The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets [Paperback]

Kym Douglas (Author), Cindy Pearlman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 18, 2007

Easy ways to get—and stay—slim from the authors of The Black Book of Hollywood Beauty Secrets, and their celebrity sources

How do the stars get so thin? (and how do their trainers keep them that way?) Kym Douglas and Cindy Pearlman are back with exercise tips and eating strategies from a Who’s Who of Hollywood beauties. The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets takes readers inside the fridges and out to the gyms of the stars, uncovering the daily regimens that keep celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Demi Moore, and Beyoncè Knowles in A-List shape. They’ll dish on stars’ daily diet plans and tell us how the stars bounce back after baby, stay slim after forty, drop a quick twenty pounds, outsmart a Fat Day, and see fast results from exercise. Kym and Cindy have done it again, from (A)niston to (Z)eta-Jones.

From The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets:
• Heidi Klum and Cindy Crawford eat a salad dressed with vinegar BEFORE they go out to dinner. The vinegar is an appetite suppressant.
• Oprah and Rachael Ray drink Wulong Slimming Tea
• Denise Richards, Jessica Simpson, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams all detox with So-Cal cleanse
• Demi Moore and Sharon Stone eat prunes to ease bloating AND to prevent wrinkles

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

KYM DOUGLAS is the host of the upcoming Lifetime Television makeover show, Queen, airing in October and the image consultant on The View. She appears regularly on Soap Talk, Good Day Live, Before & After’noon, and Your Weekend with Jim Brickman.
CINDY PEARLMAN is a nationally syndicated writer for the New York Times Syndicate and the Chicago Sun-Times. Her work has appeared frequently in Entertainment Weekly, People, Self, In Touch, and National Geographic among others.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Plume; Reprint edition (December 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452289041
• ISBN-13: 978-0452289048
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #595,146 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Boring & Full of Info I've Read Multiple Times Before, March 2, 2008

By 

Katharine Sullivan "Health Freak" (Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets (Paperback)

I was excited when I saw this book on the shelf, and immediately bought it. I should've skimmed it first. I would've realized that I've heard all this information many times in other books and articles. All the information was so surface-level and mundane, that I had to force myself to finish the book. Additionally, in all honesty, I really am not convinced that this book includes the REAL diet and workout plans for these big-name stars. People simply don't look as thin as these celebs do by "hiking in the hills with my dog and drinking green tea!". Either way, I don't recommend this book unless, I suppose, you're a beginner with clean nutrition and working out.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Read with Good Advice, July 1, 2008

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets (Paperback)

"We interviewed A-list stars and their trainers and nutritionists because celebs have no choice but to stay in shape; it's their job." ~ Introduction

"The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets" is a book filled with not-so-secret tips for weight loss. While it is true that you may have heard it all before (eat your veggies and protein), this book puts the tips in an easy-to-read format that is really fun to read. The tips include the basics of a healthy diet along with ideas for exercising more and more. The book begins with stars either saying they exercise all the time or that they don't at all. Are you willing to work out six times a week? There are very few stars in this book that say they don't exercise.

Have you heard that artificial sweetners make you fat? If you need more motivation not to use them this book also explains that they dehydrate the skin. One surprise is that chocolate can help you burn fat. I'm sure they mean dark chocolate. It would have been helpful if the authors had promoted "stevia" as a natural sweetener. You may also be surprised to learn about the healthy benefits of parsley and asparagus.

In the first French Toast recipe, the instructions tell you to mix egg whites in a bowl but they don't list how many eggs to use in the ingredient list. I assume they want you to use two eggs. They do remember to put in the egg whites in the second Banana French Toast recipe. Some of the stars interviewed say you should eat only egg whites while later in the book it is OK to eat whole eggs. Which is it? At times there is no consistency because everyone has a different idea on how to lose weight. It seems you have to make a decision based on the facts presented in each case.

Here are some of the items mentioned in the book (in case you want to order them along with this book - they don't give specific brands):

Original Wu-Long Weight Loss Tea Bags, 60 Servings
Itoen Tegaruni Matcha (Japanese Green Tea Powder 30 gram)
Bernard Jensen Black Cherry Concentrate Extra-Quality 16oz from Bernard Jensen
Amber Agave Nectar Syrup 16oz (100 % Pure Raw Cetified Organic)
Nature's Bounty CINNAMON 1000 mg - 100 Capsules
Bigelow Chinese Oolong Tea, Tea Bags, 20-Count Boxes (Pack of 12)
Parsley Herb 100C
Benefiber-Natural Fiber Supplement, 25.6oz 190 Servings
The F-Factor Diet: Discover the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss

So will this book help you lose weight? I think the advice on walking is encouraging as I've lost 25 pounds walking one hour a day on my treadmill. I plan to lose even more now that I have some extra tips from this book. The advice about exercise is correct as far as I can tell and the diet tips could make a difference in how you view food on a daily basis. Little changes in your lifestyle could mean a loss in weight and that is what this book is all about.

~The Rebecca Review

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally! Now I know the celebrity secrets on staying thin!, January 6, 2008

By 

Book Lover - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Black Book of Hollywood Diet Secrets (Paperback)

I am absolutely in LOVE with this book! Not only do you get a-list celebrities and their trainers spilling all their secrets but it's written in such an uplifting and comical way. It's such an easy read and I've recommended it to all my girlfriends. I love all the tidbits of Hollywood diet gossip thrown in and there are so many easy, healthy suggestions. It's my new bible!