Days 'Til the Oscars: How Stars Get Fit, Fast

Healthy SELF, SELF Magazine

Jenny Everett,SELF magazine

We've all been there. You look at the calendar and think: "Holy bleep! I have to wear a dress or bikini (or see an ex) in...less than two weeks!

Naturally, you want to look and feel as healthy, lean and strong as possible. But is it too late?

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With the Oscars just nine days away (we're rooting for Natalie Portman!), you can bet a lot of celebs are having the same freakout. Of course, they have pricey personal trainers and nutritionists steering them in a slim direction. But just because you don't have the same advantages doesn't mean you can't see the same results.

We talked to trainers and nutritionists to find out the healthiest ways to shape up fast. Steal these tricks the next time an event sneaks up on you:

DIET

A major component of shaping up on a tight deadline is eating smart. Registered dietitian Keren Gilbert, president and founder of Decision Nutrition, recommends her clients build meals around natural, whole foods like oats, chia seeds and fruits (especially berries, apples, plums and grapes) and raw veggies.
She also likes hydrophilic foods, which soak up water and form a gel in your belly, helping to slow the absorption of carbs and leaving you feeling fuller, longer (i.e. less of a chance you'll binge on a calorie-laden cookie).

Related: Up Your Self-Confidence With a Killer Workout

What to avoid? Dairy, sugar and salt.

A perfect day of eating while following theses rules would be:

Breakfast: Steel-cut oatmeal with chia seeds, chopped apple and cinnamon
Lunch: A salad of celery, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots and cabbage topped with 3 ounces of grilled salmon (high in omega-3s, which trigger fat-burning) and drizzled with apple cider vinaigrette, a natural cleanser.
Snack: Raw fruits and veggies
Dinner: Take any delicious broth-based vegetable soup and throw in some raw broccolii and carrots for added hydrophilic punch.

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As for beverages, it sounds weird, but try sipping dandelion and nettle tea throughout the day. And of course, drink lots of H2O.

"This plan keeps your body well-hydrated, which in turn de-bloats you," says Gilbert. "You will go to your event feeling vibrant, clean and energized!"

FITNESS

On the fitness side of the equation, with a deadline of less than two weeks, you'll want to do something every day (while knowing your personal limits, of course -- crutches aren't the best accessory for a ball gown!)

The stars' secret: Lots of high-intensity cardio mixed with strength training to rev the metabolism, and varied workouts to "shock" the body and keep it progressing. Fat doesn't stand a chance.

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Try this nine-day plan:

Day 1:Cardio and core.
Do 20 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (run, bike, swim, whatever!) keeping a pace that's challenging enough that you can only speak in spurts of three or four words. Follow it up with an ab workout -- like this one -- that includes planks. This strengthens "deep" abdominal muscles which act as a girdle to effectively flatten that pooch.

Day 2:Cardio and upper body.
Do 25 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio, then do three to five upper-body moves (3 sets of 10 to 12 reps). Click here to build your ultimate upper-body routine!

Day 3:Cardio and lower body.
Do 30 minutes of moderate-instesity cardio, then do this strength workout, which focuses on the lower body and requires lots of reps (a proven way to get results faster!). All you need is a chair and a 5-pound set of weights.

Day 4:Cardio Intervals
"This type of training will help melt fat by shocking the body into letting go of the excess fat around the middle," says exercise physiologist Amy Dixon, group fitness manager at Equinox in Santa Monica, Calif. Here's her ultimate interval plan. You can run, bike, swim or even jump rope -- pick the one you love most (or loathe least!) and you're most likely to keep it up.

  1. Warm-up: 10 minutes building from an easy intensity to a moderate intensity (so you can hold a conversation but can only speak in spurts of three or four words.

  2. Do 10, 30-second, all-out breathless sprints, with 30-second recovery walks or jogs in between intervals.

  3. Do 10 minutes at a moderate intensity

  4. Do 10, 30-second, all-out breathless sprints, with 30-second recovery walks or jogs in between intervals.

  5. Cool-Down: 5 minutes at an easy pace


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Day 5: Yoga or Pilates DVD.
Today is about lengthening those muscles you've been working so hard. We love the Exhale: Core Fusion Collection. The 3-DVD set includes 15 short (10-minute) workouts by Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp. Their NYC classes include followers like Heidi Klum, Cameron Diaz and Kate Hudson (we took their Core Fusion class once and it was AMAZING).

Day 6: Mix it up.
Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., fitness research director at Quincy College in Quincy, Mass., researched ways to help the U.S. Air Force improve on their fitness tests, fast, and came up with this plan: Do a strength move for one minute (as many reps as possible), followed by a minute on the bike (going as hard as you can). Continue, changing up the strength move each time (the bigger the muscle group, the better) for 20 minutes.

Day 7: Cardio and upper body.
Aim for 30 to 35 minutes of high-intensity cardio (at a pace you can barely continue the entire time), followed by an upper body workout (see above).

Related: 20 superfoods for weight loss

Day 8: Cardio and lower body.
Aim for 35 to 40 minutes of high-intensity cardio, followed by a lower body workout (see above).

Day of event: Cardio + push-ups.
In the morning, do 20 minutes of interval training -- DIY based on Dixon's workout above. Then, right before you put on the dress (or bikini or whatever), get down and do as many push-ups as possible (standard or from your knees). Rest for one minute, then repeat. This will send oxygen-rich blood rushing to your arms, chest and back, adding immediate (although temporary) definition.

Stand tall with shoulders down and back with shoulder blades together and core braced. You'll look -- and feel -- gorgeous.

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Photo Credit: WWD