When a supermodel, socialite or Hollywood superstar needs to lose weight and shape up fast, who do they turn to? Every celebrity's little black book contains the names of discreet body gurus who are the secret behind those incredible, super-speedy fat-to-fit miracles. Here, we reveal the names and the secrets of the UK's top get-skinny specialists...
AMANDA GRIGGS
Some of the most glamorous women in the world, including Elle Macpherson, are devotees of nutritionist and colonic hydrotherapist Amanda Griggs.
Based at the Balance Clinic, Chelsea's exclusive medi-spa, Amanda sorts out the digestion and weight problems of her many very busy celebrity clients, often getting their health and nutrition back on track after they've been travelling or working hard, by putting them on her three-day cleanse that peels off pounds and inches and eliminates bloat.
The plan involves an initial hour-long consultation, a detox diet of fresh juices, fruit and vegetables, supplements, up to three colonic treatments, and other complementary therapies such as acupuncture to alleviate cravings, or lymphatic drainage massage to speed water bloat off hips, thighs and stomachs.
According to the willowy Amanda, clients who stick to her detox plans 'end up with very flat stomachs'.
'Fat just disappears from problem areas, and it even gives your face a kind of lift,' she says. 'Their eyes look enormous and very clear.'
How much can you lose? Up to 8lb in three days.
How much does it cost? Consultation with Amanda £110, colonics £90. A package of three colonics plus consultation is £340.
Can you do it at home? No.
Contact: The Balance Clinic, balancetheclinic.com, tel. 020 7565 0333
DR DANIEL SISTER
This ageless Frenchman is a qualified doctor who, as well as being an in-demand cosmetic specialist performing the usual Botox jabs and face peels, has a special interest in hormones and weight management.
He has a starry clientele as well as huge waiting list of Notting Hill yummy mummies.
Dr Sister believes that your hormones have a huge impact both on how easily you put on weight and where you store it, and that many women have too much oestrogen in their system and not enough progesterone, which results in their gaining fat below the waist - the classic muffin top and big thighs.
Expect a full consultation and blood tests. You'll be given a personalised programme that may include hormones to rebalance your system, plus dietary advice and supplements.
He's a big fan of a carb curfew, cutting out starchy carbohydrates after breakfast. And he can mix your exercise, hormone and diet regime with treatments such as Carboxy Therapy or Smartlipo to shed even more fat with minimal effort.
How much can you lose? A dress size, and often targeted weight loss from where you most need to lose it.
How much does it cost? Weight-loss consultation, £150; carboxytherapy, £100 a session; smart lipo, £2,000 an area.
Can you do it at home? No, as Dr Sister often orders blood tests for hormone function and prescribes treatment.
Beautyworkswest.com
ELIZABETH GIBAUD
Most famous for helping Kate Winslet, Kirsty Young and Cherie Blair to shed their baby weight, this naturopathic doctor uses facial analysis and claims that examining the shape, tone and colour of the face and tongue can detect food allergies, intolerances and problems such as excess gas, yeast and dehydration.
She then devises a personal diet and supplement programme.
A typical diet may include jacket potatoes, grains, lean meat and green vegetables. Often, clients find that fruit and sugar are completely banned initially, along with tea, coffee and alcohol.
Elizabeth also runs detox retreats in Devon and France, mixing her dietary philosophy with Pilates, walking and swimming. 'I don't hold with size zero,' says Elizabeth. 'My diets are for people to lose excess weight, not their curves.'
How much can you lose? 'My average is a stone in two weeks,' says Elizabeth.
 
If the face fits: Elizabeth Gibaud uses face analysis to tailor diet and fitness regimes and helped Kate Winslet and Kirsty Young to lost their baby weight
How much does it cost? Initial one-hour consultation £99; second consultation £89. Detox retreats £150 a day, including accommodation.
Can you do it at home? No, but Gibaud can offer facial analysis from photographs for those unable to come to her London clinic.
Tel. 020 7491 7767
Short cuts: Kate Moss uses a detox plan to shape up
NISHI JOSHI
Nishi Joshi, an osteopath by training, is the darling of A-list celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Appleton, Cate Blanchett, Sadie Frost, Kate Moss, Patsy Kensit, Ralph Fiennes and Rupert Everett.
He was also a favourite of Princess Diana.
His key get- skinny regime is a 21-day detox, which he claims can 'change the way your metabolism works'. Clients are put on a non- dairy, wheatfree, gluten-free diet banning all alcohol, sugar, tea, milk, coffee, red meat, potatoes, tomatoes and even most fruit except bananas.
What's left? Mostly grains, raw and steamed vegetables, eggs, chicken and fish. He also prescribes herbal supplements, colonic irrigations, acupuncture to remove sugar cravings, and weekly sessions of reflexology.
How much can you lose? A stone and a dress size in six weeks.
Cost? £180 for a first consultation with Joshi, plus £120 for subsequent appointments.
Can you do it at home? You can try Dr Joshi's Holistic Detox - 21 Days To A Healthier, Slimmer You - For Life.
Thejoshiclinic.co.uk; tel. 020 7487 5446
THE FOOD DOCTOR
Models who want to stay sample size without compromising their health flock to the Holland Park clinic of nutritionist Ian Marber - better known as The Food Doctor. Top agencies recommend him to their models, and Claudia Schiffer and Leona Lewis are said to have been spotted at the clinic.
 
Model behaviour: Claudia Schiffer and Leona Lewis are said to have sought advice from Ian Marber who tells his clients to eat more not less
Marber specialises in sorting out digestive problems, such as bloating and IBS, and weight management. He says he is sceptical about the overdiagnosis of food intolerances and offers 'practical and appropriate, low-GI food plans that can be followed for life'.
Clients, he says, usually eat too many carbs, too much sugar, and not enough lean protein. 'I constantly tell people to eat more, not less,' he says.
'For example, a shop-bought Caesar salad may sound high-protein, but it's usually very little chicken and lots of croutons. I tell my clients to add a pot of cottage cheese and some pine nuts.
'You should also eat every two-and-a-half to three hours. This keeps blood-sugar levels stable and helps you make better food choices.'
How much can you lose? At least a stone, and one or two dress sizes in six weeks.
How much does it cost? First session £125; £95 for subsequent sessions.
Can you do it at home? The Food Doctor's Ultimate Diet (Dorling Kindersley, £14.99) contains a diet plan, shopping guide and the Food Doctor's key principles for weight loss.
Thefooddoctor.com tel. 020 7792 6700
POSITIVELY SLIM
Television presenter Emma Freud, wife of director Richard Curtis, is one of the celebrities and yummy mummies who swear by a six-week, personalised, women- only weight-loss course based in London's Kensington.
The course aims to mix diet education, exercise and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) to retrain your mind and body for 'enjoyable and life-lasting weight loss'.
Devised by yoga teacher and nutritionist Charlotte Watts, fitness trainer Charlene Hutsebaut and NLP expert and hypnotherapist Dr Kerry Halliday, the course starts with a home visit and includes 17 hours of personal training and advice.
All clients receive Biotyping, which looks at body composition to identify the right foods and exercise to suit their metabolism, plus books, a take-home yoga and exercise kit and e-mail support between sessions.
How much can you lose? 'If you stick with it and you have it to lose, at least a stone and a dress size in six weeks,' says Charlene.
How much does it cost? £695 for a six-week course.
Positivelyslim.com; tel. 020 7372 7468
THE BODYDOCTOR
David Marshall - aka The Bodydoctor - is the superstar personal trainer responsible for the astonishing physical transformations of Sophie Dahl, Rachel Weisz and Lily Allen.
He has worked with Myleene Klass and helped Kate Moss get back in shape post-baby. He is constantly in demand to get flabby actors in six-pack shape.
 
Six week wonder: David Marshall slimmed Rachel Weisz down from a size 12 to a size 8 and helped Myleene Klass lose her post-pregnancy baby weight
'When I needed to get in shape for a film, he took me safely down from a size 12 to size 8 in just six weeks,' says Weisz. 'David's programme has made me amazingly fit, and much smaller.'
Marshall is most famous for his six-week plan, which in just three 90-minute oneonone sessions a week can completely reshape your body. They involve a mix of cardio (fast, uphill walking) and a carefully planned series of 22 safe, effective exercises using free weights to work the whole body.
He also advises eating a low sugar, low GI diet, and giving up wheat to boost results.
How much can you lose? David promises weight loss of up to a stone, plus you can drop three dress sizes, and five inches from your waist in six weeks.
How much does it cost? £85 per session for one-to-one tuition.
Can you do it at home? Yes. The book The Bodydoctor (Thorsons, £14.99) includes details of his regime. You can also download the 22 exercises onto your iPod, or buy the book plus a complete tutorial DVD for £50 via the BodyDoctor website.
Bodydoctor.com Tel. 020 7586 6222.
DR JEFFREY FINE
The fashion in-crowd have a secret to slipping into a smaller size - a three-week course with the Harley Street doctor Jeffrey Fine.
After a full medical examination, Fine prescribes a tailored, high-protein, low-fat diet in which, to begin with, no vegetables are permitted and only citrus fruits are allowed. He will also prescribe vitamin and mineral supplements, but, unlike some other diet doctors, never dangerous diet drugs.
Fine believes our bodies are not designed to cope with vast amounts of carbohydrate, and that eating more protein and less stodge can be a highly effective way to improve health, as well as reducing your weight.
The regime is tough, but the results can be dramatic.
How much can you lose? Some lose as much as two or three dress sizes. A stone in three weeks is not unusual.
Can you do it at home? It's not advisable to follow such a drastic diet without medical supervision.
Cost? £160 for the course, which includes supplements.
Tel. 020 7636 7661
BODYISM
At Bodyism, a South Kensington gym that is so discreet only members know the address, personal trainers James Duigan and Dalton Wong work with a clientele that includes superstar actors, celebrities and even royalty.
Their Body Oracle system includes an initial 40-minute assessment of clients' hormone profile by looking at fat distribution, plus a movement assessment to discover areas of physical weakness.
Clients then receive a report containing their hormonal profile, exercise and nutrition and supplement plan, plus a 30-minute follow-up appointment and report.
Most Bodyism clients follow a 12-week plan which includes the Body Oracle Assessment, with a reassessment done every two-three weeks to monitor progress, three personal training sessions per week, and a nutrition and lifestyle plan.
They are also likely to find themselves sent text messages at home, with friendly reminders to stay on the straight and narrow.
How much can you lose? Says Dalton: 'We focus on fat loss and on creating lean muscle to boost the metabolism. Most clients lose around 8 per cent of their body fat in four weeks.' In 12 weeks, clients can drop two or three dress sizes.
How much does it cost? Body Oracle, £250; follow-up appointments £200; 12-week plan, £6,000. Personal training rates from £100 per hour
Bodyism.com; tel. 020 7581 1234.
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