Beyonce Knowles Relies on Lots of Salads, Sweat, and Strength to Get Slim

Beyonce Knowles was known for her curvy figure as a singer in Destiny's Child. She lost 15 pounds for her role in Dreamgirls, and confessed to various members of the media about her "Master Cleanse" diet approach to that rapid weight loss.

The problem with quick-weight loss diets such as the Master Cleanse: dieters do not learn a new way of eating. The result: most people tend to return to the same food habits that caused them to go on the diet originally - and they gain all the weight back. In Beyonce's case, she gained weight for a film role as well, making it even more difficult to shed the excess pounds.

In addition to the emotional issues associated with being even a few pounds overweight, there can be physical problems as well. Yo-yo dieters run the risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, and even heart conditions. Beyonce recognized that the roller-coaster rides on the scale were detrimental to her health, and now she has taken a smarter approach to lose the weight - and keep it off.

Beyonce Diets the Smart Way

Here's how you can follow Beyonce's wise approach to weight loss:

1. Eat breakfast.

It may sound like boring, "heard that one before" advice (didn't your mom always tell you to eat breakfast?), but study after study has demonstrated that eating breakfast tends to help people lose weight and keep it off. Don't regard this as an excuse to go to Dunkin' Donuts, though! Aim for lean protein, such as an egg white omelet, and a small piece of fruit, such as a quarter of a cantaloupe or half a grapefruit, for a breakfast to help sustain you through the morning.

2. Super-size your salad.

Enjoy large salads, filled with leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other veggies that are low in calories and high in fiber. Top them with lean protein, such as sliced cooked turkey or water-packed tuna, and a sprinkle of fat-free salad dressing.

3. Keep dinner and snacks healthy as well.

Many dieters are fabulous during the day - and then get "wild and crazy" at night, as my roommate and I used to describe our late-night raids on the cartons of ice cream we kept in our freezer. Rather than limit your calories too much during the day, it's smarter to allow yourself healthy snacks in the mid-morning and afternoon, such as an orange and a piece of string cheese, or celery sticks topped with a tablespoon of peanut butter. That way, you won't be ravenous at dinner time - and you'll be less likely to raid the freezer at night.

And one more tip: If you know ice cream or another treat is a temptation, keep it out of the house. You're less likely to binge on it if you have to make a conscious decision to drive to the store and buy it.