The diet secrets of the stars

If getting rid of your festive wobbles is top of your list of New Year's resolutions, and being the proud owner of a celebrity standard body is your ultimate 2008 goal, read on.

According to our latest must-read, The Black Book Of Hollywood Diet Secrets, - by Kym Douglas and Cindy Pearlman, on amazon.com from Jan 31 - keeping superstar slim isn't just down to vigorous bouts at the gym and strict dieting, but adopting cunning tactics too.

From never forgetting to clean your teeth, to using a camera that always lies, Star Style reveals the random stay-gorgeous rules the beautiful people of Celebland live by. We feel thinner already!

Eat asparagus
There's no fridge in Hollywood that isn't stuffed with bunches of asparagus. A natural diuretic, this yummy vegetable diminishes bloating and is essential for helping Hollywooders slip into their skinniest jeans. Owen Wilson eats it by the barrel load every day, topped off with plenty of fresh parsley to boost the effects.

Have salad Groundhog day
When Jessica Simpson wants to shift a few kilos before a movie role, the gorgeous singer eats the same salad every day at her favourite Californian cafe. Now known as ‘The Jessica', Simpson senior tucks into the eponymous low-carb lunch comprising Asian pears, strawberries, grilled chicken, romaine lettuce and a few croutons, dressed with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, an egg yolk and a little Dijon mustard, and the weight just falls off her. Who said being boring wasn't beneficial?

Don't do diet drinks
Jessica Alba and Paris Hilton claim that drinking diet drinks is the worst thing to do if you want to lose weight. According to research, drinking a can of diet soda every day actually doubles your risk of being overweight, because it makes people think they can eat more, since they are being so virtuous with what they drink. Make ours a full-fat lemonade then please, barman!

Pass the salt...
Forget about fancy bubble baths. Victoria's Secret model Heidi Klum bathes in common old Epsom Salts to banish bloating before she hits the runway, as the magnesium sulphate in the salts is said to draw out fluids in the body.

...And the vinegar
The gorgeous Cindy Crawford sips vinegar before dining out at a restaurant, as it kills the appetite. Brilliant if you're counting calories and trying to save cash!

Get fruity
Jennifer Lopez and Carmen Electra always carry a vial of grapefruit oil in their designer bags. According to studies, grapefruit oil gives off an aroma that affects liver enzymes and promotes weight loss, and sniffing the fruity oil for 15 minutes, three times a day, can help to reduce appetite and, consequently, body weight.

Make time for tea
No, not the usual variety - we're talking dandelion. Gwyneth and Madonna both sip on this healthy brew to banish water retention.

Brush your teeth
Thought a twice-daily brush was enough? Wrong! Starlets who want fabulous teeth and a teeny waistline never go anywhere without their toothbrush. According to a Hollywood nutritionalist, the best way to stay thin is to clean your teeth immediately after you've eaten, because the minty taste in your mouth signals to your brain that you are full. Uber-buff Matt McConaughy uses this trick to help keep his pearlies white - and those incredible abs super-tight.

Get wedged up
Wanna know why Cameron Diaz, Gwen Stefani and Jess Simpson are rarely spotted in anything other than skyscraper wedges? According to Hollywood stylists, the killer wedge is the heel that makes you look thinnest, as it lengthens the leg, makes you look taller and makes ankles look spindly and giraffe-like thanks to its chunky shape. Bye-bye ballet flats!

An apple a day
Sweet tooth getting the better of you? Copy Demi Moore and nibble on apple slices dipped in peanut butter when dying to ransack the biscuit barrel - it'll give you a healthier sugar fix, and stop you polishing off all the chocolate Hob Nobs.

Make your camera lie
If you haven't quite hit your dieting target and are off to an event where you're going to have your photo taken, don't worry about not being ready for your close-up. Celebrities swear by the The HP Photosmart R937 digital camera, which is said to trim five kilos off your figure - exactly the amount of weight that the camera is said to add to your frame. Say low-fat cheese!

Blue for you
Ditch your white china if you don't want to overeat. According to studies, blue is the least appetising colour to humans, so eating from a blue plate a la Victoria Beckham helps you eat less!