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Famous people seem to have to have the secrets to health and beauty. Lucky for us mere mortals they love to talk about themselves and share their tips. One method of losing and maintaining weight is by using food and exercise to influence your metabolism. This makes a huge difference in how your body uses food and stores fat. A healthy metabolism converts most food into energy and some into fat. When it’s too slow you get the opposite. Ugh. Not all celebs favor diets that are sustainable but we can always learn something from them. Try these on for size.
Khloé Kardashian: Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Khloé Kardashian makes a mean smoothie when she wants to detox: steel-cut oats, flaxseed powder and almond milk. Each of these ingredients has anti-inflammatory properties that promote weight loss. In ¼-cup of oats there’s 5 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein. The fiber is part soluble – it slows digestions and makes you feel satiated –and insoluble fiber – the kind that helps you get smooth moves (wink). “Regular and healthy bowel movements reduce belly bloating and improve digestion,” says Abbey Sharp, RD, of Abbey's Kitchen. Khloé wisely chooses steel-cut oats over rolled or instant because they’re not pre-cooked and are processed in a manner that helps them maintain more fiber and protein than other versions. Both flaxseeds and almonds have omega-3 fatty acids to further the anti-inflammatory effects.
Chrissy Teigen: Eggs
"The best foods to eat at breakfast are high in protein and good fats, which keep your blood sugar steady and provide energy from nutrient-dense sources that will keep you satiated,” says culinary nutrition expert, Andrea Wien. Chrissy Teigen had the idea down pat. She relies on her daily morning eggs to set her weight straight. The egg is a nearly perfect food and it's a powerhouse in terms of nutrition, clocking in at 7 grams of protein plus a good dose of vitamins, minerals and anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Eggs also have vitamin D to help you burn fat instead of store it, plus they have vitamin B12 to help your body break down fat cells. Chrissy often pairs eggs with avocado for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant healing. They are naturally high in unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, vitamins A, C, E, K, and many B vitamins as well as potassium and magnesium.
Katy Perry: Mushrooms
Katy Perry uses the “M Diet” to slim down her belly and lower half. And the M stands for mushrooms. She swaps out one meal daily for raw mushrooms over the course of 2 weeks. That sounds really hard to swallow! Mushrooms can be an awesome addition to your diet – 1 cup is only 20 calories. So just the act of lowering her calorie intake could be what helps Katy look so amazing, and you can do that minus the shrooms. You want big results from a diet but if you go big too soon, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. “Too often we think we’re not doing enough, so we give up,” says Denise Posnak Gaffney, a Pilates instructor and founder of MyBOD Wellness. “Value the small things you do and you can go much farther with your wellness goals.” That might mean cutting out sugar for one week, not one month, and reevaluating after that. Breaking goals into attainable chunks will make them easier to meet.
Christina Aguilera: Rainbow Foods
People get stuck in all sorts of routines. They drive the same way to work, buy the same shirt in the same color and eat the same old things day in and day out. When your diet consists of limited foods then you’re missing out on important vitamins and minerals. Always eat a variety! Christina Aguilera focuses on eating a rainbow of foods for 1 week and eliminates all carbs. This range of colorful foods and whole grains is a fantastic way to look at food and a chance to try new things. Have you explored veggies in deep shades of emerald? Think kale, Swiss chard and collard greens. They’re high in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins A, K and C, plus minerals. Red, yellow and orange bell peppers are a sweet and crunchy vegetable that provides 240 percent of the recommended daily vitamin C. Studies have found that people with ample vitamin C levels have smaller waist-to-hip ratios and burn more fat during cardio exercises. Or get some C with brightly hued citrus like grapefruits and oranges (there’s only about 70 calories in an entire fruit.)
Kim Kardashian: Water
Of course you drink water! But do you really? It’s easy to let this simple healthy habit go to the wayside. “Water does wonders for your digestion, your skin and for keeping your hunger under control,” says Colette Heimowitz, a nutritionist at Atkins Nutritonals. Kim Kardashian Makes sure she gets her fill through a water IV. Yeah, that’s not going to work for you (or us). Here’s an easier idea: Keep your water bottle filled and always available. Try quenching your afternoon hunger with some water and you might be satisfied without a snack. Still don’t like water? We’re not going to judge. But may we suggest a squeeze of lemon or lime to dress up your cup? You can even get water from foods. There is no food more upfront about itself than watermelon: it’s about 92% water. Eating it keeps you hydrated and studies show that eating foods high in water can help people feel more satisfied on fewer calories. Just one cup of the refreshing fruit is 51 calories.
[Photos: Splash, Shutterstock]
