The new hollywood diets

Too good to be true?

The Cookie Diet
The Lowdown: Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson are said to be devotees of this novelty diet. Similar to the Slim Fast Plan, but with vitamin-packed cookies instead of milkshakes, it promises to help you banish the bulge in weeks.

By swapping breakfast and lunch for four specially created biscuits, supplemented with a healthy dinner, followers claim that it's possible to lose up to a whopping 13.5 kilos in just two months.

Side Effects: None. But the cookies are baked with wheat, soy, milk and eggs, so beware if you're gluten or dairy intolerant.

Does It Work? Yes! But it doesn't take a genius to work out why - each cookie contains just 150 calories and 4g of fat, and dinners are pretty basic, so dieters are only consuming around 1,000 calories a day.

Star Style's Verdict: Whilst raiding the cookie jar might sound like a junk food addict's dream, once you've gone through all three flavours, it can get a bit boring. And remember, even the healthiest cookies in the world can't provide the nutrients you get from a balanced diet. Ideal for quick-fix weight loss, or if you're constantly eating on the go, but once you return to normal eating, the kilos will come back.

Hard core dieting!

The Apple Diet
The Lowdown: A fave of models battling to be a size zero, this extreme diet allows you to eat only apples, based on the theory that they help to ward off hunger pangs. Whether baked, stewed, raw or juiced, you can munch away on as many apples are you like over a one-week period, washed down with water and cups of black coffee - but all other food and drink is forbidden.

Side Effects: Apart from not being able to think about anything else but food, you'll experience extreme lethargy and weakness, and find it difficult to concentrate.

Does It Work? It's almost impossible to stick to this diet for a whole week. However, if you do manage it, the kilos will drop off. Obvious really - this is virtual starvation!

Star Style's Verdict: It's dangerous to limit your diet to one food group only, and the long-term effects of such an acidic (and idiotic) diet could result in rotting teeth and osteoporosis.

We can stomach this...

The Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccariello
The Lowdown: This diet follows the (unproven) theory that a diet rich in monounsaturated fatty acids will help melt your muffin top without having to do a single sit-up! The plan starts with a four-day anti-bloat jumpstart plan, which cuts out food vices and helps to rev up your metabolism, followed by a four-week diet of meals packed with ‘good fats' (found in foods like seeds, flax oil, avocados and nuts), combined with wholegrains, fruit, veg and a limited amount of lean meat. You should eat every four hours, and each meal should only contain 400 calories.

Does It Work? You can expect to lose weight from all over your body, not just specifically from your tummy.

Star Style's Verdict: Meal plans are sensible and nutritious, so while you may not get a washboard stomach in a week, you'll be eating well in the long run, and will certainly slim down.

Food For Thought

The Best Life Diet by Bob Greene
The Lowdown: The brainchild of fitness guru Bob Greene, who helped Oprah achieve her dramatic weight loss, this lifestyle plan helps you slim down slowly and sensibly over an eight-week period, and promises to change your eating habits for life. By eating every two hours, ditching unhealthy foods, cutting out booze and taking regular exercise, the kilos are said to melt away. A typical menu includes oatmeal for breakfast, homemade soup for lunch and pasta with chicken and veg for dinner.

Side Effects: You might experience cravings at first, but after a few day, your skin will be glowing and you will have lots more energy.

Does It Work? Watch the weight fall off and stay off! This diet is easy to follow and includes tasty, super-healthy recipes like fire-roasted tomato-shrimp Vera Cruz and apple rhubarb walnut crisp.

Star Style's Verdict: A safe and sensible alternative to Hollywood's crash diets, this eating plan should help you stay slender and permanently change the way you eat.