Diet a la mode

Learning from Karl Lagerfeld's success

By Nicole Zerillo | Special to amNewYork

September 10, 2007

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Now pin-thin, Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld once hid his more than ample physique behind a black lace fan and tent-like, black schmatta.

With a new ready-to-wear line, a music album, and even a film soon to be released stateside ("Lagerfeld Confidential"), 73-year-old Lagerfeld has re-captured the 26-inch waist of his youth and the raves of ravenous fashionistas, who clamor to follow the effective, "Karl Lagerfeld Diet."

With the warning that "if you attach no importance to weight problems, if not being able to wear new, trendy small sized clothes does not cause you any regret, this book is not for you," Lagerfeld reproduces the diet exclusively designed for him by chic Parisian diet doctor, Jean Claude Houdret, whose handle-bar moustache and dandyish suit bespeak his methods .

Houdret's "Spoon-Light Diet" is a typical low-carb, low-calorie regimen, with protein packs and vitamin supplements, which can be found at www.sunrexparis.com. Three different levels of the diet can be followed, depending on your weight-loss goals, ranging from the vegetable heavy 800-900 calories a day phase to the more bountiful 1600 calories a day.

Taking advantage of the book's 120 gourmet recipes, I attempted Houdret's level 2 (1000-1200 calories, a day), to compel myself to try meals I would not seek out on my own, such as calf's liver with wild strawberries (216 calories) and vegetables in aspic (60 calories).

The ability to drink as much Diet Coke as I wanted, eclipsed the recommendations for the cactus extracts and horse meat (no comment).

Overall, I enjoyed the diet, if only because, unlike so many other earnest diet books, "The Lagerfeld Diet" was witty, fun, and unabashedly superficial, in the style of the best fashion magazines.

Between Karl's nonchalant interest in weight loss ("You don't have to lose weight, you want to.") and Dr. Houdret's charming dismissal of intense exercise regimens ("Forcing yourself into action won't do any good. Why not [burn calories], shopping, play[ing] the piano, or even sleeping?"), the Lagerfeld diet was an interesting week, that left me two pounds lighter and two steps closer to fashion week.

Nicole's diet, level 2, (page 93)
At breakfast: Unsweetened coffee, 1 slice whole wheat bread, thinly spread with low-fat butter. 2 very low fat, plain yogurts.

Mid-morning: Unsweetened Green tea.

Lunch or dinner: 2 protein packets, 8 ounces mixed vegetables, and 2 cups of raspberries

Mid-afternoon: Unsweetened Green tea.

Dinner: Baked rabbit spread with fromage frais, and steamed fennel with lemon.