Madonna's trainer: How to lose 20 pounds in 6 weeks

[mrs.v]

Madonna's Trainer: How to Lose 20 Pounds in 6 Weeks
Tuesday April 29, 2008
Two pounds a week is the typically advised weight loss, but pro Tracy Anderson says she has worked out a way to safely shed even faster!
“It’s perfectly healthy,” the former dancer, 33, tells Us of her plan. And the results of her regime speak for themselves in the super-fit physiques of clients Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna, not to mention her own transformation (the 5-foot mom dropped from 140 to 95 pounds).
“My formula works on everyone as long as they’re consistent,” says the trainer, who has a studio in L.A. She developed her signature strategy, to shape any body into a “teeny-tiny dancer type,” after testing 100 women for five years independently (because “the government isn’t going to fund seeing if you can get a Victoria’s Secret butt out of any woman!”).
The key, she says, is to constantly change the routine. Her students log six two-hour sessions weekly, dancing and hitting the Hybrid Body Reformer (a pulley-system machine available only in her studio, but not necessary to this plan). Promises Anderson, “You’ll keep the weight off!”
The Diet
This short-term diet “ensures you lose between 3 and 5 pounds a week,” says Anderson. The diet bans processed food, dairy and all spices (“They’re bloating and upset your digestive system, which causes you to store fat”), oil and sauces (“They’re just added calories”), discourages drinking alcohol or caffeine (sip 1.5 to 3 liters of water daily instead) and prescribes one serving of whole-grain carbs a day. Once you’re at your target weight, adopt a healthy but less restrictive diet.
Below are three weeks’ worth of menus. You can follow as is, or mix and match complete days’ menus to your liking.
WEEK ONE
Sunday
Breakfast
1 cup Kashi cereal, with ½ cup plain — or vanilla — nonfat rice milk
Lunch
3 oz grilled chicken breast — or fresh turkey breast (no deli meat!) — with ½ cup each of chopped cucumber and tomatoes
Snack
1 cup mixed berries (try raspberries, blackberries and blueberries)
Dinner
1 cup organic pasta with ½ cup steamed spinach
Monday
Breakfast
1 cup Kashi cereal, with ½ cup plain—or vanilla—nonfat rice milk
Lunch
2 hardboiled eggs with ½ cup each of baby carrots and cherry tomatoes
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled sea bass with ½ cup steamed spinach
Tuesday
Breakfast
1 cup steel-cut oatmeal made with water and ½ cup fresh blueberries
Lunch
3 oz grilled chicken breast — or fresh turkey breast (no deli meat!) — with ½ cup each of chopped cucumber and tomatoes
Snack
1 cup mixed berries (try raspberries, blueberries or red grapes)
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled salmon with ½ cup steamed broccoli
Wednesday
Breakfast
1 cup Kashi cereal, with ½ cup plain — or vanilla — nonfat rice milk
Lunch
½ cup each of fresh spinach, beet root, tomatoes and cucumbers, with 2 tsp tahini
Snack
1 snack cup of sugar-free Jell-O
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled chicken breast with ½ cup steamed spinach
Thursday
Breakfast
1 cup Kashi cereal, with ½ cup plain — or vanilla — nonfat rice milk
Lunch
2 hard-boiled eggs with 4 to 5 celery sticks and 4 to 5 carrot sticks
Dinner
1 cup penne pasta with ½ cup each of steamed spinach and chopped steamed tomatoes
Friday
Breakfast
1 cup Kashi cereal, with ½ cup plain — or vanilla — nonfat rice milk
Lunch
3 oz fresh turkey breast with ¼ cup each of cucumbers, alfalfa sprouts and beets, plus 1 slice whole-grain bread
Snack
1 cup fresh strawberries
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled sea bass with ½ cup steamed fresh green beans
Saturday
Breakfast
2 poached eggs with 3 slices veggie bacon
Lunch
1 whole-grain wrap with ¼ cup of chopped avocado and ½ cup each of chopped cucumber and tomatoes
Snack
10 to 15 red grapes
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled chicken breast with ½ cup steamed spinach


WEEK TWO
Sunday
Breakfast
2 poached eggs with 3 slices veggie bacon
Lunch
3 oz fresh turkey breast with ½ cup each of chopped cucumber and tomatoes
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled salmon with ½ cup steamed Brussels sprouts or ½ cup steamed spinach
Monday
Breakfast
1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk and one poached egg
Lunch
2 sushi rolls (about 10 pieces total) of your choice (none should include mayo, nor may you add soy sauce)
Snack
1 cup soy pudding
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled chicken breast with ½ cup steamed spinach
Tuesday
Breakfast
1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk and one poached egg
Lunch
2 celery stalks with 2 to 4 tsp almond butter
Dinner
3 to 5 oz fresh turkey breast with 1 sweet potato
Wednesday
Breakfast
1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk and one poached egg
Lunch
1 slice whole-grain toast with 2 slices veggie bacon with ½ cup each of tomatoes and spinach
Dinner
3to 5 oz grilled sea bass with ½ cup steamed spinach
Thursday
Breakfast
1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk and 1 poached egg
Lunch
2 slices whole-grain bread with 3 oz fresh turkey, 2 slices of tomato, 3 to 4 slices of cucumber and romaine lettuce, and 2 tsp mustard
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled salmon with ½ cup steamed kale
Friday
Breakfast
1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk and 1 poached egg
Lunch
1 cup quinoa with ½ cup each of chopped parsley, spinach and tomatoes
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled chicken breast with ½ cup steamed spinach
Saturday
Breakfast
1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk and 1 poached egg
Lunch
2 slices whole-grain bread with 3 oz fresh turkey, 2 slices of tomato, 3 to 4 slices of cucumber and romaine lettuce, and 2 tsp mustard
Snack
1 snack cup of sugar-free Jell-O
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled salmon with ½ cup steamed cabbage


WEEK THREE
Sunday
Breakfast
1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk and 1 poached egg
Lunch
2 celery stalks with 2 to 4 tsp almond butter
Dinner
1 grilled chicken breast with ½ cup each of chopped cucumber and tomatoes
Monday
Breakfast
1 pumpkin spice Kashi bar with 1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk
Lunch
1 cup plain penne pasta with ½ cup steamed peas
Dinner
3 to 5 oz fresh turkey breast with ½ cup each of chopped spinach, cucumber and tomatoes
Tuesday
Breakfast
1 pumpkin spice Kashi bar with 1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk
Lunch
1 cup soy yogurt with 3 to 4 celery sticks
Snack
1 cup mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
Dinner
1 cup brown rice with 3 to 5 oz grilled chicken breast
Wednesday
Breakfast
1 pumpkin spice Kashi bar with 1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk
Lunch
3 oz chopped turkey with ½ cup each of chopped tomatoes, cucumber and spinach
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled salmon with ½ cup steamed kale
Thursday
Breakfast
1 pumpkin spice Kashi bar with 1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk
Lunch
2 hardboiled eggs with ½ cup each of baby carrots and cherry tomatoes
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled chicken breast with ½ cup steamed spinach
Friday
Breakfast
1 pumpkin spice Kashi bar with 1 cup vanilla — or plain — nonfat rice milk
Lunch
3 oz grilled chicken with ¼ cup of chopped avocado and ½ cup each of chopped cucumber and beets
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled salmon with ½ cup steamed spinach
Saturday
Breakfast
2 poached eggs and 1 slice whole-grain toast
Lunch
3 oz grilled chicken breast with ½ cup each of chopped cucumber and tomatoes
Snack
1 cup mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, red grapes)
Dinner
3 to 5 oz grilled sea bass with ½ cup steamed spinach




The Workout
While following this plan six times a week, use 3-pound weights, max. Anderson explains, “It’ll get you to your tiniest, tightest point without overdeveloping muscles.” Get video footage of the workout at Tracy Anderson Method | Official Site.
WEEK 1
Make a 20-minute iPod playlist and do a different cardio activity (treadmill sprints, jumping rope, running on a trampoline) for each song. Switching activities will keep any one group of muscles from bulking up. “You should be dripping sweat and taking very few breaks,” she advises.
Get crunching! Do these three moves on a mat:
1. Lie flat on back, legs straight, then bend legs and pull to chest, feeling exertion in abs (50 reps).
2. With legs at 90-degree angle, do 50 crunches.
3. Lie with legs straight, feet apart. As you slightly lift one foot, crunch straight up and down; return foot to floor and lift the other while crunching. Do 60 times, each side.
Tone Do 100 reps each, or 200 for moves that alternate sides:
1. With feet shoulder-width apart, hold arms out in a T and rotate palms from -facing floor to ceiling.
2. In same stance, bend one wrist and pull across body, arm straight, in a smacking motion across your body. Alternate arms.
3. Then, with arms straight behind you, palms to-gether, snap your wrists from side to side.
4. Hold a 3-pound weight above your head with elbow bent at a 90-degree angle. Then lift weight straight over head. Do all reps on one side, then switch arms.
5. With weight in hand, hold one arm out in a T, bend at elbow to cover eyes, then straighten, keeping arm lifted. Do all reps on one arm; switch.
6. Do grand pliés: Stand with feet -shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out. With hands on hips and back straight, slowly bend knees until thighs are parallel to floor.
WEEKS 2–6
Increase cardio 10 minutes each week, so by week six, you’re up to 60 minutes daily, plus toning exercises.




Usmagazine.com | Madonna's Trainer: How to Lose 20 Pounds in 6 Weeks

[Grimmlok]

jesus, you must be constantly suffering from grinding hunger eating out so little and working out so much.

doesn't sound very enjoyable

[MillionDollarBaby]

ITA I dont get how these diets always suggest so much exercise & so little food, esp carbs i dont know how anybody can do it

[Honey]

Gawd I'd be starving and grumpy but at least I'd be thinner eh

Lunch
½ cup each of fresh spinach, beet root, tomatoes and cucumbers

That would not satisfy me at all

[suede]

Hmm

Mod|High carb/low fat/ low protein


For most people this is a crash diet plus exercise, so of course it will be succesful....








until they start eating again, not keep up on the 60 min of cardio and start to gain it back.

[TonjaLasagna]

Thanks for posting the Tracy Anderson diet.
I just bought 3 boxes of Kashi bars (Pumpkin Spice, 7 Grain and Almond Flax), tomatoes and organic hummus. I feel healthier already!

[sprynkles]

Not enough food here. I would not make it past lunch.
This sounds like pure hell.

[stylejunkiex]

Clearly under 1000 calories daily.

Way to go, Madge.

[KandyKorn]

I might lose some weight on this plan, but I would also lose my job and any friends I have from turning into a raging bitch

[hotncmom]

Tracy Anderson is a con artist. She scammed her customers and lied about her background. She left a ton of dissatisfied, unreimbursed customers behind after she closed her studios so she could be a starfucker. I googled her one day looking for info. on her workouts and found all this really negative stuff out there.

That said, her diet advice is bad, bad, bad. That diet above is less than 1000 cal/day and not nearly enough protein for 2-hour daily workouts.

[Lily]

I'd rather be a little heavier and nice than skinny and bitchy.

[H. Lecter]

Holy cow, a nice way to starve and feel like crap for weeks...

No thanks I better walk and hit the gym and keep my enchiladas...

[Honey]

Try Honey's diet instead:

Breakfast: Glass of water

Lunch: One Lettuce leaf

Dinner: Half a Rice Cake and 10g of cottage cheese

Now, isn't mine more exciting

Disclaimer: Do not try this diet, you will end up dead or killing someone else

[BeautifulVisions]

That's certainly not a diet I could follow for the rest of my life. I doubt if anyone can, actually. So that diet is not a good idea.

[Beeyotch]

The first dinner had me going :

Dinner
1 cup organic pasta with ½ cup steamed spinach

Are they fucking kidding me? At least throw some tofu or beans or a bit of chicken in there.

Oh and I don't see why they're even limiting spinach. 1 cup or even 1.5 cups would be fine. It's a power food, low-calories/high-nutritients and it will fill you up on fiber. They should cut out the pasta instead.