On top of making headlines for their scandalous behavior, accolades and relationship woes, celebrities often become known for their intense diet and fitness regimens—ahem, Beyoncé’s pre-Dreamgirls Master Cleanse. And while some stars go from one extreme to another to shed weight, others have really figured out how to live a balanced, healthy lifestyle.
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Here, we've rounded up some of the best tips from stars like Jennifer Hudson, Angela Bassett and First Lady Michelle Obama, among others – all whom know how to drop pounds without completely depriving themselves of some of life’s pleasures – food and festivities!
1. Eat clean. If you’ve ever wondered how Angela Bassett maintains her insane figure -- at 57-years-young at that -- the big screen veteran credits a healthy diet (duh). “I try to watch my diet so I can fit into whatever I am wearing. Cut the sugar, the alcohol, and the bread, and eat a lot of protein and veggies,” she once told Us Weekly.
2. Get excited. Kelly Rowland shed 70 pounds post baby by keeping her energy up. “Jeanette Jenkins is the secret, SoulCycle is the secret,” Rowland told "Extra" in March 2015. She added, "When I go in there and it’s the wee hours of the morning she is a great secret, so motivational.” She continued, “Jeanette comes in with so much energy and this huge smile on her face and you can’t help but to get excited about working out.”3. Know why you want to lose weight. According to Jennifer Hudson, "the key about losing weight: You have to do it for you," she once told People. "It's not about even starting the journey, it's about you. You have to want to do it. And you can't let what everyone has to say overshadow what you want for you.”
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4. Hit the weights. “You don’t have to be a weightlifter,” FLOTUS Michelle Obama wrote while guest-editing Village. “I know a lot of women get worried about muscle definition. But actually, I’ve been told by fitness experts that the average person will not bulk up on the weights that we can lift. You want to have some weight training in your routine, especially as women, to make sure we’ve got strong bone density. And it helps with that toning, those little areas that we don’t like that flap a little bit, that aren’t as tight. That’s where lifting comes in, once you’ve gotten your cardio in there.”
5. Don’t starve yourself. “I don’t believe in starving myself. I’ve never done it, and I never will,” Naomi Campbell told Shape in March 2014. “I’m even more active when I’m juicing, doing both yoga and Pilates every day.” She said her eating plan is clean, and she starts the day with hot water with lemon and an intense yoga session.
Sure, in most cases, celebs reach their weight loss goals with the assistance of personal trainers, private chefs, and maybe even a plastic surgeon or two. But that doesn’t mean you can’t practice more attainable habits to sculpt or preserve a flawless physique.