WITH ONLY weeks to go before we have to squeeze into a little black dress for the office party, who among us doesn't need every bit of inspiration we can get to lay off the chocolate and stick to a low-calorie diet?

And as no one does the little black dress look quite like our hottest celebrities, we can surely learn from their diet secrets. How do they stay so slim that they never have to battle with a reinforced zip, or rely on holdme- in-knickers?

1 Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner is often spotted at the Santa Monica farmers' market, which sells only the freshest, local, organically grown produce. She has spoken of how she has lost weight in the past: "I got rid of bagels and croissants. No more waffles. Salads with protein became a part of my life again. I knew I was gonna still have a little chocolate every single day. The point is, you can't go overboard. I know I'll just gain more back. Plus, you don't want to be this exhausted mother all the time who doesn't eat."

2 Kate Hudson

Kate's smart-eating plan includes a lot of sushi and organic food where possible. Kate was given a hard time over piling on the pregnancy pounds a few years ago and has been strict with herself ever since. "The magazines were tough on me, but I ate well and exercised," said the actress. "The weight just came off. Now I have no issues with my body. I don't have time in life to worry about it."

3 Cheryl Cole

The X Factor judge steers clear of carbohydrates such as pasta and bread. "I try not to eat carbohydrates, but I believe you should pig out once a week. I usually pig out on a Sunday because that's my hangover day," revealed the singer.

4 Jessica Alba

From the early age of 12, Jessica Alba reportedly decided to modify her diet so she wouldn't follow in the footsteps of her heavily overweight family. She eats a balanced diet and shies away from carbohydrates. Instead she sticks to a regime of lean meats, vegetables, egg whites and cottage cheese. She snacks on dried fruit and frozen yogurt to satisfy her sweet tooth.

5 Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer was reportedly one of the first celebrities to use the Zone Diet to stay in shape. She is said to have lost over a stone by adopting this diet and cutting out mayonnaise, sandwiches and fried food. Jennifer is also a yoga fanatic, which may explain why she never looks less than healthy and fit when seen in public.

6 Katie Holmes

Katie has a hectic life running around after her daughter, Suri. It seems a diet called the 'KH diet' has been named after the actress, and consists of a bowl of carrot soup for breakfast, followed by raw broccoli for lunch and dinner.

It is also reported that the actress eats steamed tofu and fish for dinner and lunch.

7 Rihanna

It's all about eating healthily and going to the gym to feel better, according to singer Rihanna.

"If you look at it that way, and not like you're trying to lose weight, then it's more successful," she has said. Her diet includes veggies, egg whites, and fruit as snacks, plus shed loads of water. "Carbs are the enemy," she insists.

- Anna Coogan