Celebrity health habits that are actually worth trying - from ice baths to indoor cycling
We've rounded up a selection of celebrity health habits worth trying, from health-conscious A-listers including Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez and more...
If you're feeling nosy like us and want to know how your favourite celebrity structures their workouts, eating plans, or nightly routines, you're in the right place.
Whether it's Jennifer Aniston's workout or Amal Clooney's lunchtime favourites, we've delved into interviews to reveal the relatable health habits we could bring into our daily and weekly routines.
However, as much as it's interesting to peer into the lives of the rich and famous, we should avoid copying their habits blindly. In some cases, such as Halle Berry with her ketogenic diet, these habits have been made for specific health reasons. In other cases, they are ones that the everyday person would struggle to follow - like Gwyneth Paltrow's recommended 10 hours of sleep a night - so don't put the pressure on yourself.
Celebrity health habits that are actually worth trying
Davina McCall's sunrise alarm clock
Davina McCall is known for her love of yoga mat workouts and weight training, and the positive effect both of these can have on women going through menopause. Both of these are solid healthy habits with plenty of benefits.
However, the television host and fitness enthusiast also told Women's Health she wakes up every morning with a little help from her sunrise alarm clock. "I've got one of those alarms that starts lighting up at 6.30 and gradually lights up the room," she said. Waking up a gentle morning light can make for an easier wake-up call than a loud alarm, working with the body's circadian rhythms.
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Shania Twain's green smoothies
Speaking to E! Insider, country music superstar Shania Twain said she doesn’t restrict her diet too much because “you’ve got to live” but tries to be “very conscientious” about what she eats. One of her nutritious essentials are smoothies with raw coconut, avocado, and apple.
When she can’t get her hands on coconut water, she goes for “blueberries and almonds”, according to an interview with The Cut.
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Gwyneth Paltrow's sleep routine
We know about Gwyneth’s penchant for bone broth, but health isn’t all about what you eat. “Sleep plays such a powerful role in determining your appetite and energy levels,” she wrote in her book, Goop Clean Beauty. She says it should be the first priority.
“The lifestyle I lead is based not just on clean eating but also on clean sleeping,” she says, adding that at least seven or eight hours of sleep quality sleep is needed - but ideally 10 hours.
Getting enough sleep is so important to keep the body and mind healthy. When we sleep, vital processes like memory consolidation and muscle repair take place.
Victoria Beckham's weight training
Victoria Beckham told Grazia that she had always been “scared of weights” but after trying some strength training for herself, she now “loves” it.
“It’s good to switch things up and keep your body guessing. I’ve got so much more muscle tone now,” she said.
Strength training is one of the best exercises for women, especially those approaching the age of menopause, as it helps to maintain muscle and bone mass.
Jessica Alba's workout classes
Several times a superhero, Jessica Alba attributes her strong physique to gymnastics, martial arts, and strength training, but she told Pop Sugar she gets "bored" in the gym. So, when she’s not training for a role, to keep up motivation, she likes taking classes.
“I’m surrounded by other people and that keeps me motivated and accountable,” she said.
Olivia Coleman's circuit training
After filming wrapped up on The Favourite, Olivia Coleman lost the two stone she had gained for the role with the help of celebrity trainer Dalton Wong. She trained at his Kensington studio three times a week with 60 minutes of circuit training.
This training involves doing exercises in sequence, known as a 'circuit'. It's one of the best workouts for boosting fitness and keeping some versatility in your routine as it often contains cardio and strength training exercises.
Stacey Dooley's sushi
Stacey Dooley says she's "useless at cooking" and told The Guardian her and partner Kevin Clifton eat "a lot of takeouts". But there's one food she just loves: sushi.
"I just never get fed up of sushi: when I was in Japan, I was having tuna nigiri for breakfast every single day,” she said in the interview.
Sushi is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, essential for reducing inflammation and maintaining your heart health, and a good source of protein.
Zoe Saldana's 80/20 rule
Zoe is 80% gluten-free but she uses the 80/20 rule when it comes to other healthy habits. The rule is based around a balance of “eighty per cent food, 20 per cent bad”, she said in a Rose Roundtable video for Cinestar.
She said the rule applied to all elements of her lifestyle - including food and exercise. As the saying goes - variety is the spice of life, and having a little of what you love alongside nutritious foods is important for balance.
Helen Skelton's "green plates"
Speaking to &Breathe online, Helen Skelton said her go-to breakfast was “tomatoes on toast” but she tries to get plenty of green vegetables in where she can.
“[I also] put spinach on anything and ALWAYS have avocados in the fridge. If I have something green on my plate, I think I have been healthy.”
Kate Moss's guided mediation
In an interview with Newby Hands, the model said she meditates every morning. “I find taking these few moments to myself really helps me prepare for my day.”
While Kate says she tried lots of meditation techniques and types, she now does guided meditation. “It’s about being able to stop and be in myself,” she said.
At the beginning, she used to do 20 minutes a day and now she does 10 minutes. Either way, much like doing yoga every day, research shows meditation can encourage mindfulness throughout the day and reduce stress.
Duchess Sophie's indoor biking
We don't know a lot about Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh's exercise routine, but she's thought to stick to a workout schedule that includes running and cycling. As well as improved cardio fitness, which can help ward off many adverse health conditions, these sports boost muscle strength, flexibility, and mobility, and contribute positively to good mental health.
According to reports, she enjoys long-distance cycling and reaps all the benefits of indoor cycling with a lightweight indoor bike at home.
Amal Clooney's protein plates
In a rare interview with Vogue, Amal offered an insight into her healthy eating habits. Her personal chef serves up protein-rich foods like spaghetti with turkey meatballs, which are lower in saturated fats than pork alternatives, and chicken breast with a lemon sauce.
Both turkey and chicken are two high-protein foods that, along with regular weight-bearing exercise, can help maintain muscle mass. It's also one of the more filling nutrients, so you'll be fuller for longer.
Fearne Cotton's mostly plant-based diet
A plant-based diet has plenty of benefits - as Fearne Cotton, host of the Happy Place podcast, knows. She eats a mainly plant-based diet, allowing space for the occasional sweet treat.
She says this way of eating "makes your skin glow, your hair shine, and your body feel energised".
Jennifer Lopez's seven glasses of water
Jennifer Lopez is known for her healthy lifestyle habits - but one is super relatable. According to an interview in US Weekly with Dodd Romero, her trainer and life coach, J-Lo drinks a minimum of seven glasses of water a day. That’s equivalent to about three litres.
She also focuses on protein, vegetables, fats, and carbohydrates in her diet, as well as drinking plenty of water.
Eva Longoria's early alarms
Eva Longoria told Women’s Health US she’s “not about guilt” when it comes to food - and mentioned her love for early morning baking. “I’ll wake up early to get the dough going and make homemade bagels,” she said.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean an early night. She also told the publication she pushes lunch to the late afternoon and sometimes doesn’t eat dinner until later in the evening - around 9.30 pm.
There's no real benefit to this over a later breakfast, but sticking to a routine that works for you means you get the most from your day.
Oti Mabuse's HIIT workouts
“My body just doesn’t burn as fast as it used to. I was going from dancing - literally running, jumping, being fit all the time - to sitting behind a desk,” she told Women’s Health in a cover interview.
She does interval training - a type of workout that combines high-intensity work and short rests - along with reformer Pilates. This type of exercise isn't for everyone but it's an excellent workout for boosting cardiovascular fitness and strength, depending on the exercises done.
Meghan Markle's avocado toast
Meghan Markle reportedly loves avocado on toast. The Australian brunch classic is traditionally made with wholemeal sourdough toast with chunky avocado smashed on top, lime juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil. These are some of the best foods to have in the morning - rich in healthy fats and complex carbohydrates.
She also reportedly has a mug of lemon and hot water every morning, alongside a bowl of oats with banana and honey, and pasta salads for lunch. Green juices are also on the menu for maintaining consistent energy levels - and should she fancy a treat, she has a glass of red wine post-6 pm.
Lucy Liu's vegetarian diet
Lucy Liu was vegan for about a year, before switching to vegetarianism to allow a little more flexibility in her diet. “I can a lot of things for my son that have cheese and eggs in them, so I eat with him because he loves food,” she said in an interview with Women's Health.
Eating a vegetarian diet has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
Gillian Anderson's sugar-free diet
Gillian Anderson gave up sugar and gluten-based foods because she was drinking five cans of Coca-Cola a day.
Speaking to Jessie and Lennie Ware on the Table Manners podcast, the actress and author of Want said she was drinking the fizzy drink "for the sugar and the caffeine", so she felt had to give them up.
Cat Deeley's Mediterranean diet
“Mediterranean diet suits me. I like a little bit of everything - predominantly fruits and vegetables and a bit of protein,” Cat Deely told Harper’s Bazaar. A Mediterranean diet models itself after foods traditionally eaten in countries such as Spain and Italy. It focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, limited dairy, and limited ultra-processed foods, and has been linked to a reduced risk of many common adverse health conditions.
It works for her, she says, because she also enjoys French bread, red wine, and coffee, all of which are 'allowed'.
Claudia Winkleman's nighttime reading
“Both my mother and my father were big readers, so it’s in my blood,” Claudia Winkleman said in an interview with Irish News. “But it’s also about habit. Get into bed and pick up a book, not your phone.”
Reading, instead of scrolling on your phone, means you're not exposing yourself to so much blue light. This light type can trick the brain into thinking it's daytime, preventing the proper release of the sleep hormone melatonin.
Sienna Miller's home cooking
Home cooking is one of the simplest healthy habits you can have. Those who cook at home are more likely to eat fewer ultra-processed foods, less saturated fat, and less sugar as these aren't found typically in excess amounts in home-cooked foods.
Sienna Miller told Harper's Bazaar in 2018 that she loves cooking her own meals. “I’m more of a home cook: roasts, some Asian food, pastas and sauces and soups,” she said.
Alicia Keys's running
Multi-time Grammy award winner Alicia Keys is known to enjoy a mix of workouts and told People she finds plenty of mental health benefits in exercise. As well as doing yoga, Pilates, and indoor cycling, she runs marathons.
She ran the distance in Greece in 2007 and the New York City Marathon in 2015, one of the most popular in the world.
Jennifer Aniston's yoga workouts
We know Jennifer Aniston is a big yoga fan, having practised since at least 2005 to help build physical and mental strength. There are many benefits of yoga, with increased strength, mobility, and flexibility just three of them.
She’s also the face of Pvolve, a low-impact and high-intensity workout that strengthens the entire body.
Blake Lively's alcohol alternatives
Blake Lively is perhaps one of the most famous alcohol-free celebrities. "I don't drink. I've never tried a drug...", the It Ends With Us star told Allure magazine in 2012:
She also told People that she doesn't "like the effects of alcohol" but likes "being part of it" - which is perhaps why she launched her own range of alcohol alternatives, called Betty Buzz.
Pippa Middleton's high-energy diet
Speaking with Hello! magazine in 2016, the Princess of Wales’s sister said she preferred wholegrain, energy-fuelled carbohydrates. She also eats three meals a day and makes her portion sizes larger if she’s training for a specific event - as she was at the time of the interview.
She also eats brown rice, lentils, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. For breakfast: porridge and rye toast. These carbohydrate and fibre-rich foods are essential for maintaining high energy levels throughout the day, whether you're just going about your life or have fitness goals you're trying to reach.
Zara Tindall's diet-free eating
Royal Zara Tindall told The Sunday Times Magazine that she doesn't diet, instead choosing to "eat well" and avoid foods high in carbohydrates and "sugary" foods where possible.
Much like the 80/20 rule, aiming to eat as many nutritious foods as you can, alongside a small amount of less-nutritious foods and being free with your food choices can lead to a better, more sustainable approach to healthy eating.
Amanda Holden's active holidays
A healthy habit is one that’s maintainable even on holiday - and while Amanda Holden loves to run and workout at home, she also likes to make this part of her routine when she’s away.
“I try to swim and also fit in some yoga,” she said in an interview.
Shania Twain's tennis lessons
We’ve seen the rise of padel and pickleball in recent years but Shania likes to go old school with tennis. “I’m concentrating more on the points and having fun,” she told The Cut.
Following the birth of her two children, Amal Clooney also reportedly took up the sport.
Tracee Ellis Ross's gym workouts
If you follow Tracee Ellis Ross on Instagram, you'll be familiar with her workout routine. The star uses a combination of machines and free weights like dumbbells and barbells, as well as body weight movements in her sessions, prioritising strength and feeling good.
Now, that's a habit we can get behind!
Madonna's ice baths
Back in 2019, Madonna revealed her love for a cold water plunge on Instagram. Alongside a video of her prepping an ice bath and dancing with friends, she wrote: "With my usual ice bath for multiple injuries".
Taking an icy deep has long been associated with benefits like improved circulation, reduced muscle soreness and inflammation, and mood-boosting aftereffects.
Halle Berry's ketogenic diet
Halle Berry famously started following the ketogenic diet when she was in her 20s after she was diagnosed with diabetes. She says the diet, which isn't suitable for everyone, is "second nature" to her. Halle has also said she doesn't eat sugar.
The keto diet is based on a high-fat, high-protein approach to eating, with few to no carbohydrates.
Grace Walsh is woman&home's Health Channel Editor, working across the areas of fitness, nutrition, sleep, mental health, relationships, and sex. She is also a qualified fitness instructor. In 2024, she will be taking on her second marathon in Rome, cycling from Manchester to London (350km) for charity, and qualifying as a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach.
A digital journalist with over six years experience as a writer and editor for UK publications, Grace has covered (almost) everything in the world of health and wellbeing with bylines in Cosmopolitan, Red, The i Paper, GoodtoKnow, and more.
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