Secrets behind the Oscar bodies

It was the glitziest night of the showbiz calendar, and Hollywood's biggest starlets had clearly worked overtime to make sure they were in tip-top shape for their sashay down the Oscars red carpet. Whether nominated for an award or simply presenting one, our fave leading ladies ensured that not a lump, bump or teeny-tiny wrinkle would be seen on camera.

Skinny Minis
She may not have been up for an award, but Renee Zellweger certainly out-skinnied the majority of the stars. Following a punishing fitness regime involving rigorous two-hour workouts every morning to get her bod perfect for the big night, stepping up to present the award for Best Film Editing, she looked scrawnier than ever. In a figure-hugging, strapless Carolina Herrera gown, her protruding shoulder bones could almost have poked an eye out! Waaay too much time on that treadmill, hon.

Get-Thin-Quick
The months leading up to the Oscars are the busiest for Hollywood's personal trainers, cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists, who are on hand to lift, plump and shrink stars in all the right places - and 2008 was no different.

Whilst celebs like Katherine Heigl have admitted to squeezing into their Spanx to maintain their red carpet silhouettes, bucketloads of A-listers were following the gruelling Master Cleanse Diet - the popular (but loopy) detox plan which involves drinking a concoction of water with lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup - in the lead-up to the big day.

Leading ladies were also given a little weight-loss help at the Oscars Gifting Suite, where Appetite Down (the latest caffeine-based diet supplement which promises to curb cravings), was being dished out. No doubt it came in handy on the night...

Looking Good!
Jennifer Hudson seemed to have continued the strict diet and exercise plan she started after winning at last year's ceremony.

A follower of the get-thin-quick Cookie Diet, she's also admitted in the past, to living on a diet of salads and grilled chicken, ensuring no meal is bigger than her fist - and it looked like Jen hadn't wobbled even a little bit off the wagon. Looking noticeably slender (if rather strangely chested) in a white Roberto Cavalli gown, Jen's alleged 13 kilo weight loss couldn't go unnoticed.

Mid-Ceremony Munching
While many just gazed longingly at their gourmet Oscar-night meals, some stars just simply couldn't control their food cravings at this year's bash. A famished Hilary Swank famously celebrated her 2005 Oscar win by tucking into a burger and fries at a nearby fast food joint, but this year came armed with her own food supplies.

"Normally you're starving by the end of the evening," she revealed. And, to prove a point, opened her Salvatore Ferragamo clutch bag to reveal a stash of almonds and a slice of carrot cake. Bless her!