Why Jennifer Lopez Still Eats Dessert
What does JLo eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? The singer/actress/performer gives us the scoop. (Photo: Corbis/Emmerson)
Jennifer Lopez is one of the few who has dominated the dancing, singing, and acting worlds, becoming one of the most recognized faces in the industry. While the 45-year-old’s style and projects have evolved over the years, one thing that’s remained constant is her incredible body.
Her secret to eating well? Not depriving herself of food that she wants, but being mindful and eating in moderation.
“I still have dessert — I might have a chocolate chip cookie, but just one,” Jennifer tells Yahoo Health. “I’ll have a little bit to satisfy my craving.“
Jennifer grew up in a family that “enjoyed a lot of Latin foods like breaded chicken with rice and beans,” she adds. “Throughout the years, I learned the importance of maintaining a healthier lifestyle and diet. I still enjoy eating those foods, but now I do it in moderation.”
To keep up enough energy to do the million things on her to-do list, Jennifer tells us that she eats frequently throughout the day — and she starts her days quite early.
Related: 10 Ways to Boost Your Energy Naturally
“I usually wake up between 6 to 7 a.m., when my kids come into my room, and I’ll spend time with them before I have to leave for work,“ says Jennifer, who also recently launched the weight-loss product company BodyLab. For breakfast, she usually has a smoothie from her company line that’s made with berries, yogurt, lemon, cinnamon, and protein powder. Lunch is typically salad, and then she snacks throughout the day on something healthy like fruit. “And I always try to be home to have dinner with my kids. We eat lots of lean protein and vegetables,” she says.
Aside from balanced eating, Jennifer says it’s important to nourish her mind and soul as well. "Before I leave my bedroom in the morning, I do a combination of meditation and positive affirmations,” she says. “It is important to work on yourself from the inside out. I get a massage every now and then, too.”
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Jennifer’s goal now is to help women find a healthy lifestyle that works best for them. "I know there are a lot of women out there struggling and I want them to have a support system,” she says. “Sometimes the hardest part of a diet and fitness plan is staying motivated.” That’s what she says is behind BodyLab’s #BeTheGirl challenge, which provides participants with fitness tracking tools online or via app, as well as healthy recipes. (You can sign up here for the free challenge by June 7.)
"It is not just about losing weight, it’s about toning up and getting healthy,” Jennifer says. “My parents and family taught me to love myself and never let others define how I should look.”
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