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I write Stirrup Queens when I'm not reading other people's blogs, cooking, or chasing after my twins. I'm the author of two books: Life from Scratch,...
 
 
 
 

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Jennifer Aniston's Baby Food and Other Strange (and Maybe Unhealthy) Diets

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Baby food: it's not just for ... babies. Beyond nourishing infants, pureed peas are also the de rigueur dish for celebrities looking to shed a few pounds.

Jennifer Aniston allegedly learned about the diet from Tracy Anderson, the trainer who invented the idea of eating baby food in order to lose weight. It has all the benefits of a liquid diet, but because it is still solid food, has none of the drawbacks of a liquid cleanse. As Anderson explains:

Liquid cleanses do help you lose weight but you will gain more the next week. I wanted something where you can eliminate toxicity, break bad habits but still have your digestive system going. That is when the baby food cleanse was born.

It has become a heated gossip topic. Jennifer Aniston allegedly baby-foods and Reese Witherspoon allegedly baby-foods, but under no circumstances should you accuse Lady Gaga of liking mashed sweet potatoes because the woman is not. partaking. in. babyfooding.

The consuming of baby food has been used by those with anorexia as a form of portion control. The tiny jars have a preset number of calories, and for those meticulous about their caloric intake, baby food is a step up from a fully liquid diet but with stricter control than non-portioned food prepared at home.


Baby food eating isn't the only strange diet floating out there in the world of celebrity:

  • Naomi Campbell diets on a mixture of maple syrup, cayenne pepper, water and lemon juice three times a year, and consumes this drink and this drink only for weeks at a time.
  • Fergie drinks shot glasses of apple cider vinegar.
  • Jennifer Lopez sniffs grapefruit oil.

What is the strangest thing you've ever tried to lose weight? Do you think eating baby food is healthy?

Melissa writes Stirrup Queens and Lost and Found. Her book is Navigating the Land of If.

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Melissa Ford 5 pts

Someone once told me about a study that found that kids who ate pureed meats were more turned off to real meat during the preschool/early elementary school years (until they returned to real meat later). Kids who ate pureed meats were more likely to eat chicken nuggets than they were to eat a piece of real chicken. I decided not to give pureed meat because the idea grossed me out and now the kids reject chicken nuggets and only eat roasted or grilled chicken. Any weight to the study?

Melissa writes Stirrup Queens ( http://stirrup-queens.com ) and Lost and Found ( http://lostandfoundandconnectionsabound.blogspot.c... ). Her book is Navigating the Land of If ( http://thelandofif.blogspot.com/ ).

Candice Hope 5 pts

I don't think I could do it. For one, a lot of my diet is in my head, like, I need to feel mentally full. I know if I eat one jar of baby food for lunch I will not be full. The other part is, pureed meat, no thank you. If all they are after is portion control, have 4 bites of grilled chicken and a stalk of broccoli. If I can't chew my food I won't be satisfied by it. And I'll think of nothing but cookies for the rest of the day!!!

Textile Stockpile
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Melissa Ford 5 pts

Though I do love a good pureed vegetable-based soup. Like tomato soup.

It's funny how we'll call applesauce "adult food" and if it's in a small jar "baby food."

Melissa writes Stirrup Queens ( http://stirrup-queens.com ) and Lost and Found ( http://lostandfoundandconnectionsabound.blogspot.c... ). Her book is Navigating the Land of If ( http://thelandofif.blogspot.com/ ).

HeatherScent 5 pts

Ever notice they sell applesauce in big jars intended for adult consumption (or at least for older kids), but not pears or peaches or any of that other yummy fruit sauce that comes as baby food?

My mom bought me baby food well into childhood. I just loved me some pear sauce!

But fruit is where I draw the line. I can't stand the taste of cooked vegetables, let alone ones that are steamed into mush.

Melissa Ford 5 pts

Well, there are often things that can cross the line from "used" to "abused." And it's hard to know what she refers to as baby food. If I make butternut squash soup, it's a pureed soup--so is that baby food?

Melissa writes Stirrup Queens ( http://stirrup-queens.com ) and Lost and Found ( http://lostandfoundandconnectionsabound.blogspot.c... ). Her book is Navigating the Land of If ( http://thelandofif.blogspot.com/ ).

LauraLee17 5 pts

Dude. Why would you want to do something that you know anorexics use to maintain their disorder? Just doesn't seem healthy to me at all.

http://www.thepursuitofhealthyness.com

Melissa Ford 5 pts

Will you come back this winter and let us know how it goes? How you feel and whether it works for you? I'm really curious now.

Melissa writes Stirrup Queens ( http://stirrup-queens.com ) and Lost and Found ( http://lostandfoundandconnectionsabound.blogspot.c... ). Her book is Navigating the Land of If ( http://thelandofif.blogspot.com/ ).

Katy Carter 5 pts

I think they should always be done, at least the first time, under medical supervision. So your doc, or naturopath, or nutritionist should ok the length of time based on your current health. You also can't expect to run a marathon while cleansing.

As far as nutrition, I'm sure that many of us deprive ourselves of nutritive foods for many days anyway -- living off processed carbs is the American way, right? ; )

I know people that do them yearly, but usually a short one -- 3-5 days -- usually early in the calendar year. But they say it really is great in helping them 'reset' from the decadence of holiday eating.

I've not yet done one, as I've been pregnant or breastfeeding for the past few years. But my plan is to try it in January '11.

Katy @
Thought for Food ( http://katymcarter.com )

Melissa Ford 5 pts

Do you remember what he said about them? I'm curious about a cleanse that has no set time period--that you can do as long or as short as you wish.

Melissa writes Stirrup Queens ( http://stirrup-queens.com ) and Lost and Found ( http://lostandfoundandconnectionsabound.blogspot.c... ). Her book is Navigating the Land of If ( http://thelandofif.blogspot.com/ ).

laholder 5 pts

Baby food, huh? It actually makes sense to me but I'll probably try a few odd things to get those pesky couple of lbs. off. Just saw Naomi's clense details on Oprah. I remember watching Dr. Oz and him saying cleanses aren't that useful which I thought was intersting. Good post.
:)
Lindsey Holder aka The savvy assistant
www.lindseyholder.com ( http://www.lindseyholder.com )

Melissa Ford 5 pts

Not sure if these celebrities are buying jars of Gerber or making it themselves.

I just question any diet that consists of such little nutrition over so many days. One day, fine. But multiple days?

Melissa writes Stirrup Queens ( http://stirrup-queens.com ) and Lost and Found ( http://lostandfoundandconnectionsabound.blogspot.c... ). Her book is Navigating the Land of If ( http://thelandofif.blogspot.com/ ).

Melissa Ford 5 pts

I guess it's one of those can't-knock-it-until-you've-tried-it. Do you know how long she did it?

Melissa writes Stirrup Queens ( http://stirrup-queens.com ) and Lost and Found ( http://lostandfoundandconnectionsabound.blogspot.c... ). Her book is Navigating the Land of If ( http://thelandofif.blogspot.com/ ).

Katy Carter 5 pts

The baby food idea is odd. Also a bit worrisome, since it seems like it could lend itself to obsessing over calorie counts. I'd think it healthier if a person (i.e., Ms. Anniston) just pureed some green beans herself. Why does she need the jar?

I'm with momraisingboys, though -- all of the others I've heard of as cleansing diets. So people do them for a few days or even up to a couple weeks (esp. grapefruit and the maple syrup tonic), and it cleanses the liver/intestines. Then they go back to regular eating. The vinegar -- that's also something many people do daily (shots or drinking it diluted in water) to boost immunity (works wonders for a stomach bug!) or cleanse of toxins.

Katy @
Thought for Food ( http://katymcarter.com )

momraisingboys 5 pts

Someone I know just did the diet you mentioned Naomi Campbell does - the maple syrup mixture, cayenne pepper, water and lemon juice. Though, she considers it a cleanse, rather than a diet. I was skeptical, but she looks really great (not in a weight loss kind of way, but in a glowing skin kind of way). She also mentioned that her joint pains are gone.

www.RaisingBoysWorld.com ( http://www.RaisingBoysWorld.com )