Jenni "JWOWW" Farley is one of the tan and toned star's of MTV's hit reality show "
Jersey Shore." As fans of the so-bad-it's-good show can attest, JWOWW (second from the left in the blue dress) isn't shy about showing off her body. On her Web site, Farley proclaims "HCG Drops are my key to keeping the weight off." And if that really is her stay-slim secret, it seems to be working, considering the amount of airtime she spends in her string bikini.
What made Farley try this weight-loss approach? "My girlfriend lost 40 pounds in six weeks on the plan. She tried everything and it worked for her. So I thought if it worked for her, it would work for me," she explained to That's Fit.
The HCG drops that Farley promotes on her website can reportedly burn 3,500 to 4,000 calories of stored fat a day, providing you follow the strict HCG Diet -- consisting of
just 500 calories a day. To be more specific about that eating regime, dieters are only allowed to consume black coffee, six ounces of lean protein, two bread sticks, two veggies and two apples throughout the day. Combine the starvation-caliber eating plan with these 'magic' drops and Farley claims you can lose one to two pounds a day.
For the record, most weight loss experts recommend that you aim to lose no more than one to two pounds
a week.
The HCG Diet is based on a 1950s discovery by ATW Simeons, M.D., who found that small doses of the HCG (Human Chorionic Gonapotropin) hormone -- a hormone that plays a role in fertility -- can decrease appetite and help dieters lose inches. But while the hormone can be effective in helping people slim down, the drops probably won't. "This isn't real HCG, which is a hormone only available by prescription and which needs to be taken by injection," said
nutrition expert Jonny Bowden, Ph.D. But Farley certainly isn't the first person to try to convince you otherwise. Fake HCG hormones have long been marketed to the masses, most notably by convicted fraudster
Kevin Trudeau.
Even with "real" hormones, however, the HCG diet is rarely used and never recommended as a weight loss plan. "No responsible doctor I know of uses it, except in extreme circumstances. It doesn't work, and any weight you lose you lose because you're eating 500 calories," said Bowden. That's a dangerously low number of calories to consume. In fact,
people have died from diets this low in calories.
Farley told us she did do some research before trying it out: "I would never put anything in my body that would hurt it. As long as you're not suffering from starvation or headaches or fatigue, it's fine."
But 500 calories is not very much -- did Farley feel like she was starving? "No, no, it's weird. You're not starving -- I would never let myself get like that," she says. "It really cuts your appetite so you don't need to eat as much." But even she admits that she's not a slave to the strict eating plan: "If you're hungry, eat!" And as for exercise, Farley says she hasn't worked out in four months. "It's not really recommended. Light exercise is good, maybe a walk, but you really don't need to work out."
While the promise of being about to flaunt a slim figure on the beach without going hungry or working out much is tempting, we're skeptical of any diets that make claims of fast and easy weight loss. If you really want to being able to walk the boardwalk in nothing but a bikini, we say stick with a sensible eating plan and get more active.
JWOWW isn't the first celebrity to use questionable methods to lose weight. Check out the gallery below to see the craziest diet stars have tried to shed pounds.
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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
Getty Images North America
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
Think the HCG Diet is bad? Check out the
Worst Diets of the Decade. Then, get some healthy tips from
real people who reached their weight loss goals. 
