Jessica Alba has been #healthgoals since pretty much forever, and she’s repeatedly made it clear that she has a practical approach to staying healthy. Sure, she works out, but she doesn’t over do it. And yeah, she eats well, but she also makes room for treats. As the actress celebrates hitting 40, here’s her approach to wellness.
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Be healthy for the right reasons
‘As I’ve gotten older and after I became a mum, it became more of a priority to be healthy for the right reasons,’ Jessica told People. ‘It’s more important to have a balanced approach instead of trying to be perfect.’
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Start your day with a smoothie
Jessica told Byrdie that she (and her kids) like to have a smoothie at breakfast. ‘I make sure there’s plenty of fat in there with almond butter,’ she said. ‘Then I’ll use Zico coconut water. Depending on whether or not I want a chocolate one or plain one, sometimes I’ll put fruit in it. The kids love it! I like to get them shakes so I can get some protein in them. Chocolate, coconut, almond butter shakes with banana butter!’
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Don’t deprive yourself
Jessica told People she gives into what her body’s craving, with balance being her ultimate goal: ‘I have [junk] if I want it. When I do feel that I am depriving myself, I find that I binge. That’s not a balanced way to go about it.’
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Load up on organics
Not only does Jessica run a healthy, organics-focused company, but she eats organic, too. ‘More organic produce in your life is better than packaged,’ she told E!.
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Snack on popcorn
Jessica is a huge fan of this crunchy snack. ‘I love popcorn. I eat that at the office every day,’ she told Byrdie. ‘I make popcorn with Himalayan sea salt and coconut oil. That’s pretty much it!’
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Get creative on the treadmill
Jessica shared on Instagram that she has ‘bad knees,’ so she needs to mix up her treadmill time. ‘When you only have 30 min to get it in💪🏽💦,’ she wrote. ‘I have bad knees so the incline and treadmill is the only way I can 🏃🏽♀️.’
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Stay hydrated
Water is pretty crucial to staying alive and healthy, and Jessica is well aware of this. ‘I think water is essential [to good health],’ she told E!. It’s also important if you want glowing skin and high energy (and who doesn’t?).
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Sip some coconut water
Full caveat: Jessica is a spokesperson for Zico coconut water, but she really seems to love the stuff. ‘I really love the health benefits that come with coconut water,’ she told Byrdie. ‘I don’t drink a ton of other types of drinks. I drink coffee, tea, and coconut water—that’s it.’
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Limit processed foods
Jessica is big on this one. ‘Always try to have as many fresh and natural things in your diet as possible and the least amount of processed things and things that have unnatural sugars,’ she told Byrdie.
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Have a workout friend
Jessica’s Instagram is filled with photos of herself and her workout friends. ‘I really like taking group classes, or I like to work out with friends,’ she told Byrdie. ‘I’ll always work out with a friend because it’s more fun.’
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Whip out an exercise band
Resistance bands are a great way to use your body to build strength. In a recent Instagram Story, Jessica showed off a few of the tools she was using, including resistance bands for side-steps.
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Try spinning
Jessica is a big fan of indoor cycling classes. ‘I like to do some [indoor cycling] classes, group classes, Flywheel is a place I like to go,’ she told WomensHealthMag.com.
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Create an awesome workout playlist
This is crucial, Jessica says. ‘I definitely always have Drake, Jay-Z, Kanye, I have some new artists that I’ve been listening to a lot,’ she told Byrdie. ‘I like any kind of West Coast rapper—usually more hip-hop and rap and less pop music.’
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Take walks
‘If you can be active in any way shape or form, it’s always good to keep the blood flowing,’ Jessica told E!. ‘If you can just do it two or three times a week, a little bit of exercise whether it’s yoga or going for a walk or cycling class or something…go for it.’
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Push yourself
Jessica’s trainer Ramona Braganza’s best advice for her clients, per InStyle: ‘If you don’t feel the intensity then you’re not pushing yourself. If you’re on your own, use a heart rate monitor to make sure you’re training in the zone.’
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Try hot yoga
Jessica told Byrdie she’s all about this form of exercise: ‘I do like hot yoga classes, if it’s done at a good pace. I prefer it mixed in with light weights, so like a sculpting hot yoga class.’
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Check out a dance class
Jessica owned the dance floor in Honey, and she also loves to break it down IRL. ‘I like doing dance classes,’ she told WomensHealthMag.com. ‘That’s fun. Like hip-hop class, mixed with like core pilates-type exercises.’
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Work your bum
Braganza says she has her clients focus on this area. ‘The glutes are a large muscle; they often become inactive due to our sedentary lifestyle,’ she told InStyle. She has her clients make an effort during workouts to contract this area. ‘You should feel it tightening up when doing squats, step-ups, kicks and lunges. Squeeze the glutes throughout the move,’ she said.
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Mix up your running
Running long distance isn’t for everyone. ‘Sometimes I do sprint intervals just because I hate working out,’ Jessica told WomensHealthMag.com.
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Use kettlebells
Kettlebells are another versatile tool you should utilise, and Jessica is well aware. She’s showed off a set while documenting a workout on Instagram Stories.
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Enjoy what you want
‘My guilty pleasure is, like, nachos,’ she told Byrdie. ‘I’ll choose nachos before an ice cream sundae.’
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Try HIIT workouts
‘I like high-intensity workouts; I like moving around a lot,’ Jessica told Byrdie. ‘I don’t like a lot of repetition.’
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Do whatever you can to de-stress
It can be different for everyone, but for Jessica that means having plenty of family time. ‘You know, spending time with my kids kind of does take all the stress away, weirdly,’ she told WomensHealthMag.com. ‘I’m in the moment with them. They make me so happy, they’re pure joy. I know they’re not going to be little forever, so I really soak up as much as I possibly can with them. That’s kind of how I de-stress.’
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Distract yourself
Thinking about working out while you’re doing it can be a little tough, mentally-speaking. That’s why Jessica likes classes that offer a distraction. ‘Anything where I have to do something but I can get my mind off of doing it, that’s so much better for me than anything that’s repetitive. Or the music has to be loud and I have to be moving,’ she told WomensHealthMag.com.
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Create balance in your life
Having good health also means having balance. ‘Now my priorities lie in my family and in my friends, and I’ve been able since I took some time off with my first, to cultivate relationships that I never had before, and friendships,’ Jessica told WomensHealthMag.com. ‘I’m a better daughter now, and a better sister.’
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Go back to basics
Jessica loves to document some of her workouts on Instagram Stories. In one, she shared some lower-body moves, including classic squats, resistance band side steps, and intermittent cardio. Nothing fancy, but certainly effective.
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Keep moving when you’re pregnant
This mum of three hasn’t let pregnancy slow her down. She shared videos on Instagram Stories of herself slaying it at the gym while she was pregnant with her son, Hayes. Just make sure your doctor approves before following this tip!
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Work out when you travel
Jessica follows Braganza’s 321 Training Method, which is designed to get her (and other actors) camera-ready in a limited time with limited equipment. ‘My signature workout combines elements I feel are required to achieve goals of weight loss and toning,’ Braganza told InStyle. There are three cardio segments, two circuits of strength training, and one core element to create an hour-long workout.
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Don’t forget about sleep.
The secret to Jessica’s glowing skin? Sleep. Well, at least that’s part of it. ‘But really my skin looks best when I sleep—when I’m on vacation it’s perfect,’ she told Shape.
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