage readers can order The Ultimate New York Diet (RRP £14.99) at the special discounted price of £12.99 (including p&p). To order, telephone McGraw-Hill on: 01628 502700 with your credit card details and quote special offer code 'IV07NYD'. The offer ends 28 February 2007.