Halle Berry, Jessica Simpson, Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Eva Mendes, Kanye West, Mandy Moore. Although the list reads like an upcoming entertainment industry awards show, its's not the. This is the client roster of one of Hollywood’s hottest personal trainers. Fitness guru Harley Pasternak has whipped more than 40 A-list celebs into stunning shape. His newest book, 5-Factor Diet, lets you tap into the same success strategies the stars use to eat healthy and stay slim.
Harley Pasternak is a celebrity in his own rights on the A List of the weight loss world. He’s the go-to guy for famous actors, actresses, singers, and rappers when it comes to getting in shape. Now, Pasternak shares his fail-safe formula in 5-Factor Diet (Meredith Books). The new release is a follow-up to his bestselling 5-Factor Fitness (Putnam).
As the title suggests, Pasternak’s approach uses five as the magic number. Five meals a day. Five components to each meal. Five ingredients. Five short workouts a week. The power of five has helped transform the lives of thousands of people, from the rich and famous to ordinary folks like you and me. This is for the person who doesn’t have a lot of time. It gives results, and that’s important.”
Why did Pasternak choose the number five? Research shows that consuming five to six meals a day helps stabilize blood sugar, he explains. Based on this data, he created a balanced eating regimen of breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack.
He believes each meal and snack should include five main components: low-fat protein, low to moderate Glycemic Index carbohydrate, fiber, healthy fats, and sugar-free beverages (like water). To make following the plan easy, his book includes mouthwatering meals to satisfy even finicky eaters.
Far from a deprivation diet, Pasternak’s menus feature spaghetti, lasagna and pizza. “Eva Mendes loves the 5-Factor French toast and pizza,” he says. “John Mayer is going smoothie crazy.”
To make his program even more livable, Pasternak allows for one “cheat day” every week where you can eat whatever you like. To give you a taste of the treats in 5-Factor Diet, we’ve included a few great sample meals below.
Serves 1
2 cups nonfat milk
1 ½ cups raspberries
1 cup strawberries
½ scoop protein powder (100% whey)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Crushed ice
Directions: Combine the milk, raspberries, strawberries, protein powder, and vanilla extract in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour over crushed ice in tall glasses and serve immediately.
NOTE: Look for 100% whey protein powder in health food stores or in the fitness section of your local market. As an alternative, use soy protein powder.
Makes: 2 servings
1 1/4 cups egg whites
3 cups broccoli florets, coarsely chopped
(NOTE: You can use any green vegetable in your refrigerator in place of the broccoli)
1/4 cup shredded nonfat cheddar cheese
4 slices whole-grain bread, toasted
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning mix
Plus
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Cooking oil spray
Directions: Whisk together the egg whites, Mrs. Dash, salt, and pepper. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat the skillet. Add the broccoli florets and cook and stir until they are bright green. Add the egg whites and cook while gently pushing them to the center with a rubber spatula. When the egg mixture begins to set on the bottom, turn it over. Sprinkle with cheese and cover the pan. Cook for 30 seconds or until the cheese begins to melt. To serve: Slide the omelet onto a plate and fold in half. Cut in half and serve with toast.
Nutrition facts per serving: 298 calories, 31g protein, 47g carbohydrate,
3g fat (0.1g saturated), 10g fiber.
Makes: 2 servings
1 1/2 cups egg whites
1/4 cup nonfat cream cheese, softened
1 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
4 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
4 slices whole-grain bread, toasted
Plus
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Cooking oil spray
Directions: Whisk together the egg whites, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat the skillet. Add the egg white mixture and cook until it begins to set. Immediately add the sun-dried tomatoes and basil leaves. Cover and cook about 2 minutes or until the eggs are completely set. To serve: Slide the frittata onto a cutting board and cut into four wedges. Serve two wedges and two slices of toast on each plate. Garnish with pepper and additional fresh basil.
Nutrition facts per serving: 353 calories, 35g protein, 55g carbohydrate,
4g fat (0.4g saturated), 9g fiber.
4 large whole-grain or whole wheat tortillas
1 cup tomato sauce
3/4 cup nonfat ricotta cheese
1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3/4 cup shredded nonfat mozzarella cheese
Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the tortillas on a baking sheet and bake for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven. Ladle half of the tomato sauce over the tortillas and spread with the ricotta cheese. Ladle on the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes and shredded mozzarella. Bake until the cheese is melted. To serve: Cut the pizzas into slices and serve immediately.
Nutrition facts per serving: 407 calories, 34g protein, 66g carbohydrate,
2g fat (0.5g saturated), 29g fiber.
In addition to following his plan for good nutrition, Pasternak stresses the importance of an effective fitness regimen. You don’t need expensive exercise equipment or a costly gym membership. You can do the portable workout he provides in his book, 5-Factor Fitness, anywhere, anytime.
“Fitness is an essential component. You increase your results by eating well, but you’ll also have great results by exercising. There’s a synergy,” he says. “The results come sooner, are more significant and last longer. I tell people to exercise a minimum of twenty minutes a day, five days a week. All you need for the 5-Factor Fitness plan is a bench and some dumbbells.”
So, next time you catch yourself marveling at a star’s amazing abs or dreaming of having her killer legs, remember: “Entertainers are no different than someone who’s a car sales man” when it comes to health and fitness, Pasternak assures. “What they have in common is that they have a limited amount of time to commit to exercise and eating properly. They both want results. In that way they’re very similar.” And 5-Factor Diet can h
