We doubt even Mick Jagger will ellicit the same amount of fan frenzy when the Rolling Stones frontman hits his 80s, but legendary Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld can still cause an instant moshpit of fashionistas to form like anarchistic flash dance mob around him. He’s as god-like as a rock star, but while the slim physiques of the music industry don’t exactly scream “pinnacles of health,” Lagerfeld has managed to keep a healthy, trim figure ever since deciding firmly on November 1, 2000, that he was going to lose 80 pounds. Yes, millennials, there was a time when Choupette’s daddy wasn’t a sample size. Doesn’t that make you like him more?
For the last 15 years and counting, Lagerfeld has kept off the weight without yoyo-ing like so many high profile stars constantly under the scrutiny of the public eye, especially in the social media era. Even the great Oprah fluctuated, but Karl has done what many household names before him couldn’t do: he mastered consistency. Even we couldn’t resist attending Uncle Karl’s first ever Toronto party (on his first ever trip to the Great White North, no less) to get a glimpse of the man who really can do anything he puts his mind to. After all, even his cat has a makeup line. That’s why the biggest names in Canadian fashion, like Jeanne Beker and Stacey MacKenzie, as well as Canada’s top fashion editors and style writers, came out to be in the presence of Chanel’s head of state. As security attempted to Red Rover the tsunami of #selfie takers from ambushing the 82-year-old, the designer settled into the VIP section, sipping Perrier from his even more exclusive side of the velvet rope. Sorry, Mick. You’re not going to look this good at 82. How does the designer do it? Here are the top five diet tips Karl Lagerfeld swears by…
1. Don’t diet because you hate how you look; diet because you’re excited about how you want to look…
If that sounds like The Secret to you, know that Karl Lagerfeld openly discussed this positive thinking strategy regarding weight loss when he began discussing his reasons for wanting to burn off 80 pounds. His reason? To wear Hedi Slimane’s Dior Homme slim-fit suits. If you can’t remember how epic Slimane’s rock n’ roll take on formal wear was at the turn of the 21st century, just think back to Pete Doherty, Slimane’s muse at the time. Lagerfeld didn’t exactly want to look like the drug-afflicted rock star who romanced Kate Moss and self-destructed in The Libertines, but he did want his inseam. A healthy body image goal in fashion? Yes, Karl can make anything happen…
2. Consider the negative effects of booze on your bod
Uncle Karl loves the party scene and wild nightlife characters (hell, he’s been in Andy Warhol movies), but he doesn’t drink, and he doesn’t smoke or do drugs. Without the calories of booze, which add up and lead to poor late-night eating choices, and the binge-eating caused by irregular drug use and smoking habits, it’s easier for him to stay consistent with his weight goals. In fact, he’s big on getting a good night’s sleep, which further aids metabolic efficiency. Booze tends to wake up drinkers in the middle of the night approximately four hours after the last consumed drink — that’s when digestion has run its course and alcohol has been metabolized into sugar, which makes like a caffeine rush through your system and alerts your brain to wake up).
3. Discuss your diet proudly…
If you say it out loud, you’re accountable. If you act excited about what you’re setting out to accomplish and not disgruntled or pessimistic, you’ll attract the energy of positive people who’s motivate you and maybe even join you for the journey. Karl didn’t shy away from talking weight loss in first-person penned stories for the UK’s The Telegraph and in any interview he did with the press. Strides of pride, man.
4. Don’t do things that bore you at the gym
That’s why Lagerfeld says he gave up in the 70s. Taking three decades off was extreme, but he’s Karl.
5. Plan your meals meticulously so you don’t slip
Lagerfeld prepped his low-fat, sugar-free diet right down to the daily snacks by making prep part of his daily rituals. 7/11 is easier to resist that way or, as the French call it, “le 7/11.”
What are some of your favourite Karl Lagerfeld diet tips? Let Vv Magazine know in the comments below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.