We've all been there -- doing the old crash diet days before a big event, determined to make up for our sins in the last few months by erasing them with near-fasting eating habits. So I guess we can commiserate with Britney Spears amid reports that she's frantically trying to slim dow in preparation for her upcoming live performance on the popular British talent show X Factor. It will be her first time on British TV in five years.

"She goes to bed hungry and is dieting so hard she's suffering from insomnia, anxiety, flushes and shakes," says a friend close to the singer. "Her father and the people around her are trying to get her to eat more, but Britney is determined not to be criticised for having any extra bulk."

Fair enough, I guess, considering the fury she raised when she performed last year with a bit of extra padding. Still, I hope she's dieting healthfully.

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Hips are one of those weird body areas where you want a little curve, but not too much. With the right exercises, you can keep your hips toned and dead sexy. Shape magazine has three moves that target your hips. The moves all use some special equipment, so you might not be able to do them at home. But keep them in mind for your next visit to the gym.

• Side-lying leg lift. This move that works your outer hips uses an ankle cuff and a low-cable pulley.
• Machine squat. This variation on a squat, using a hip abductor machine, works your outer thighs.
• Standing side leg lift. A cuff and a low cable pulley are also used in this move that works your inner thighs and outer hips.

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Spanx and other control-top panties are considered by many to be a godsend -- they pull in the paunch and instantly slim without have to do all that pesky dieting and exercising.

But according to some health experts in the UK, control-top panties aren't quite as miraculous as we'd like to believe. Here's why: Flabby midsections are often a sign of weak ab muscles--which are harmful to the back -- and unhealthy eating habits that could lead to diabetes, cancer and heart disease. So while slimming underpants will help you look good for that big event, they're just helping you ignore an uncomfortable and potentially deadly problem -- your weight.

Hmm. A good point. Still, I think donning a pair for that high school reunion isn't the end of the world. Your thoughts?

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Actress Mariska Hargitay says chocolate and Pringles were once her go-to snacks. She's finally said "no more," though, and is on to something better.

Hargitay has developed a true love for tropical fruit, she tells Good Housekeeping magazine. Her favorites are mango, kiwi, and papaya. They remind her of Hawaii. And they make her feel light.

What's your favorite slimming food? If you don't yet have one, check out this gallery, featuring 11 snacks with less than 200 calories. I bet you can find one here.

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Is there anything more frustrating than making a real effort to lose a certain amount of weight before a big event, like a wedding or class reunion, only to come up short when the big day rolls around? But you're out of time -- what can you do? Let me tell you -- the right clothes can make all the difference.

You've probably heard of Spanx and Assets, which are great. Hey, if it's good enough for celebrities on the red carpet, it's good enough for me. However, a new line of clothing has come out, and it has what you need built right in -- ShapeFX.

ShapeFX has all kinds of slimming items designed to "make the body you have look like the body you want." They offer shaper pieces to wear underneath (they even have Shaper Shorts with a Butt Lifter!), but they also have dresses, pants, tops ... pretty much anything you would ever want to wear. And every piece has uses at least one of three approaches to slimming you down and hiding flaws: control, fabrication, and design.

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Coffee has a bad reputation. Is it the jitter-inducing caffeine content? The bitter taste that for some people makes it necessary to load it with sugar? The fact that it's often served topped with whipped cream? Maybe all of the above. But take a second chance on coffee -- it could be help you get slim.

Yes, that's right: Coffee is slimming. Regular coffee has 0 calories, so it can help curb your hunger without doing too much damage to the numbers on the scale. It also has all-important antioxidants. And even more importantly? According to AOL Body, it can help boost your metabolism for up to two hours after you drink it.

Of course, this doesn't apply to fancy, fat-laden coffee drinks at Starbucks. When grabbing your java, make sure to keep it simple: Black is best, but adding a little skim milk and splenda won't hurt. And be sure to stick to no more than one or two cups a day.

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I'm off to a wedding today and haven't yet decided if I'll wear my Spanx or not. I'm tempted to hold my not-so-perfect tummy in place with these body-shaping girdle-like undies that claim to comfortably hold every speck of skin in its proper place -- while cutting me down a size or two and erasing all pantylines -- but I might just go familiar and wear my trusty Hanes. I'm just not sure if I want to yank on these form-fitting underwear or slip easily into my usual wear and call it a day.

Think you and Spanx might be a good fit? Check out these revolutionary undergarments -- hosiery, tights, body shapers, bras, panties, and other slimming apparel -- created by Sara Blakely after she cut the feet out of her pantyhose one night so she could wear white pants and open-toed shoes. Presto! Her idea was born. Pantyhose without feet inspired her whole collection and landed this former salesgirl into entrepreneurial stardom. Seven years after her invention made it big, Blakely is raking in $150 million in retail sales and has 55 employees, 100 different styles of Spanx, four patents, and ASSETS -- a new brand at Target.

Click here to check out Sara and all she has to offer.

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For quite a while now there have been a lot of giggles and jokes happening about one of pop culture's favorite new phrases, "the muffin top". As I'm sure all of you know, but in case any of you have someone managed to not yet hear the description, a "muffin top" occurs when one wears pants with a waist-size that is too small, making their stomach spill over their belt so that their mid-section resembles the top of a muffin.

While I know a small group of people who find the muffin top attractive, as far as I know most don't and tend to snicker at the thought of it. The thing about it is, a muffin top doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how much extra weight you're carrying but it has everything to do with how your clothing fits. If you've chosen jeans or pants of an appropriate size, you shouldn't have too much trouble preventing your belly -- whether large or small -- from ballooning outward.

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If you get heartburn more than twice a week, you ought to embrace the basic tenets of a healthy lifestyle. Not only will they keep you in fighting shape, they'll solve that indigestion problem too.

Heartburn, sometimes a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can be minimized, even cured, with the right kind of exercise. Try walking, biking, swimming, yoga, and gentle weight training. Steer clear of high-impact aerobic activity -- this can make reflux more intense. And try to wait two hours after eating before exercising.

Gaining weight can also make GERD worse. A rise in your body mass index can bring on or worsen symptoms, especially if the pounds land in the abdominal region. Eating smaller portions works too by decreasing acid. Make sure to eat meals three hours prior to bedtime since symptoms are often worse at night.

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I don't know about you but for me, jeans are probably the most prominent part of my wardrobe. I wear them all the time and have probably 25 pairs, though I tend to rotate between my 5 favourites, namely the ones that hug my hips in the right places and make me look my best. We all have a pair or two of jeans that do this, and if you don't, you should.

Good news: you can find jeans that are specifically designed to tuck your tummy, lift your butt and emphasize your curves in all the right places. Plus, you can wear a size lower than normal with them. The person reviewing them says they're comfortable, and though I have never tried them myself, with lycra in the fabric they sound like they definitetly would be.

So what do you think? Have you tried them? If not will you?

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