The Karl Lagerfeld Diet

karl.jpg

Karl Lagerfeld is a fashion designer. He is currently the chief executive of design at the House of Chanel.

The world of diets is a strange one, and Lagerfeld added his contribution in 2002. After a massive weight loss of 92 pounds he decided to write his own diet book: The Karl Lagerfeld Diet.

He has managed to keep the weight off: "I eat next to nothing," he says. (from the New Yorker)

Lagerfeld's approach to weight loss is cuttingly superficial:

"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,"

But then, what kind of nutritional advice can you expect from a fashion designer?

Lagerfeld: On diet
Low fat, low-carb, low-calorie (lots of protein supplements).
Phase I: 800-900 calories per day. Phase II: 1000-1200 calories per day. Phase III: 1200-1600 calories per day.

Lagerfeld: On exercise:
"If you really want to change the look of your breasts, you will need cosmetic surgery. To tone them, sprinkle them with cold water every morning."

Let's consign this one to the bizarre bin.

More like this in Books

32 Comments

Tess

Some days a good laugh is what I need to start the day.With a foot of new snow on the ground and still snowing this is one of those days. Thanks!

Reply
Susan Parsons MD

According to the Amazon reviews, the diet was actually devised by a physician, not the designer himself. Although apparently effective, it sounds like it is only for the super motivated. I would think that it would take quite a bit of effort to turn a paunchy middle-aged couch potato into a model-thin twig. Apparently he is not into muscle building or a lot of exercise. Although calorie restriction may be life-extending, according to animal research, I would never suggest a man consume a diet as low in calories as this one – only 800 – 1000 calories a day. Metabolism, the immune system, and muscle mass are likely to suffer.

Reply
Dr.J

I think intermittant fasting, or shorter delay's of the break-fast may have real, positive effects on life extention and health in the human animal.

Reply
Brandy

The Bible recommends intermittant fasting.

Reply
Ryan

Actually, Vince Gironda recommended intermittent fasting for bodybuilders. Because of the tremendous amounts of protein foods you eat while trying to gain muscle, your digestive system can become taxed and less efficient. He also only recommend you bulk for 6 weeks at a time, after which you should go on a high-vegetable diet. This puts the body back in balance after eating an almost pure meat, egg, and milk diet.

Reply
Ryan

And, as crazy as Gironda's methods (and reasoning) sounded, he was usually right. I've found that, with someone like him, the best thing to do is just try it anyways, even if it sounds off. I usually make new progress when I do.

Reply
Mousefinger

"...sprinkle them with cold water every morning."

Um...hmmmm....I think I run in the 1200-1600 calories per day range (except on the weekends), but less than that, on a consistent basis, would be tough.

Reply
Dr.J
Ryan said:
Vince Gironda recommended intermittent fasting [...]
Well Vince may have said it before me, but The Bible was definitely before both of us :-)Reply
Jan

Well I think this diet explains why Lagerfeld looks like a zombie. I'm sure he and Rachel Zoe live on human brains alone.

Reply
Erica

Actually my friends plastic surgeon told her to ice her breasts regularly to keep them perky- it keeps the tissue constricted and helps prevent sagging after reduction/ breast lifts.

Additionally... its a diet book that it actually honest. People who are that skinny don't eat a full 2000 calories a day. They eat at or slight under their basal metabolic rate which is the minimum number of calories needed to maintain their current weight. Chances are that they eat less than 1500 calories per day and are ED-NOD.

But at least the book is honest to people about exactly how regimented being that thin necessitates.

Reply
staci

wow. what a way to teach people the true inner monologue of an anorexic person...

Reply
RedPanda

Good Lord! I think I'll just stick to lifting weights, cardio and 2000 calories a day, thanks.

Reply
LaRaine

That was the best laugh I've had in a few days...lol

Reply
susan

Erica, I know many skinny people who eat far more than 2000 calories a day -- and don't exercise.

Reply
Olives

I think that Lagerfeld is a negative man spreading a dispicable message, period.

And the entire: Low calorie diet = Life extension needs some MAJOR overhaul. I think it's pure myth like so much of the diet and fat "data" is turning out to be.

Reply
Spectra

Wow, a male anorexic writing about how to lose weight. Wonderful. Wonder if he's related to that fashion editor in one of Jim's other posts on here. Does this diet include cigarettes? Just wondering.

I like Panda's idea...stick around 2000 cals a day and work out. At least that way you can fill out clothes and not look like a hanger.

Reply
Quito
Olives wrote:

And the entire: Low calorie diet = Life extension needs some MAJOR overhaul. I think it's pure myth like so much of the diet and fat "data" is turning out to be.

:) I do think that there will be some self-selection based on his photo - ugh! - but this comment of yours hints of some research. Do you have any information against low calorie diets, or is it just a hunch?Reply
Carla

I am really suprised that any many would remain standing on 900 calories per day. My husband once dropped his calorie intake down to 1500 and he just kept fainting.

And has anyone actually seen how perky Mr Lagerfield's breasts are?? :-)

Reply
Carla

Sorry i meant ' am really suprised that any MAN would remain standing'

Reply
Lady Jo
susan said:
Erica, I know many skinny people who eat far more than 2000 calories a day -- and don't exercise.[...]
Yeah, there are skinny people with high metabolism who can eat a lot and not work out, but it's a minority of the population. And there are also skinny girls saying "they eat all they want and never work out" but when you spend a few days with them, you see they eat little, have the appetite of a bird, skip meals without even realizing it, eat tea with no sugar for breakfast...

But back to KG's diet: well, it's no newsflash, if you starve yourself, you will end up skinny eventually. And "if designer clothes matter more than health, stop eating" is a great message. Thanks, Karl.

Reply
Sunny

Karl's book--wow. Working at a women's beauty and fashion magazine I've definitely been privy to talk about model's and actress's issues with food and body image--but it's really sad that someone so integrally involved in the fashion industry would pretty much endorse semi-starving. What a backward set of values!

Reply
Jan
Sunny said:
Karl's book--wow. Working at a women's beauty and fashion magazine I've definitely been privy to talk about model's and actress's issues with food and body image--but it's really sad that someone so integrally involved in the fashion industry would pretty much endorse semi-starving. What a backward set of values![...]


Sunny, in many places in the world, nutrionists and doctors regularly prescribe 600 calorie diets to people in the healthy weight range even, and 800 calories for a woman and 1,000 for a man is considered safe enough that they can recommend it in a magazine to the general population. When I first tried to lose weight, a nutritionist put me on 600 calories a day. I lost 5lb the first month, 2lb the second, a whole lot of sleep from being so hungry, and a ton of hair.

Reply
Jim
Carla said:
has anyone actually seen how perky Mr Lagerfield's breasts are??[...]
Well... now that you ask...

Seriously tho' -- there is some strange advice out there.

Reply
Heather
Erica said:
Actually my friends plastic surgeon told her to ice her breasts regularly to keep them perky- it keeps the tissue constricted and helps prevent sagging after reduction/ breast lifts. [...]


You eat at or under your basal metabolic weight and you will be losing weight, not maintaining. Your BMR does not include the Calories burned by digestion or sitting up, much less walking around, or exercise-- which is a requirement for good health.

Reply
daven

perhaps mr. lagerfeld should stick to designing super skinny clothes for himself.

Reply
organ

I don't trust Karl Lagerfeld.

Reply
Jan
organ said:
I don't trust Karl Lagerfeld.[...]

Me neither, especially until we can see how perky his breasts are, like Carla has said. If he is right about that one, then I'll reconsider.

Reply
DWF

If he's not working out and "admits to 68" as in that New Yorker profile and is that skinny, um...ew. Please, Karl, stay clothed. Forever!

Reply
Mark

1000-1500 is not starving. Back in ye olde days, people went on just fine eating low calorie diets. If your eating alot of fruit, veges and fish, you could stock up quite alot of food in that caloric range. Most of the people claiming that you need to get up to 2000 or you "will faint", are just fat people who right off attractive people as having eating disorders to comfort themselves for their own failures.

Reply
cooly

Choirs just sang in my head Mark!!!
What you said was not only the hard core truth but the most sensible thing said yet! Everyone thinks we have to live off of 2000 calories nowadays. What that is, is a curve for all the super obese people. We can survive off of half that or even less!!! Back in the day people probably ate less than 2000cals for the whole week haha. Christians in Egypt fast for 200 days out of the year!!! The master cleanse detox has less than 800 cals in it for the day and people do that for up to 45days! The way I see it is most of you looked this up wanting to lose weight or find some sort of diet, you saw it was to hard for you, got frustrated and proceeded to bash it and everyone who is for it because YOU personally cant do it. Not cool. Yay for Mr. Lagerfeld and Mark!!!

Reply
Mark

Yeah, WRITE, instead of RIGHT.

Reply
Kailash

I took that cold water advice, in hopes of adding some "tone to my bone". Not recommended for men! Lagerfeld is a space alien?

Reply

Add Your Comment

Required (nicknames or firstnames only)
Required (never displayed)
Optional



Most comments displayed immediately - some are held for moderation. (How to get an avatar)

©2003-2008 Diet-Blog - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer