Hollywood heavy hitters often weigh prestige on a bathroom scale -- which may explain why movers and shakers are constantly chasing the latest in trendy diets. Today's discerning dieters are either taking a cue from the Mad Men past or trying to be as nutritionally politically correct as possible, so what's for breakfast is colorful pills of speed or the freshest of blended greens.
For the younger, hard-partying and slim-seeking set it seems the drug Adderall, a combo of amphetamine salts long prescribed to treat attention deficit disorder is the latest drug craze. Just like the Dexedrine's of yesteryear, it keeps you up while killing the appetite and allowing the dieter to have a few cocktails (or at the very least make you a wide-awake drunk). "There is some abuse of Adderall," says Dr. Robert Huizenga, one of the leading weight-loss experts in the Country. "Unfortunately stimulants have side effects (anxiety, irritability, insomnia), and only get off an extra handful of pounds at best."
But for those who want a politically correct diet there is the Paleta 10-day Cleanse where fresh meals are brought to your doorstep each day. It's molding the bodies of everyone from Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. to Molly Simms. Patients pay $500 for the privilege of drinking vegan shakes and eating fresh organic mini-meals delivered daily.
For Hollywood types looking for a high fiber, low-fat diet with endless amounts of Wasa crackers, Dr. Howard Flaks is your guru. Studio executives, producers and actors are on the high fiber, low-fat diet. It also includes drinking eight glasses of water a day, abstaining from caffeine and especially beer: Flak's (AKA Dr. Wasa) thinks drinking the liquid bread is tantamount to committing carbicide.
Rather than curb the appetite with crackers, a nutritionist in Santa Monica tells his patients to eat 12 raw almonds instead of snacking. Managers, actresses and models are flocking to Santa Monica to meet with Phil Goglia. His plan has dieters evenly splitting up carbohydrates, protein and fat. It also allows people on the plan to drink coffee and consume a limited amount of expensive vodka each night.
For those who want something more filling there is the old cult classic, Weight Watchers, fronted by such well-known faces as Jennifer Hudson and Jenny McCarthy is still just as popular as all of these latest trends. Chalk it up to good branding and the brilliant simplicity of the name, because no matter the craze, the game remains the same: weight watching.
For more go to Beauty Undercover.