Every woman has that little black dress she can’t live without. It’s the special dress that fits every occasion – from work to play. Wouldn’t it be great to have a diet that also suits the many facets of your life? Well, you’re in luck. Two hip chicks, Robin Aronson and Melissa Clark, have put together a guide to getting the black dress body you’ve always dreamed of. In this exclusive interview, co-author Robin Aronson sits down for a chat and gives the skinny on her hot new book The Skinny: How to Fit into Your Little Black Dress Forever.

What’s The Skinny?
The Skinny is not a diet; it’s a way of eating that Melissa and I, two women who love to eat, came up with as a way to eat what you love and love how you look. It’s based on three principles: eating what you most want, eating lots of fruits and vegetables and eating reasonably sized portions. The book is filled with tips and techniques on how to do these three things.

Does living on The Skinny mean you’re doomed to a life of denying yourself?
We are not about deprivation. The Skinny evolved because I gained well over 60 pounds when I got pregnant with twins. I was over 200 pounds. Forty pounds came off quickly after about a year. I was complaining about losing the last 20 pounds to Melissa who’s a food writer and a size 2. I knew she didn’t deprive herself of food. I was already sleep deprived; I didn’t want to be food deprived too. It’s really important to eat the foods you love and not feel like anything is off limits. This gives you permission to really enjoy food.