Natasha Henstridge Says She Damaged Her Body With Diets

by Jacki Donaldson (Subscribe to Jacki Donaldson's posts)
Jun 2nd 2009 3:00PM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment

Quick-fix diets and wonder weight loss pills might seem innocent enough, but they're not, says actress Natasha Henstridge, who reveals that yo-yo dieting has done long-term damage to her body.

"My body's definitely gone through a change since coming off all the crazy yo-yo stuff," says the 34-year-old actress, whose body is a lot more curvaceous now than it was in the 1995 sci-fi thriller "Species." That was one killer bod. Unfortunately, there was just nothing natural -- or healthy -- about it.

Henstridge says Hollywood drove her to take drastic measure to be skinny. "There's always pressure in this business to stay thin to the degree that I've done some things that probably weren't the smartest things in the world," she says about taking over-the-counter diet pills and Chinese herbs, which ultimately slowed her metabolism and caused her to gain weight.

"Those things have a huge effect on your metabolism and all of a sudden, when you decide to go clean and healthy, things are changing in your body because you've done a little bit of damage," says the mom of two, who is clean and healthy now -- she keeps active with mountain biking and boot camp workouts, and she was recently spotted with fiancé Darius Danesh taking a trapeze class.

Check out the gallery below for more extreme celebrity diets.

Unhealthy Celeb Diets

It's no surprise that skipping meals is one extreme way some celebs lose weight. But the article claims that Paris Hilton starves herself because she was once spotted in a Manhattan restaurant drinking Red Bull and water instead of ordering a meal. We'd love to see Paris gain some weight, but skipping a meal does not equal a pattern of starvation. Bottom line: Extreme calorie-cutting may work in the short-term but sending your body into starvation mode usually means overeating (and weight gain) is just around the corner.

John Parra, WireImage.com

Britney Spears gets called out for taking Adderall, a drug used in treating attention-deficit disorder. Adderall abuse is certainly on the rise and one reason is its side effect, loss of appetite. Because the drug can act as an appetite suppressant and Britney takes it, the article concluded she uses it as a diet aid. Bottom line: Take prescription drugs as directed by your doctor. Why? Adderall's other side effects include addiction, depression and psychosis.

Toby Canham, Getty Images

Mary-Kate Olsen gets a smackdown for her coffee-habit. The article claims Hollywood is in the grips of a trend where stars drink the caffeinated stuff to boost metabolism and suppress appetite. while Mary-Kate is often photographed with coffee, we're not sure how much she consumes or how it figures into her weight control. Peterson's scary story about a starving star who drinks coffee instead of eating has nothing to do with Mary-Kate. Bottom line: While drinking coffee can result in a slight metabolism increase, you'd get a better boost (and fewer jitters) from exercising more and cutting a few calories from your diet.

Marcel Thomas, FilmMagic.com

Once photographed jogging with weights in both hands, Teri Hatcher is labeled an overexerciser. We're in total agreement that this TV star is borderline skeletal and that running with weights is a no-no, but the since we didn't talk to her (and neither did their reporter), we can't comment on whether her exercise routine is unhealthy or not. We do know that we'd like her to put on a few pounds. Bottom line: Exercise is key for weight control and overall health, but when it rises to the level of obsession -- an increasing problem -- it's time to seek professional help.

Eric Charbonneau, WireImage.com

Jared Leto is on the list for using the Master Cleanse to lose the weight he gained to play Mark Chapman in the new film "Chapter 27." Peterson tells a horror story about a client (not Leto) who got sick using the juice fast. We don't disagree that the diet is sketchy; if used for more than a few days, it can be outright dangerous. Bottom line: Liquid diets should only be used when under a doctor's care.

Steve Granitz, WireImage.com

Marcia Cross has been very honest about the pressure in Hollywood to be thin, and was recently quoted saying, "It's like they pay me not to eat." Maybe that's why she was spotted by an "insider" drinking juice in a restaurant while her husband ate a full meal. Bottom line: Many celebrities may feel their jobs rest on how they look, but a lot of stars aren't going to diet extremes. Need inspiration? Look to the celebs losing weight the right way.

Charley Galla, WireImage.com

The fact that Lindsay Lohan was found in possession of cocaine doesn't mean she's thin because of drug use as the 'Daily News' would like you to think. We certainly can't make a case for Lohan being a responsible person with good judgment considering her recent trouble with the law but we won't jump to conclusions about how she maintains her weight. Bottom line: Using drugs won't necessarily make you thin. It's never a good idea to use any illegal substances.

Tony Barson, WireImage.com

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Comments (11)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

laprns 6-03-2009 @ 7:08AM

If your kids let their friends making fun of you then your weight isn't your biggest problem. You con-artists always try to appeal to the insecure and lonely ones in any group. Get a real job.

LnLn33 6-03-2009 @ 7:10AM

"Temperance," wrote the apostle Paul, "in all things."
Blue Kentucky Girl

Zhanas 6-03-2009 @ 7:46AM

LISTEN UP PEOPLE! HEAR ME ON THIS!! The Yo yo diets did not do her in... her belief system did. Having a good diet and balancing it out with a good exercise regiment will keep the weight off. (unless you have underlying health issues). People who take diet pills and do nothing else are courting disaster. Looking skinny without being healthy is a recipe for disaster. Our bodies slow down as we age so we have to pick up the pace and supplement ourselves with smart choices, using the correct supplements work but like anything else you can abuse everything. Including exercise!... done in excess it too can damage you just like dieting without having the proper understanding of how the body processes new information. The wrong dieting deprives your body but you can eat smaller portions using wiser food choices cut out the fat, fried processed sugary chemical laden foods and you've won half the battle.

Roxy 6-03-2009 @ 10:08AM

I have a friend who is 90 lbs, does not cook or eat and certainly does not for her two children either. She counts their calories. If it were not for her breast implants, she would look even more emaciated than she already is. Her ex left her for a younger woman but one who has a sexy figure like the woman in this article. Not all men are pedophiles that are attracted to grown women who want to look like 8 year old girls and have this psychological disorder. How many men are there that have this same mental disorder that want to starve to death alongside the skeletal remains of a woman.

mysay 6-03-2009 @ 10:49AM

If you don't need pills or shakes - why are you trying to sell us rapid thin?

rachael 6-03-2009 @ 10:58AM

why are there all the advertisements for diet pills on this article??

the whole article is about how they damaged your body!

Wendi 6-03-2009 @ 11:45AM

There are very few people that need pills and they need to be under a doctor's care while on those pills. All most of us need is a good healthy way of eating. That's 3 nutritious meals and 3 healthy snacks a day, every day. Combine that with a little physical activity and you can have a healthy body. All these shakes, pills, diet and exercise plans are just businesses out to make money off of other people's pain.

Berina 6-04-2009 @ 11:35PM

Everyone has 2 understand that no pill will ever make you lose weight because if any diet pills actually worked there wouldn;t be so many different kinds and no matter what the outcome of any diet pill is...In the end it will just distroy your body and do a lot of damage to it.Its very simple and clear If you want to lose weight all you have 2do is excersize....And when i say excersize i don;t mean do it for 2-3 weeks steady and great workouts and after that starting to make excuses for missing your workouts....It has 2be your own decision and lifestyle that you are willing to change for!!!Because as you get older your body changes and what your friends do won;t necesarely work for your body..becasue everyones body is different and has a different reaction to things....So eat healthy,,,,don;t count on diet pills and escersize for your won self....and the results will be worth it...But remember this has to be something that you are willing to change for and do no matter what....No more excuses!!

Allison 6-05-2009 @ 8:49AM

Enough with the dangerous pills already!

Girls, read Debunking Diet Myths: 10 Truths About Weight Loss

http://www.curiousread.com/2009/05/debunking-diet-myths-10-truths-about.html

FLLady 6-05-2009 @ 1:13PM

BooHoo, she didn't know. Of course it hurts your body & didn't do much for her brain either. Nothing will replace eating sensibly & exercise. Another has-been...