Lose weight the A-list way

By Becky Taylor

Bikini season is here - words no normal woman is ever pleased to hear after a winter spent tucking into Krispy Kremes and pasta bakes. When it comes to stripping down to a two-piece though, the A-listers never seem to have any trouble pulling out all the stops and grabbing headlines with their toned, flab-free bodies. We found out what exactly their secrets were for getting beach-body ready, so that you can get a little extra help achieving the figure you want this summer...

Kelly Brook

When unflattering bikini shots of Kelly emerged of her looking more curvaceous than usual earlier this year, she threw herself into an intensive fitness regime and liquid detox diet. With the help of her super-fit rugby player boyfriend, Danny Cipriani, Kelly gave up alcohol and undertook a juice and vegetable detox combined with daily workouts to shed the pounds. Looking at her in this red hot bikini, it\'s safe to say the diet did its job without getting rid of those trademark curves.

Cameron Diaz

Unlike many celebrities Cameron\'s weight has always remained constant, mainly due to her high metabolism and active lifestyle. She\'s regularly spotted surfing, a great form of exercise that burns over 200 calories an hour, and she is said to be a devotee to the lunchbox diet which involves grazing on healthy snacks throughout the day. Check out our review of the lunchbox diet here.

Hayden Panettierre

OK, so the girl\'s still a teenager so she has age on her side to keep her figure looking great, but the Heroes star reportedly still has to watch what she eats to keep her natural curves from taking over. Her secret is a strict portion control system called the quarter rule which involves eating a quarter of your main meal, then waiting 20 minutes before you eat another quarter and so on. This gives the body enough time to digest food properly and can lead to you eating 210 fewer calories a day!

Mel B

Mel B has always been known for her athletic body but since starring on Strictly Come Dancing and landing a contract with lingerie giant, Ultimo, the ex-Spice Girl\'s body has never looked better. Sporting an incredible six-pack, Mel B does 600 sit-ups every other day on top of daily workouts to her Totally Fit fitness DVD along with hikes with hubby, Stephen Belafonte. The star has a healthy attitude when it comes to her diet and tucks into grilled fish or chicken with vegetables and gravy. And to keep her stomach looking flat, she skips on the salt and butter, opting for healthy olive oil instead.

Eva Longoria

Eva looks as hot in her bikini here as she does on the set of Desperate Housewives. She owes her naturally slim figure to not depriving herself of certain foods and keeping everything in moderation. \"I\'m not obsessed with my diet,\" says Eva. \"I love fish and vegetables, but I love my cheeseburgers and pizza, too! Everything in moderation is fine.\" Before you turn green with envy, Eva apparently did hire a personal trainer and hit the gym hard when she saw the abundance of lingerie she would have to wear to play the sexy character Gabrielle in Desperate Housewives. Thank goodness for that!

Elle Macpherson

She isn\'t known as \'The Body\' for nothing and if there\'s one figure we could steal it would be supermodel turned businesswoman Elle Macpherson. It isn\'t just good genes which keep Elle\'s figure in check though, she relies on hefty amounts of fish oil which helps to burn fat and suppress the appetite, keeping her weight down. Sounds great but we\'re not so sure about the fishy smell!

Cindy Crawford

Looking at Cindy Crawford\'s slim, toned figure, it\'s hard to believe that she\'s in her 40s. The supermodel owes her trim body down to eating healthy snacks regularly during the day so she doesn\'t get too hungry at meal times and pig out. She also stays away from dairy products, which contain a lot of fat, and does regular circuit training sessions to work different muscles in her body.

Geri Halliwell

Geri\'s weight has fluctuated over the years and the ex-Spice Girl has admitted that she has struggled with an eating disorder in the past in order to maintain a size 8 figure. Since going on tour with the Spice Girls though, Geri emerged looking better than ever with a healthy, toned figure following daily yoga workouts and a healthy balanced diet. Geri was so worried about falling ill on the Spice Girls tour and letting her fans down that she stuck to eating huge amounts of garlic. Bet the Spice Girls tour bus smelt great after that!

Lindsay Lohan

What with her turbulent relationships and fluctuating weight, Lindsay is rarely out of the headlines and, since emerging from rehab in 2007, her figure has gradually shrunk before our very eyes. The star is reportedly back on track, ditching the Starbucks for plenty of green tea and swapping fast food for sushi so she can maintain her trim figure without giving up essential nutrients and vitamins.

Denise van Outen

Denise Van Outen is always the first to admit that she has trouble keeping her weight down, especially as she gets older. The 35-year-old star recently embarked on a healthy-eating regime to get her bikini body in shape when unflattering photos emerged last year of her looking decidedly chubbier. After a few months eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and cutting back on the carbs, the star has never looked better. \"I\'m happy with my body and feel confident about getting into a bikini this summer,\" says Denise. \"Like any woman, there are things that bother me. I could do with losing some weight from the tops of my legs and if I overindulge I do get a bulging tummy.\" To keep her figure in check, Denise does regular 20-minute bursts of exercise which fit in around her hectic work schedule.