Kelly Rowland is starting the week off with an attitude! The singer-songwriter and actress shared a new video clip to Instagram on Monday, showing off her phenomenal figure in a tropical print swimsuit and matching robe, looking amazing for the 41-year-old mother of two. “Walking into the week, in my @tracyjamescollection like…..” she captioned the sassy clip. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 6 ways Kelly Rowland 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 Doesn’t Diet
Kelly explained to PopSugar that she approaches diet with moderation, trying to eat healthy without being too restrictive. "I never like to say 'diet'," she explained. "I like to say 'eating clean', and you know, listening to your body, and knowing what your body responds to." Eating right can really be about making simple swaps, eating the foods you love, and taking just a few days a month to drill down on your weight loss. One study in the American Journal of Public Health demonstrated just how ineffective most weight-loss programs are. In the study, researchers looked at 280,000 people over 8 years and found that the chances of an obese woman attaining a healthy weight was just 1 in 124; for men, it was an even more discouraging 1 in 210. And worse, 1 in 3 of the participants were found to experience weight cycling—where their weight decreased, then increased again. The researchers went on to say that our current system of traditional weight management programs “is not working for the vast majority of obese patients.”
2. She Enjoys Exercise
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One of Rowland’s secrets to staying fit? She actually enjoys exercise. "I like working out," she told HollywoodLife.com. "I genuinely love working out. I love the way I feel when I'm working out. I love the fact that I'm taking the time to pour back into myself. Workouts for me are a time for [myself] and I get to pour back into myself and I love that." "We know 150 minutes each week sounds like a lot of time, but it’s not. That could be 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. The good news is that you can spread your activity out during the week, so you don’t have to do it all at once. You can even break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day. Learn more about finding a balance that works for you," says the CDC.
3. She Does Pilates
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Kelly is such a big Pilates devotee that she has her own workout DVD. "For keeping my abs together, basically after I had my son it was super tough on my body. I definitely do Pilates. It just keeps the core tight, brings the abs in, the breathing, it's just fantastic,” she told Health. "The current drive behind core conditioning comes in part from studies conducted in the 1990s showing that before they move an arm or leg, people with healthy backs (in contrast with those suffering from low back pain) automatically contract their core muscles, especially the transverse abdominal muscles, which wrap from the sides of the lower back around to the front," says Harvard Health. "Experts concluded that well-coordinated core muscle use stabilizes the spine and helps create a firm base of support for virtually all movement. The role of the core is also central to the Pilates method, a series of exercises developed during World War I to help rehabilitate soldiers returning from the war. Its founder, Joseph Pilates, referred to the core as the 'powerhouse.'"
4. She Strength Trains
Rowland is also big into strength training. She is one of the many stars who trains at The Dogpound. “No pain ... No gains 👊🏽 LET’S GOO!” the gym captioned a photo of Kelly, taken from one of her many workouts. Here's a fat-burner from trainer Mark Langowski: "Seated medicine ball twists. 30 reps. Grab a medicine ball, 5lbs to 20 lbs, depending on your strength. Sit with your knees bent and heels on the ground. Hold the medicine ball with both hands in front of your abdomen. Make sure that you engage your stomach muscles and now in a controlled but athletic fashion, turn your shoulders so that the ball lowers and touches the floor, now turn your shoulders and bring the ball to the other side. Continue twisting without stopping until you’ve touched the ball to the floor 30 times on each side."
5. She Eats for Her Blood Type
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Kelly revealed to Body and Soul that she tries to eat according to her blood type. "Right now I'm eating for my blood type, which means lots of vegetables and fish," she said. That being said, she allows herself to indulge. "I'm a southern girl, so sometimes I treat myself to burgers and bacon." No matter your blood type, foods like grilled chicken, broiled salmon, sautéed shrimp and cubed tofu (protein foods that have nothing added, except perhaps a minimal amount of fat for cooking)—are terrific for you. So too are vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats like olive, canola, avocado and walnut oils, plant-fat rich foods like avocados and olives, and nut and seed butters like peanut butter, almond butter and tahini. (But as with any packaged food, make sure you’re looking for the lowest possible amount of sugar.)
6. She Follows the 80/20 Diet
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dKelly told Body and Soul that she abides by the "80/20" rule when it comes to health and wellness "Eighty percent of the time I eat the things my body needs, and 20 percent of the time it's wine or chocolate," she explained. "So many people make strict goals for the new year, but the truth is, balanced goals that you can maintain over time are best! The 80/20 rule says 80% of the time focus on what you should be doing like eating fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fat. Then 20% of the time you can splurge a little and eat some of the foods that you shouldn't eat every day, but like to enjoy from time to time. The reality is, there will always be a vacation, happy hour, or celebration, so you have to learn to include those eating experiences into your eating plan without going overboard. The 80/20 rule can help you reach your goals and enjoy splurges from time to time," Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, tells our sister site Eat This, Not That!