12 Weight-Loss Secrets From Celebrity Chefs

When it comes to whipping up delicious, diet-friendly food, Hollywood chefs know all the tricks. They have to—it's their job to help their A-list clients hang on to those amazing bodies. "For celebrities, looking good goes beyond losing a few pounds or eating well. Each of them has a multimillion-dollar image to maintain," says Frank Miller, who has been the personal chef of Halle Berry and Mary J. Blige. "The challenge lies in finding the right balance between serving them the foods they crave and the ones they need to burn fat, cut calories and get camera-ready." Check out how Miller and six other chefs do just that.

Keep things slow and gradual," says Los Angeles certified nutritionist Ariane Resnick, author of The Bone Broth Miracle, who has cooked for Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. "Make one change that you can incorporate into your daily routine, and don't make a second one until the first feels natural. For example, if you're used to having two cups of coffee a day, switch to a cup of coffee and two cups of tea, then try one and one."

"Look for vehicles to deliver as many veggies as possible—whether it's a frittata, omelet or turkey chili," Miller says. "Complex carbs keep you full, as opposed to sugar, which makes you want to keep on eating."

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"I encourage clients to eat equal parts healthy carbs and protein for breakfast," says David Silberkleit, who has worked as a private chef for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi. "One of my favorite dishes is chia porridge: Combine 2 cups almond milk, 1/4 cup chia seeds and a dash of maple syrup, and let it thicken overnight in the fridge. Chia has protein and healthy carbs, and it's high in fiber and low in saturated fat."

"Start the day with a Bulletproof version of whatever noncaloric drink you'd normally have in the morning, whether it's coffee or green tea, and turn it into a meal," Resnick says. She swears by the method, which calls for blending grass-fed butter and coconut or MCT oil into your drink. "It will cut your carb cravings and keep you full until lunch."

"My new favorite blend: vadouvan," Silberkleit says. "It's a French derivative of curry, usually made with cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, fenugreek and mustard seeds. Put it in marinades to give fish and veggies an earthy taste."

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"I'm partial to putting almond butter on apples, bananas, carrots and celery," says Lulu Powers, author of Lulu Powers: Food to Flowers and former private chef of Madonna. "It's a good way to get in some protein when you need a quick fix."

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"One of my favorite desserts is fresh berries with homemade whipped cream," Silberkleit says. "If you don't want to use a blender, buy some crème fraîche, add powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon and whisk it up."

"For me, summer cocktails scream fresh fruit," says Nathaniel Neubauer, owner of Contemporary Catering in Los Angeles, who has catered parties for Bradley Cooper. "I love Bellinis (3 ounces prosecco sparkling wine and 2 ounces fresh white peach puree). A sprig of fresh lavender adds a pretty touch—and it's edible!"

"When I was studying nutrition, I learned that if you increase your intake of good fat—avocado, for example—it will curb your craving for sugar," says James Barry, owner of the meal-delivery company Wholesome2Go, co-author of The Naked Foods Cookbook and former private chef of Mariska Hargitay. "You know what? It works!"

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"Sometimes it's OK to give in to cravings," says Chris Irving, executive chef of The Gantry Restaurant & Bar in Sydney, Australia, and former private chef of Victoria and David Beckham. "Having lived in different parts of the world, I've found that the happiest and healthiest people are the ones who go out to dinner, have a few glasses of wine and don't feel guilty about it. It's not just about having a healthy body—it's also about having a healthy mind."

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Lisa's Daily Lean + Green Smoothie is a nutritional powerhouse served up at Beaming, a small chain of organic superfood cafés in Southern California, which counts Reese Witherspoon among its customers. To make your own version, Beaming founder Lisa Odenweller recommends blending the following on high speed for about 30 seconds. Sprinkle hemp seeds on top.

3/4 cup almond milk
3/4 cup coconut water
2 to 3 Tbsp. organic plant-based protein powder
1/4 avocado
1/4 cup frozen banana, optional
1 large handful of spinach
1 tsp. maca, optional

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Best to skip these unusual eating plans.

Clay cleanse
Shailene Woodley recently touted this New Age--y detox, which involves mixing Bentonite clay (in powder form) with water, then downing it. The idea is that the clay has binding properties, glomming onto heavy metals and other toxins in your system and removing them when you poop. Sounds iffy—and it is.

Lunar diet
Followers of this plan, which is reportedly embraced by Demi Moore, believe that the gravitational pull of the moon affects the water in our bodies the same way it affects the tides. The short form of the diet is a day of fasting, drinking only water and juice during a full or new moon to remove toxins and water weight. Too bad the water poundage comes right back!

Facial analysis diet
Created by nutritionist Elizabeth Gibaud, this program uses your complexion to formulate an eating plan. Red cheeks could signal a dairy intolerance, while open pores may point to acid in your system. Kate Winslet is said to have lost weight with this diet. Most versions are low in calories, but the science behind the program is unclear.

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