Here’s Exactly What J.Lo Eats in a Day—But Is It Healthy? – Cooking Light

Whether you know as Jenny from the Block or lately as Joanna Gaines’ new BFF, you know J.Lo. The triple threat is currently filming a movie, hosting World of Dance, getting ready for her first concert tour in almost seven years, and planning a wedding. And she looks killer doing all of it. I’ve come to believe she’s like a fine wine that just gets better with age.

What’s the secret to that six pack at 49, you ask? Well, the team at Good Housekeeping took a deep dive into Lopez’s eating habits so we could all know her tips. Having a personal trainer obviously helps, but she can attest most of her results to a seriously clean diet.

Now I’m not even mad she looks better than me at almost 50 years old, because that girl deserves it. Here’s exactly what Lopez eats in a day:

Breakfast

  • Protein shake with berries, Greek yogurt, honey, cinnamon, and ice OR
  • Oatmeal with berries

J.Lo is a girl after my own heart and likes to kick off her day with something sweet. We like to think she’d love our Ultimate Healthy Breakfast Smoothie, resembling her own recipe, and we hope she’s stumbled upon The Only Basic Oatmeal Recipe You’ll Ever Need, because, really, it is!

I can definitely get behind a smoothie or bowl of oats for breakfast. But she doesn’t drink coffee—or caffeine of any kind—and I’m just not there yet. But it doesn’t seem to hold her back!

Lunch

  • Kale salad with pumpkin seeds, crumbled queso, minced shallots, and a lemon juice-olive oil dressing OR
  • Salmon salad with zucchini, bell peppers, broccoli, and a “drizzle” of vinaigrette

I’m down for a hearty salad every once in a while, but either of those would be pretty tough for me to eat every single day. It’s very admirable, as she is making it that much easier to get her five servings of veggies in each day—but chances are she probably strives for even more.

I think she’d be all about our Supercharged Kale Salad and, if she’s willing to step up her dressing game, our Pan-Sauteed Lemon-Garlic Shrimp Salad with a fab Avocado-Herb Dressing.

Snacks

  • Handful of nuts
  • Fresh fruits and veggies

J.Lo says she eats a handful of nuts every day and always keeps fresh fruits and veggies on hand for herself and her kiddos. I think it’s safe to say her 11-year-old children are probably healthier than most of us.

Dinner

  • Lean protein (she loves all kinds of meats and seafood), veggies, and a complex carb like brown rice or sweet potatoes

Lopez opts for an early, light dinner, which is supposed to be much better for your digestion and sleep quality. She shoots for 6:30 p.m. for family dinner, and yes, her kids eat this too. That aside, this meal sounds great, and I’m glad there’s a celebrity out there who still eats carbs.

I know she’d just love one of our Clean Eating Recipes for Weeknights or one of our stellar 400-Calorie Dinners that prioritize protein, whole grains, and veggies!

Dining Out

  • Salad
  • Fish and vegetables

Man, I would not want to dine out with J.Lo (OK, I take it back!). Not only is she guaranteed to order the healthiest option on the menu every time, making you automatically feel bad for choosing the fries over the salad for your side, but she avoids alcohol as well.

Turns out, she’s on to something with the no-booze thing. There are plenty of studies coming out about the adverse effects of alcohol, and she’s definitely better off without it. Plus, she would probably help me spot the wisest option on the menu, and restaurant meals can be full of sneaky calories, fat, salt, and sugar.

Indulgences

  • Chocolate chip cookies
  • Chocolate chip ice cream
  • Cake

J.Lo  definitely has a sweet tooth, and these are her go-to treats when she’s having a craving. Celebrities, they’re just like us! But I do appreciate she doesn’t “indulge” on a gluten-free, vegan, paleo energy bite or something like that. Just like in life, she goes BIG. And she can certainly afford to!

We have over 100 cookie recipes and dozens more cake recipes—The Ultimate Decadent Chocolate-and-Cream Layer Cake, anyone?—to enjoy guilt-free alongside a balanced diet.

Final Thoughts

I reached out to our Cooking Light and EatingWell’s Nutrition Editor, Lisa Valente, MS, RD, to see what she thinks about J.Lo’s diet. Here’s what she thought:

“It sounds like she has a healthy approach to her overall diet but also works really hard to take care of her body,” Valente said. “But I love that she enjoys the indulgent foods she loves—in moderation—and doesn’t deprive herself. Getting in complex carbohydrates like fruit, oatmeal and sweet potatoes also give her important vitamins, minerals and fiber in her diet.”

While Valente doesn’t necessarily recommend J.Lo and A-Rod’s 10-day no-sugar, no-carb challenge that went viral on social media a few months back, she thinks this less restrictive (but still super healthy) diet plan is much more reasonable.

However, blindly eating whatever someone else eats in hopes of better health (or, let’s face it, rockin’ abs for summer), is not always your best bet. Listening to your body’s individual needs and consuming foods that are both healthy and enjoyable to you is much more sustainable than trying to follow a rigid diet.

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