Adriana Lima Diet and Workout - Why It's Dumb to Follow This Celebrity Diet and Workout Program

Adriana Lima is without a doubt one of the most beautiful women in the world. And it's easy to understand why there's always such a tremendous amount of interest in the diet and workout program she follows to look so trim, fit and sexy.

However, this year the interest level has multiplied many times over -- especially after some details regarding the top Victoria's Secret model's liquid diet and workout regimen received a lot of coverage in the media.

But it's not smart for most women to follow the so-called underwear model diet ... especially if you want to be healthy as well as fit. So in this Hub article we're going to discuss why I think it's just plain dumb to follow Adriana Lima's diet and workout program or any other celebrity diet & fitness program making the rounds in the news. But before we do, let's examine what Adriana did this year to cause so much of a stir.

Adriana cuts out all solid foods from her daily diet 9 days before the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion and, as she revealed in a recent interview, the 30 yr. old international super model goes on a liquid diet that consists of a daily protein shake with an egg and water for the 9 days prior to the fashion show.

Beginning in August, the Brazillian beauty also works out every day. But as it gets down to last few weeks before the big show, Adriana Lima increases her work out schedule to twice a day. Not being one to spend hours in the gym doing boring cardio workouts, the Victoria's Secret model opts for high-intensity routines of boxing, exercise rope work and weight lifting.

But why?

Her rationale for following this liquid diet is that she can lose up to 8 lbs. just by eliminating solid food for the 9 days. Adriana caught a lot of criticism over this revelation from diet and fitness experts who believed her program was extreme. In her own defense, Adriana made it clear that she only dieted and worked out that way once a year to prepare for the show; the rest of the year she eats (and works out) like a normal person.

While I get the "it's only once a year" thing and I do admire Adriana for having the mental toughness to diet, not to mention train like a pro athlete ... there are problems with following such an extreme regimen.

Here are just 2 of the problems with the Victoria's Secret diet and workout:

Not enough daily calories

I don't have the numbers to back this up, but I believe the calories from Adriana's daily protein shake with an egg, weren't enough for her body. Even if it was a 600 calorie shake, it was way below her energy maintenance level (a person's maintenance level is equal to the amount of calories the individual's body needs to function while sleeping or sitting on a couch). And when you factor in the calories burned from the exercise routines Adriana was doing, the energy deficit between the daily caloric intake and calories burned was simply too large for too long a period of time. [note: fitness experts recommend a small deficit between energy consumed and energy expended through physical activity].

No recovery time between workouts

I'm a big believer in the type of high-intensity workout routines Adriana was doing (exercise rope work, lifting weights & boxing are great weight loss exercises), but her training schedule was just too aggressive and didn't give her body the time it needed to rest & recover between workouts. Without proper recovery time, you are setting yourself up for overtraining and injury.

But the bigger issue is normal, every day people following the diet and fitness routines of their favorite celebrities and movie stars.

Here are 3 reasons why following the diet, weight loss or fitness plan of your favorite Hollywood Star or celebrity doesn't make sense for most people:

1. Movie and TV stars have 2 huge advantages that you probably don't have: time and money. You work, run a business, take care of a family or have other major demands on your time that your favorite stars don't have to the same degree. They're getting paid boat loads of cash to look their absolute best for a movie role or a big televised fashion show. On top of that, big movie studios, tv production companies and record labels have the money to give your favorite entertainers access to the BEST personal trainers, gyms, nutritionists and cooks that money can buy.
2. Like Adriana Lima, the celebrity or star is training for a one-time event. After that movie, tour or show has been filmed or otherwise comes to an end, that's it and after a while they go back to the shape they're usually in.
3. The diet and workout routine you just read about online or in a fitness magazine was designed specifically just for that movie star ... not for you.

Even though internet search queries for the diets and workouts today's celebrities, stars of the big screen and television generate HUGE interest ... it's not a good idea for the average person with a family, a demanding job and/or other major time commitments to try to copy what stars, like Adriana Lima, do to get their bodies in check.