Ashanti in Bathing Suit Knows "Real Coconut Does Wonders"

Ashanti is hydrating in Miami, and doing it right. “Real coconut water does wonders,” she captioned the photo from the Ritz Carlton South Beach. How does the superstar, now 41, stay so fit? Read on to see 7 ways Ashanti stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

1. She Says Life is All About Respecting Yourself

““If you are confident in being who you are as a woman, it’s about respecting yourself,” Ashanti said, according to Black Doctor. “If you believe strongly in who you are, you can do it. You can be sexy and be sensual and be pro-woman and be a boss and be a feminist. There is a difference between being provocative and trashy.”

2. She Works Our Hard

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“Energy,” Ashanti once wrote. “When u been in the gym 33days and you’re eating fries tonight!!!” A good gym workout can help you stay fit. “Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week. To provide even greater health benefit and to assist with weight loss or maintaining weight loss, at least 300 minutes a week is recommended. But even small amounts of physical activity are helpful. Being active for short periods of time throughout the day can add up to provide health benefit,” says the Mayo Clinic.

3. She Has Cheat Meals

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You need to “have balance, you have to eat clean and you have to work out,” Ashanti once told People. However, she believes “you have to allow yourself at least two cheat days so that it doesn’t become too strict.”

4. She is Aware of What She Puts Into Her Body

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““I cut out a lot of meat,” she said. “I think again, self-health and self-awareness are so important. All of that stuff is so important to maintaining your body, knowing what’s in your food, the GMOs and the chemicals, and I’m super aware of this stuff….I feel like it’s very necessary to just be aware of what you’re eating,” she told People.

5. She Has a Trainer

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“I have a trainer and we try to go five days a week when I’m home and then when I get to another place, he’s texting me a workout or he’ll FaceTime me and say, ‘Are you still in the bed?’ We try to keep it going,” she told People.

6. She Hydrates

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Ashanti is right about coconut water. “For an active person who engages in high heart rate activity daily, coconut water can be a great way to replace fluid and electrolytes lost through sweat and carbohydrates that were burned as an energy source,” says our sister site Eat This, Not That! “When compared to a traditional sports drink, coconut water is made with far fewer processed ingredients while providing much of the same benefit, which is a plus. However, any calorie-containing electrolyte drink—natural or not—is most beneficial during and after exercise and should not be a main fluid source elsewhere throughout the day.”

7. She Has Done Colonics

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“I’m going to be honest with you. This may be TMI but a great colonic does wonders. Wonders, I promise you,” confesses told Black Doctor. “Colonics and squats and cut out fried foods.” Adds the site: “A colonic is the infusion of water or other liquids into the rectum by a colon therapist to cleanse and flush out the colon. It is also called colonic hydrotherapy or colon irrigation.”