Doctor-Approved Crash Diets

The Can-Do Doc's Plan

Her Menu

Weight expert Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, uses fresh fruits and vegetables as her main source of carbohydrates and adds more lean protein, such as chicken and fish, to help eliminate excess fluid retention caused by too much sodium intake or fluctuating menstrual cycles. She also buys calorie-controlled frozen meals from Lean Cuisine or South Beach Diet and saves the containers to measure out her own food portions. Another solution: Replace one meal with a protein shake.

Her Moves

"I'm the ultimate multitasker," says Fernstrom. "I want to exercise and de-stress at the same time." While she'd love to take a yoga class, she just doesn't have the time, and she won't even attempt to rearrange her schedule. Fernstrom isn't a fan of anything that she won't be able to maintain long-term. Her modest but effective commitment: one 30-minute walk carrying 2-pound weights every day.

Her Motivation Tip

"Lack of shut-eye and weight gain are hugely connected, so I make sure to get seven to eight hours of rest a night," she says. "It takes a certain amount of concentration to make healthful decisions."

-- Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, director of the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center