Celebrity M.D. Gives the Inside Skinny on How to Lose the Weight Fast

Founder and Medical Director of the weight loss facility HealthBridge and the online health center, Thin-site.com, physician David Edelson is regarded as one of the top obesity experts in the country. In an exclusive interview, he commented on Heidi Klum's method of reducing her appetite.
"Heidi Klum is known to sip apple cider vinegar before meals, claiming that it reduces her appetite and cravings," Dr. Edelson said. "Although some studies have suggested that apple cider vinegar may reduce the glycemic index of consumed carbs, no clinical studies have confirmed the fat burning claims."

Want to try Heidi's method? "A few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar here and there are unlikely to cause any harm in the short term," according to Dr. Edelson, who is board certified in both internal and bariatric medicine. However, he cautions that long-term usage "could theoretically result in osteoporosis and low blood potassium levels."

Grapefruit Girls

Heidi Klum isn't alone in resorting to unusual methods of keeping their hunger at bay. "Carmen Electra and J-Lo reportedly carry around vials of grapefruit oil concentrate, claiming that inhaling the aroma of grapefruit oil 15 minutes before a meal will reduce your appetite," Dr. Edelson says.

As for the validity of their theory: "The presence of a sulfur compound known as 1-p-menthen-8-thiol is what gives grapefruit that unique aroma. While it comprises only one part per billion of the fragrance, it has a powerful effect on our smell centers," according to Dr. Edelson.

"While there are no controlled studies verifying the appetite suppressant effects of grapefruit oil, there's no downside to trying it and seeing if its aromatherapy effects work for you," the obesity expert added.

Ga-Ga for Baby Food Diet

Then there's the "baby food diet" that "several celebrities have been reported to use," notes Dr. Edelson. "This diet craze involves eating 14 servings of pureed baby food every day, followed by one regular dinner. It was recently reported that this is the diet Jennifer Aniston uses to get in shape for films."

Although the small portions involved in baby food servings "keep calorie intake low," there's a problem with this regime, according to Dr. Edelson. "The big problem is that no adult could keep this regimen up for more than a couple of weeks, and as soon as they go back to their old diet habits, they'll just yo-yo back to their previous weight. That's the problem with most diets; they are not sustainable, so although you'll drop some weight while you're on the diet, the pounds will come back when you return to more normal eating habits."

A One-Week Diet to Shape Up and Lose Weight Fast

If you've got a big event coming up, such as a high school reunion, Dr. Edelson suggests the following for a quick-start one-week diet:

Four to six small, high-protein meals or snacks of 100 to 150 calories.

A low-carbohydrate dinner consisting of chicken, fish, lean meats, and/or soy protein "with lots of vegetables and a salad."

Eliminate starches and sugars.

Aim for a daily intake of between 1,000 to 1,500 calories per day, based on your age, sex, and amount of exercise.

A "good quality multivitamin to supplement, with 2,000 mg of fish oils for improving Omega-3 levels and fighting insulin resistance, and fat-burning supplements such as 1000 mg a day of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) or a high dose of L-Carnitine at 2000-2500 mg."

Source:

First-person interview with Founder and Medical Director of the weight loss facility HealthBridge and the online health center, Thin-site.com, physician David Edelson.