Beyoncé to Jennifer Lopez: their best workout and diet tips

By Carli Whitwell

From veganism to barre workouts, celebrities have tried everything to create and maintain their perfectly fit physiques, and we've got all their secrets. We've enlisted the help of celebrity trainers and nutritionists to give you the lowdown on how to kick your workouts and eating habits into high gear this summer following the lead of some the biggest stars like Beyoncé, Chrissy Teigen, Gigi Hadid and Jennifer Lopez.


Beyoncé

Photo: Getty Images

All-star workout: Queen B’s exercise program is quite low-tech. She posted an Instagram video of her workout circuit – standing side crunches, sit-ups with a medicine ball, jabs with weights, side step-ups and lunges.

How it works: Marco Borges is the genius behind Beyoncé’s program; his Power Moves target shoulders, hips, elbows and knees all at once to engage the entire body. This interval training (a burst of exercise followed by a short rest) equals a smarter workout. Because of the high-intensity component, the body will burn more calories throughout the day to recover, says Greg Hetherington, owner of Fuel Training.

Celebrating the 5th anniversary of Let's Move! #GimmeFive @michelleobama 

A video posted by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on


Try it at home: That’s easy! Just follow Beyoncé’s video. Greg suggests incorporating a circuit into your workout three times a week.

Fuel up: After challenging herself to go vegan for three weeks, Beyoncé is taking the diet worldwide with her new 22 Days Nutrition, a plant-based home-delivery meal service. If you’re vegan and want to hit the gym, the biggest challenge will be to stabilize your blood sugar, says nutritionist Meghan Telpner. Make sure you get enough protein – think beans, legumes and organic tofu – and balance carbs with vegetables, fats and fibre. Another good reason to up your protein intake is if you don’t have enough in your system. “You might be breaking down muscle as opposed to building it up [while working out],” says Meghan.

Chrissy Teigen

Photo: WireImage

All-star workout: We felt like giving John Legend’s model wife a hug when she posted a photo of her legs on Instagram with the caption “Stretchies [stretch marks] say hi.” We also love how honest she is about the work that goes into maintaining her curves, courtesy of barre class Physique 57. “I’ve never been so sore in my life,” Chrissy told Shape of the program, which actress Emmy Rossum loves, too.

How it works: Physique 57 workout combines barre work with cardio and resistance training using a technique called interval overload (muscles are fatigued using body weight, an exercise ball or hand weights) and then stretched by isometrics (muscles are under tension but not moving, i.e., wall sits). Creators Jennifer Vaughan Maanavi and Tanya Becker tell HELLO! you can see results in eight classes.

Try it at home: The program has DVDs, but Greg says you can incorporate its isometric benefits into workouts with wall sits, planks, back extensions and handstands. Hold the plank for 70 seconds a side, the back extension for 120 seconds and the rest 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat up to four times.

Fuel up: Keep limbs looking lean by eating fewer carbohydrates and upping healthy fats. “Fat is what makes us feel satiated,” says Meghan. “That can curb snacking and cravings.”

Gigi Hadid

Photo: Getty Images

All-star workout: The model can hold her own in a boxing ring thanks to New York’s City Gotham Gym. “Boxing’s been great for me because it’s my new sport and it’s something I can get better at,” Gigi told Vogue.com of the whole-body conditioning workout with a competitive edge. (Toned shoulders, here we come!)

How it works: Trainer Rob Piela crafts individualized workouts for each of his A-list clients ( Cara Delevingne and Kendall Jenner are fans), featuring rounds in the ring – three minutes of activity and one minute of recovery – interspersed with strength training using body weight as resistance.

Photo: Instagram/@gothamgym

Try it at home: Channel your inner Rocky by jabbing the air for 20-second intervals, followed by a 10-second rest, for a total of 10 minutes, says Greg. For an added burn, carry one- to two-pound weights while punching. He suggests skipping to work the heart.

Fuel up: To ensure the nutrients you need will be in the bloodstream, not the stomach, eat an hour before class, choosing healthy carbs found in vegetables and whole grains (we love quinoa) along with good-for-you fats (the kind in walnuts or flax, hemp and chia seeds as well as avocado, coconuts, lean meat and fish). Carbs contain glucose, one of the quickest sources of fuel for the body, says Meghan. Count on the fats, meanwhile, to bring out your inner Energizer Bunny to help you dodge those punches! “It’s a slower, more steady type of burning energy,” she says. “It’s also a key source of fuel for the brain. You want to be sure your brain is being fueled so you can anticipate your opponent’s movements.”


Jennifer Lopez

Photo: Getty Images

All-star workout: Jennifer Lopez seems to be aging backwards! There’s no magic potion, says the mother of two. She simply “makes time for the things that make you feel good, like good nutrition and exercise,” she told Shape. Her go-to workout is the Tracy Anderson Method, beloved by Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham.

How it works: Tracy’s aerobic and strength-training classes combine dance moves with low-weight, high-repetition exercises that are switched up every 10 days.

Photo: Instagram/@tracyandersonmethod

Try it at home: Greg recommends complementing the program (available on DVD and streaming) with a strength-training program that includes fewer reps and moderately heavy weights (that you can lift no more than 12 times) to build muscle. Variety is advised, he adds. “If you do the same thing over and over again, your body will get used to that.”

Fuel up: Jennifer recently teamed up with wellness brand BodyLab to create a line of female-friendly protein powders and supplements without creatine (it can mess with hormones). Meghan suggests avoiding protein formulas with soy; these tend to include a lot of artificial ingredients to mask the bitter taste of processed soy. Since Tracy’s workouts require the room to be slightly warm – she believes a warmer body works smaller muscles – be sure to replenish electrolytes post-workout with a mix of lemon juice, sea salt and honey.

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