How Gwyneth Paltrow got in shape for Iron Man 2

I marked last week’s International No Diet Day with a hard look at how I feel about my body shape’it’s a love-hate relationship that really should lean more toward the love side. I was especially inspired to reassess how I feel about dieting when I read a recent newsletter from GOOP, Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle website. The subject line reads: “The Making of Pepper Potts“‘that’s the character Gwyneth plays in the upcoming Iron Man 2 movie. In her intro, Gwyneth writes that getting in shape for the movie was an "arduous" task that involved an extreme daily workout regime and a strict diet. Here’s what she says about the limited meal plan:

"Now, I am not a good dieter and I cannot ever do it for long, only when there is a goal in sight, which there was in this case."

Note: Even gamine, glamorous celebrities can’t stick to a strict diet. Why? Because a crash diet is not sustainable. While Gwyneth might use this diet and eating plan to whip herself into superhero shape for the movies (as part of her job as an actress), even she can’t stick to Pepper Potts’ diet all the time. Now that’s food for thought. (Ha! I couldn’t resist.) What’s your take on how we view celebrity bodies? Do you hold yourself up to movie-star standards?

Related:
‘ 4 myths and truths about weight loss
‘ Why do diets stop working?
‘ How diets make you fat