soups and smoothies!

and soup that promises to slim us down with

How flavonoids slim: According to Cassidy, preliminary lab tests hint that flavonoids help suppress appetite, block fat absorption, improve blood sugar, speed metabolism and reduce a type of inflammation strongly linked to obesity. They also seem to cause a spike in special bacteria in our digestive tracts that have been proven to set lean people apart from the rest of us. Experts say these bacteria can help us lose weight and are crucial to keeping it off permanently. Real-world wow: Struggling with hormonal problems, Trissi Jenkins, 41, found weight easy to gain and diets hard to sustain—until she tried Smith’s plan. “This is the only diet that left me energized and very satisfied,” says the Florida mom of four. “I lost 88 pounds in 11 months—and I no longer have Type 2 diabetes!” Meanwhile, Deborah Herald had been a yo-yo dieter for decades when a co-worker gave her Smith’s book. “Each morning, I packed lunch containers for my husband and myself with our smoothies and snacks for the day. It was convenient and we enjoyed it,” says the Maryland grandmother, 66. “In about eight months, I lost 65 pounds and my hubby lost 40. And we’ve maintained for more than two years. I tell people: If a postmenopausal woman who didn’t exercise at all can do this, you can do this!”