Health and Beauty - Celebrity Shape-up With Nicki Waterman

Celebrity Shape-up With Nicki Waterman

Words by Nicki Waterman 05/12/2007

ONE OF THE UK’S TOP TRAINERS TO THE STARS OFFERS USEFUL ADVICE FOR A HEALTHIER AND FITTER LIFESTYLE – AND VALUABLE TIPS TO LOSE THOSE EXTRA KILOS

WEIGHTY ISSUES
Actress Joely Richardson shocked onlookers with her super-slim new look, but has she gone too far? Catherine Zeta Jones and Mel B reveal how they’ve danced themselves to fitness; and over in Hollywood, Nicole Kidman is eating all the pies – but why? Get all the celebrity diet gossip in this month’s round up.

JOELY’S ALARMING NEW BODY
Since quitting Hollywood to nurse her sick daughter, Joely Richardson has kept a low profile. But she stepped back into the limelight with a bang last month – and unfortunately it wasn’t her return to acting that was the talk of the red carpet. Instead, her scarily skinny frame sparked concern among onlookers, who were shocked by her gaunt frame and protruding bones. At nearly six feet (1.8 metres) and blessed with the impeccable Redgrave genes (her mum is Vanessa Redgrave), Joely has always been naturally slim, but her revealing black gown showed off alarmingly jutting shoulder blades and collarbone. A source said that Joely had been “overdoing things in the gym”, adding that she had perhaps “taken the dieting a tad too far”. The stress of looking after her 15-year-old daughter Daisy, whose rare condition affecting her circulation has happily improved, coupled with the pressure of her recent return to Nip/Tuck seem to have taken their toll on the 42-year-old actress. Here’s hoping she’ll see sense and think twice about her punishing diet and gym regime.

MEL B’S DANCING TO SLIMNESS
The battle to be slimmest Spice heats up this month as Mel B enters the fray with her spectacular three-stone (19 kilogram) weight loss in six months. And, adding something Victoria Beckham might not want to hear, Mel claims that she didn’t even need to diet. The singer, who gave birth to her daughter Angel in April, put on four-and-a-half stone (29 kilograms) during her pregnancy and has lost most of her baby weight through working out and healthy eating. She credits long hikes and gruelling six-hour dance routines during her stint on US show Dancing with the Stars for helping her shift the weight and tone up. She said that ballroom dancing had given her a six-pack. “With any kind of ballroom dancing you have to hold in your stomach. Now, even when I’m walking around, I hold it in, so it’s becoming flatter and flatter.” So will Mel B steal the Spice show come December? Posh is probably polishing her Stairmaster right now…

NICOLE GAINS WEIGHT
Joining the likes of Renee Zellwegger and Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman is suffering for her art by stuffing her face with chocolate in a bid to gain weight for a new film role. The svelte actress has already put on 10 pounds (just under five kilograms) and is set to double this weight gain for her part in The Reader. Recent pictures of Nicole with a swollen stomach sparked rumours (once again) that the 40-year-old was pregnant, but it turns out that her growing tummy was due to huge bowls of pasta rather than an imminent arrival. Her commitment to her art is commendable – it must be awful to have to chomp down on bread, pasta and puddings all day – but as soon as the director shouts wrap, will she do a Renee and shift those pounds in weeks?

CATHERINE’S SUPER-SLEEK BOD
Feted for her curves, Catherine Zeta Jones has no intention of losing them, but the actress was looking noticeably more toned and honed on the red carpet last month. Stepping out in a strapless green gown, the Welsh beauty looked as if she had dropped any extra pounds she might have been boasting earlier in the year. An onlooker said, “Catherine has always been pretty voluptuous and proud of her curves, but any excess weight she once carried has disappeared. “She certainly looks to have stepped up her exercise regime.” The former dancer is a regular gym-goer and has started weight training as part of her workout. Speaking recently, Catherine said, “My muscles have memory from the time I danced and it’s quick for me to get back in shape, but I’m not fanatical.”

COUNTING THE CALS IN CHRISTMAS ALCOHOL
There are ways to watch your alcohol content at Christmas without being a party pooper − here's a few tips:- Ways to reduce calories:

• Try alternating alcoholic drinks with low-calorie non-alcoholic drinks or water.
• Ask for low calorie/diet mixers where possible − it can make a big difference.
• Make wine into a spritzer − a longer drink means you will drink less.
• Substitute your "alcopop" for a shot of spirit and a low calorie mixer.

Make allowance in your calorie quota:
Plan alcohol into your daily calorie quota so you can enjoy a glass or two. If you know you will be drinking at a party, try to save some calories each day in advance or increase your activity levels to compensate.

Don't skip meals to allow for drinks:
Don't be tempted to skip meals to allow for drinks − alcohol won't satisfy your hunger. In fact, alcohol lowers blood sugar levels (it prevents sugar that is normally stored in the liver, as glycogen, from breaking down). A drop in blood sugar levels sends signals to the brain that you are hungry. With alcohol in your system, willpower can go out of the window and snack attacks kick in. Eating a proper meal before you go out will line your stomach and slow the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream. This will keep you in control of how much you eat and drink.

5 FRIENDLY PARTY-SNACK RULES
Follow our clever canapé choices and you won’t pile on the pounds this Christmas…

1. GO FOR SHELLED NUTS: Nuts in their shells are salt-free and nutrient-packed. And because it takes time to crack them open, you’ll eat fewer.
2. EAT OLIVES WITH CHEESE: Each time you eat a chunk of cheese, have three olives with it. Why? Olives contain oleic acid, a fatty acid that, research shows, helps the body to process the saturated fat in cheese.
3. BE DIP AWARE: Cucumber and carrot sticks are good, but dip wisely. A big dollop of low-fat houmous provides 52 calories, salsa 15 calories and guacamole 44 calories, whereas the same amount of taramasalata has 90 calories and sun-dried tomato dip 100 calories.
4. TRY RETRO SNACKS: Mini sausages on sticks have made a party-scene comeback this season and two or three make a great fill-you-up option. Turkey varieties are even lower in fat and calories, but just as filling.
5. STOCK UP ON SATSUMAS: For each sweet canapé you have, eat one Satsuma or Clementine, as the vitamin C will satisfy a sweet tooth to stop you reaching for more sugary treats. A fashion-conscious hostess will leave big bowls of fruit around for guests to help themselves from. Or keep some fruit in your handbag.

AND FINALLY…

For hangovers, modest exercise is best, as raising the blood circulation rate increases the oxygen in your body, and faster blood flow will eradicate the alcohol faster. Here’s to a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. For more information on losing weight and getting active, check out www.nickiwaterman.com