Models' Dieting Tips

Picking up models' dieting tips is an easy way to keep up with the latest fitness news and trends. Movie stars and models know all the tricks for staying in shape because they have the money to spend on personal trainers, health clubs, and any diet book they could possibly want. If you don't have that much cash, the next best thing is listen to the advice of those who do.

Models like Heidi Klum and Gisele Bundschen, along with lesser known models, have been interviewed repeatedly by journalists wanting to know what advice they have for the average person who wants to drop a few extra pounds or ten.

Here are some of the tips that come up again and again:

1. Drink plenty of water Your body needs plenty of water in order to metabolize fat efficiently. If you're active - and you should be if you're trying to lose weight - drink at least 36 ounces (about four and a half glasses) of water a day.

2. Cut back on alcohol This really is a model's dieting tip, since models attend a lot of social functions where alcohol is served. They know, though, that alcohol suppresses the body's ability to burn fat. It also dehydrates, which reverses the benefits of tip #1.

3. Increase your muscle mass Muscle, while heavier than fat, burns calories. Getting more of it is easier said than done, though. Basically, this means doing strength training exercises like weight lifting.

4. Get more "diet friendly" nutrients The first of these are the B complex vitamins, which increase energy and metabolism. Calcium can do the same, but can make you feel sleepy, so take it before bedtime. For appetite control, try getting more omega-3 fatty acids from sources like fish and nuts. Make sure you include protein in every meal, too. It helps your body build muscle and keeps you feeling full longer.

5. Let yourself cheat Yes, you read that right. Remember, models aren't "on a diet" -- they live this way. If you want to keep the weight off, you too will need to permanently change the way you eat. But who wants to give up pizza and ice cream forever? Most models don't and you don't have to either. Just keep those indulgences to a bare minimum and you'll be fine.

These may sound great, but do real models follow their own tips? Well, it turns out they do at least try. On February 18th, 2007 New York Magazine published a highly informative article called The Fashion Week Food Diaries. It listed a week-long menu followed by two models, one female and one male.

Interestingly, Japanese and Mediterranean foods come up frequently, possibly because they tend to be low cal but full of nutritious vegetables and seafood that include the diet-friendly nutrients mentioned in tip #4. Both models also commented on their occasional need for snacks, true too tip #5. Also, the models interviewed opted for many small nutrition-rich meals, rather than the "standard" three meals a day. This is another long-popular dieting tip.

Learning from models' dieting tips is a great way to pick up cutting-edge fitness information without having to spend hundreds on a personal trainer and all the latest dieting books. Just let the models spend for you, keep up with the fitness trends they follow, and you can stay in shape for a fraction of the price.