Celeb Gossip and Trim Tricks
Words by Nicki Waterman 05/09/2007
Which singing sensation has piled on the pounds after another record flop? Did Eva Longoria go to desperate measures to get her figure in perfect shape for her wedding day? And how does Girls Aloud’s Kimberley Walsh keep her figure under control for her slinky outfits? We reveal all in this month’s celebrity diet gossip. “Janet Fatson” is back!Just over a year ago, Janet Jackson wowed people with her fantastic new figure, after she lost a reported four stone (26 kilograms) in a matter of weeks. This followed a turbulent year when, having rocketed to a whopping 11st 6lb (74 kilograms), she was dubbed “Janet Fatson” by the tabloids. A year on and it looks like history is repeating itself. Following the flop of her latest album it appears Janet has ditched the diet and succumbed to comfort eating once again. A source told us: “This always happens. The minute Janet’s not promoting a film, working or travelling she turns to food. She has time to eat now – on the road she’s too busy.” It certainly appears that Janet’s been making the most of her spare time. A combination of eating, lack of exercise and reported boozy nights out are taking their toll on her body − her washboard stomach has been replaced by a much fuller figure.It’s all pants for KimberleyOh, what joy! Nothing can bring a smile to our face like a celeb showing us that sometimes they need a helping hand to look great. And Girls Aloud’s Kimberley Walsh is one celeb who’s made our day. It appears the slender 25-year-old isn’t averse to wearing a pair of Bridget Jones-style pants to give her that extra support when she slips into one of her skimpy outfits. Kimberley joins the ranks of Gwyneth Paltrow, Katie Holmes and Gwen Stefani, who all admit to slipping on a pair of Spanx Power Panties. Designed in the US, these clever pants work their magic by helping achieve a sculpted figure without rigorous exercise regimes. What more could a girl ask for? We’re not convinced Kimberley actually needs a pair, but it’s nice to know that her fab figure isn’t the result of some crazy celeb diet.Eva’s wedding dietEvery bride wants to look her best when she walks down the aisle and
Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria is no exception. The petite 32-year-old was put through her paces by top wedding trainer Patrick Murphy. He had her doing lunges, squats, ab crunches and bottom lifts to get her in shape. They trained for an hour three times a week and she complemented her training regime with a diet, including plenty of salads without calorific dressings, and drinking at least three litres of water every day. And judging by snaps of her on the beach in St Tropez and pictures of her wearing a figure-hugging dress for her civil wedding, her hard work definitely paid off to give her the perfect wedding figure she was craving. CREDIT: Orange Fresh Solero ice lolly (78 cals) = DEBIT: Half an hour of swimming WHAT’S NEW?“NEGATIVE CALORIES” A soft drink has been launched across the US that claims to have a proven “negative calorie” effect. In other words, it helps you burn more calories than you consume. Enviga, which comes in green tea, berry and peach flavours, contains caffeine, calcium and green-tea extract that apparently speeds up metabolism. Drinking three cans will burn up to 100 calories (the equivalent of a two-finger KitKat). There are plans to launch it in Europe this Autumn. NICKI’S VERDICT:The pros: Highlighting the concept of negative calories might bring other “neg-cal” foods into the spotlight that are healthy, such as celery.The cons: You only lose up to 33 calories per can so you’d have to drink litres to make a difference. Drinking Enviga also bumps up your caffeine intake, which could lead to insomnia or anxiety.Is there anything in it for you? If you’re drinking high-cal drinks, replacing them with any low-cal alternatives will help you lose weight. ICE, ICE BABY! Ice-cold water helps you burn extra calories, according to researchers in Germany. Their studies showed that drinking two 240 millilitre glasses of cold water increases metabolic rate by 30 per cent for 90 minutes. A third of the increase comes from your body’s effort to warm the water, and the rest from the work your body has to do to absorb it. Keep your water icy-cold and give it some extra flavour with a dash of fresh lime juice. DID YOU KNOW?A typical bagel (white or wholemeal) has the same number of calories as four slices of bread? Instead of a bagel with salmon and cream cheese, have a sandwich made with two slices of wholemeal bread and smoked salmon and you’ll save 200 calories. TRY THIS…A gentle walk around the block or a short bike ride half an hour after a meal could reduce bloating, according to Spanish research, which found light exercise helps push gas through the digestive tract. Avoid strenuous exercise, though, such as running, which can divert blood flow away from your stomach and worsen bloating. TRIM TRICKMake sure you don’t drink any extra calories that’ll slow down your weight loss. Consuming one large glass of wine every night for a month could result in you putting on two pounds (one kilogram) – so if you can’t resist the odd tipple, have it instead of one of your daily snacks.
