Kelly Clarkson Reveals How She "Dropped Weight" Fast

Kelly Clarkson is dishing on her recent weight loss. In a new interview with People, the American Idol winner and talk show host opens up about how she recently “dropped weight” after a big move with her children from Los Angeles to New York. And, you might be surprised by how making a few simple changes to her lifestyle resulted in a major body transformation. Here are the habits responsible for the 41-year-old’s weight loss.

1. Walking

After moving from Los Angeles to New York City, Kelly found that she spent a lot more time walking around the city with her children. “We go walk the dogs a few times at the park,” she told People. “Walking in the city is quite the workout.” Going for a daily walk can be a game changer in terms of exercise, especially at a brisk speed. One study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that walking at a brisk pace for about 30 minutes a day led to a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia and death, compared with walking a similar number of steps but at a slower pace.

2. Infrared Saunas

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Kelly also revealed that she indulges in self-care. She is “really into infrared saunas right now,” she told People. According to the Mayo Clinic, an infrared sauna is a type of sauna that uses light to make heat. “A regular sauna uses heat to warm the air, which in turn warms your body. An infrared sauna heats your body directly without warming the air around you,” they write. According to research, they may help with high blood pressure, heart failure, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, headache, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis.

3. Protein-Centric Diet

“I eat a healthy mix,” Kelly told People. “I dropped weight because I’ve been listening to my doctor — a couple years I didn’t. And 90 percent of the time I’m really good at it because a protein diet is good for me anyway. I’m a Texas girl, so I like meat — sorry, vegetarians in the world!”

4. Cold Plunges

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Another self-care ritual that Kelly is into? “And I just got a cold plunge because everybody wore me down,” she told People. There is limited research supporting the benefits of cold plunges, which may include easing sore muscles, bringing body temperature down, increased focus, improved sleep, and decreased inflammation, per the Cleveland Clinic. However, a 2021 study found that cold water immersion therapy promotes basic post-sport recovery.

5. The Plant Paradox Diet

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When Kelly lost 40 pounds in 2018 she attributed it to Dr. Steven R. Gundry’s book, The Plant Paradox. “It’s basically about how we cook our food, non-GMO, no pesticides, eating really organic,” she told Extra, adding that she did it for medical reasons.“I literally read this book, and I did it for this autoimmune disease that I had, and I had a thyroid issue, and now all my levels are back up. I’m not on medicine anymore because of this book,” she explained to the outlet.

6. No Weight Loss Drugs

Kelly has also denied using weight loss over the years. “Other fake news that’s going around about me is that I’ve been taking weird pills 4 weight loss or doing weird fad diets. All of this is not true. I ain’t got time 4 all that. I eat the same stuff I always have. It’s all just made w/different flours/sugars/ingredients,” she tweeted in May 2019.