Happy birthday, Beyoncé! The 32-year-old has had quite the year; from show-stopping performances and sunny vacations to her directorial debut, whatever she’s doing, Beyoncé knows how to wow. Since having daughter Blue Ivy in 2012, the singer has been hard at work on looking and feeling her best. In fact, when she debuted her post-baby body at a concert just a few months after Blue’s birth last year, she even acknowledged how hard she’s been sticking to her strict diet and exercise regime. “I had to lose 60 pounds. They had me on a treadmill. I ate lettuce!” she told the crowd. Of course, it’s a lot more than that. Here’s how Beyoncé’s philosophy has evolved throughout the years to help her stay healthy and fit.
She’s realistic: “I can’t eat what I want, and I can’t not go to the gym,” Beyoncé told Self. She also has the right outlook; she knows that there isn’t a quick fix when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. “The truth is, it’s a lot of sacrifice. It’s more about your mental strength than physical strength. You have to push yourself. It doesn’t matter what trainer you have. And it doesn’t matter what program you’re on. You have to be healthy and make the right choices,” she said.
She saves time: Beyoncé is a fan of celebrity trainer Marco Borges, who trains her using his signature Power Moves philosophy. This system helps Beyoncé save time since it relies on exercises that work several muscle groups at once. She also saves time by interval training, alternating between sprinting and running while on the treadmill, to burn more calories in a shorter amount of time.
She seizes every exercise opportunity: She may be busy, but when Beyoncé has a few minutes, she knows that she can fit in a few extra calorie-burning moves, like squats, lunges, and planks, no matter where she is. Get Beyoncé’s five-minute do-anywhere workout here.
She seeks confidence, not thinness: While being fit is part of her job, Beyoncé embraces her natural body shape. “Everyone is not supposed to be the same,” she said in a video for Shape. “Be healthy and take care of yourself, but be happy with the beautiful things that make you, you.” she said.
She has fun with her exercise: Learning those dance moves burns major calories, and luckily, Beyoncé has fun while she’s doing it. “For me, dancing is what keeps me active,” she told Shape.
She motivates herself: Whether it’s a picture of an Oscar by her treadmill or a dress she wants to fit into, Beyoncé always has a way to motivate herself to work out. And it’s no surprise that the singer uses music as one of her main workout motivations. “I’ll put on a song that I really like and do [biceps curls with] 5-pound weights [for] the whole song and just try to burn out,” she told Self. If music is an important component of your workout routine as well, try this hour-long workout set to Beyoncé’s album 4.
She indulges smart: Beyoncé may have been one of the Master Cleanse’s most famous devotees, but she has since learned from her mistakes. “There are healthier ways to lose weight — I wouldn’t recommend it,” she told Elle about the deprivation cleanse she went on when dropping weight for her role in Dreamgirls. Instead, Beyoncé eats breakfast, salads for lunch, and a “light dinner,” and allows herself a cheat day on Sundays.
Source: Fitsugar