Want to look like the slim stars? Here's how...

back to healthread                               Back to Diet Page

We are told daily that 'all' we need to do is exercise 30 minutes a few times a week (moderately)... some say less exercise will do it - as little as 15 minutes a day... and either watch our food intake or take 'fat blockers' or Xenical and the fat will drop off.

What? You say your fat is not just "dropping off"? Well perhaps an article in Conde Naste's "Woman's Sports and Fitness" might shed some light on the subject.

A detailed description is given of a young starlet's exercise schedule and it's not 30 minutes a few times a week of moderate exercise. It's ONE to THREE hours a DAY, SEVEN days a week of intense exercise including high rep weight training, running 70 minutes at a time, or stairmaster at level 7, PLUS calorie restriction (less than 1000 calories a day)!.

Courtney, a busy actress, gets up at 4 in the morning on days she has to be on the set by 6:30 am and describes several mind games she plays to force herself to follow her grueling exercise schedule.

She doesn't 'count' sports (like golf) as part of her workout either!

Here is a typical week in Courtney's life, exercise-wise:

MONDAY: (She had to be on the set at 6:30 so got up at 4
am):

     ONE HOUR: recumbent bike at level 5

TUESDAY: 
     ONE HOUR on the stairmaster at level 7
     ONE HOUR of Pilates (stretching calisthenics
exercises)

WEDNESDAY:
     ONE HOUR, 10 minutes of running (ran 6 miles on the
          treadmill at 2 percent incline)
     ONE HOUR, UPPER BODY WEIGHT TRAINING: 3-5 lb weights
          Sixty 'reps' each arm: bicep curls
                                 Triceps kickbacks
                                 one arm rows 
                                 
     ONE HOUR - Kathy Smith Yoga tape 

THURSDAY:
     ONE HOUR, 10 MINUTES: running
     ONE HOUR, Pilates

FRIDAY: (she describes this as an 'easy day' because she's
tired):

     ONE HOUR - stairmaster at level 7
     some stretching
     
SATURDAY:
     ONE HOUR, 10 MINUTES running on the treadmill,
          intervals of sprinting and jogging.
     ONE HOUR, Yoga class (with some friends)
     
SUNDAY:
     EIGHT MILES on the treadmill (80 minutes?)
     ONE HOUR, UPPER BODY WEIGHT TRAINING: 3-5 lb weights
          Sixty 'reps' each arm: bicep curls
                                 Triceps kickbacks
                                 one arm rows 
     some stretching

To combat genetics and achieve the "Hollywood" slim figure, many stars keep up a similar schedule. In addition to all the exercise, many starlets and models use substances to 'hype themselves up' like drinking many cups of coffee daily for the caffeine or taking 'energy supplements' containing ephedra, a base for amphetamines.  This is to compensate for the fatigue and hunger caused by their calorie restricted diets.

Stars and models admitting to very low calorie intake, around 500 or 600 calories a day include Kate Moss, Callista Flockhart, Carre Otis (who now intakes a more healthy 1200 calories a day and is a size 12 plus size model).  Naomi Campbell has been to drug rehab several times for a cocaine habit.

According to several sources, 99 percent of fashion models smoke cigarettes.

reference:

WOMEN'S SPORT AND FITNESS MAGAZINE, July/August, 1999: "Solo training - to stay fit, actress Courtney Thorne-Smith relies on the one person who knows her body best: herself"

Descriptions of other stars, regimen's were found in various magazines including SHAPE, MUSCLE AND FITNESS and FITNESS. (Most magazines describe how the stars stay slim from time and time) as well as:
Fraser, Laura: LOSING IT
Childers, Greer: BE A LOSER (Greer describes running 'enough miles to go around the world')

Descriptions of female athlete triad: AMENORRHEA, ANOREXIA and OSTEOPOROSIS can be found in:

Ryan, Joan: LITTLE GIRLS IN PRETTY BOXES

Descriptions of the effects of semi-starvation (1200-1500 calories a day):
Fraser, Laura: LOSING IT
Vogel, Shawne: THE SKINNY ON FAT

Other references to studies etc are available on request.