Hottest Diet Trends

Hot Diets

By Myatt Murphy

Cookie Diet

What it is: Instead of having a nutritious breakfast and lunch, dieters nibble on six vitamin-enriched, 150-calorie cookies, then eat a sensible, low-calorie dinner. The cookies themselves contain a vitamin and amino-acid mixture that blends various protein substances to control hunger, according to the diet's creator.

Does it work? Probably, but there's an obvious reason celebrities using the program may lose weight -- they're eating far less calories per day (picture only 600 calories by the time you sit down for dinner) than nutritionists recommend to lose weight safely and effectively.

The stars who swear by it: Singing its praises are the slim sirens Mandy Moore and Kelly Clarkson. The Cookie Diet was featured on Good Morning America recently, where real-woman Josie Raper showed off a slimmer figure thanks to the Cookie Diet.

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Macrobiotic Diets

What it is: This Japanese vegetarian diet relies on low-fat, high-fiber foods. Dieters shoot for eating 50 to 60 percent of their daily calories in the form of whole grains (such as brown rice), and get 20 to 30 percent from vegetables (especially the raw type), 10 percent from beans and legumes (including tofu) and having small amounts of seafood and fruits throughout the week.

Does it work? Although the diet is certainly healthier because it shies away from certain things, such as processed foods and meats rich in saturated fats, like beef or pork, some nutritionists feel it may prevent dieters from getting enough of some key nutrients, including vitamin B12, calcium and iron.

The stars who swear by it: Curvy Kim Kardashian and Madonna have both claimed they owe their physiques to going macro.

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Acai Berry Diets

What it is: Ever since it was announced on Oprah that the Brazilian acai berry was a top anti-oxidant food, dieters have been scrambling to add it into their daily regime in an effort to lose weight, look younger and ward off diseases.

Does it work? There's no question that the acai berry is extremely high in health-promoting antioxidants, but it doesn't yield any magical weight-loss benefits beyond eating other types of foods rich in antioxidants (such as blueberries or pomegranates). How this fruit gets its weight-loss reputation is because many companies are using it as the 'nutritional hook' of their low-calorie cleansing diets (which are typically too calorie-restrictive and nutrient-deprived to be healthy long-term).

The stars who swear by it: Once the berry became popular, healthy hunks including Brad Pitt and Matthew McConaughey have both been linked to praising the tiny purple fruit.

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The Master Cleanse

What it is: This liquid diet (also referred to as the Lemonade Diet) has dieters drink a combination drink consisting of cayenne pepper, lemon juice, maple syrup and water throughout the day whenever they're hungry -- instead of eating.

Does it work? It sheds the pounds, but that's because you're only getting about 600 to 1,200 calories a day. To make matters worse, there's virtually no nutritional value to the concoction, so you're not only depriving your body of calories, but many vital nutrients as well.

The stars who swear by it: Just a handful of A-listers that have used the Master Cleanse including Beyonce Knowles, Lindsay Lohan and Gabrielle Reece.

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The Lunchbox Diet

What it is: After eating breakfast, dieters fill up a lunch box with food-a mix of edibles that breaks down into roughly 60 percent vegetables, 30 percent protein and 10 percent fat and condiments -- then snack from it up until dinnertime. By grazing from the lunch box throughout the day, it's supposed to stave off cravings for bad-for-you foods and keep your blood sugar levels even -- so you store less fat.

Does it work? Walking around with a box full of healthy low-glycemic foods all day certainly makes eating healthier more convenient (if you don't mind explaining to everyone you meet why you're carrying a lunchbox!) However, one problem experts have with its approach is that it gives dieters more freedom in what they can eat for breakfast and dinner -- the two most important meals of the day, which can affect how successful you are at losing weight.

The stars who swear by it: Its biggest supporter so far has been the always-lean Cameron Diaz.

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The Baby Food Diet

What it is: Each day, dieters either consume nothing but baby food, but can throw in one to two normal meals if sticking with just the jars is too difficult to do.

Does it work? Because baby food is typically free of additives, loaded with nutrients and low in sodium to make it safe for newborns, it's certainly a healthy alternative to eat to lower your daily intake of calories. (In fact, many bodybuilders eat baby food to get lean and prepare themselves for contests.) But before you make the switch, keep in mind that trying it can get pricey -- and could be just a little bit mortifying around certain less-than-understanding company.

The stars who swear by it: Desperate housewife Marcia Cross, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston are among the starlets who seem to have no issues eating like a six-month old to drop a few pounds.

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The Biggest Loser Diet

What it is: Dieters following this program eat a certain amount of daily calories (your current body weight multiplied by 7), then split those calories up into four to six smaller meals eaten throughout the day. You can expect to eat four servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of lean protein, two servings of whole grains and one serving of extras, such as oils, dressings and sugar-free desserts. As you lose weight, you redo the math and either eat fewer calories, or, start exercising more to make up the difference.

Does it work? The program enforces a lot of healthy eating habits and encourages plenty of exercise to burn fat and rev your metabolism, so it definitely will melt away the pounds. However, some nutritionists believe some dieters may find themselves eating below 1,200 calories a day (which is what the ADA recommends for healthy weight loss).

The stars who swear by it: Famous trainers Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper are leading the charge -- plus all those former contestants who are proof the plan works.

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Detox Diets

What it is: There are many different types of detox diets -- including the Martha's Vineyard Diet and the UltraSimple Diet -- but most believe in the principle of "removing" toxins from your body by avoiding certain foods and eating others. The average detox asks dieters to avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dairy, animal products and anything that's been processed, refined or contains additives, pesticides or anything unnatural. Instead, the stars snack on organic foods, unprocessed grains and plenty of water.

Does it work? The biggest problem most experts have is that nearly all detox diets lack any credible evidence behind the numerous health claims they usually boast about. But will you lose weight on one? It's likely, but nutritionists say it's not because you're removing toxins, but because they tend to be extremely low in calories. But be warned: They also tend to require dieters to invest in other alternative methods to assist with their weight loss, such as enemas and colonics.

The stars who swear by it: Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey and Howard Stern's once-heavy sidekick Robin Quivers are all big believers in using some form of detox diet.

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Jenny Craig

What it is: This costly commercial diet company sells a line of nutritional meals, products and one-on-one consultation to its members.

Does it work? Yes. Because they offer emotional support through their counselors and their food comes in nutritionally-balanced, portion controlled meals, the program can definitely give dieters the guidance they desperately need. However, all that food and help doesn't come cheap (Think memberships fees of around $300 with meals costing roughly $10 to $15 a day.)

The stars who swear by it: All of the diet's pitchwomen, including Valerie Bertinelli, Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad and now soon-to-be svelte Nicole Sullivan, stand behind the program's weight-loss results

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The Zone

What it is: Dieters divide every meal so that 40 percent is made up of carbohydrates, 30 percent is from protein and 30 percent is from fat. This mix is supposed to help balance your hormones so your body releases less insulin, stores less body fat and is less susceptible to disease.


Does it work? It's been around for a long time because it definitely helps dieters drop the pounds, but you can thank its 1,200-1,500 daily calorie limit for that. But if you're not mathematically-inclined, constantly having to figure out exactly how every meal you eat breaks down on your plate can take the pain of dieting to a whole new low.


The stars who swear by it: Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston and Naomi Watts have all used the diet recently to stay lean for the red carpet.

Eamonn McCormack, WireImage