Michelle Rodriguez is showing off her rock-hard abs – in her swimsuit. In one of her latest social media posts the actress hits the beach and flaunts her amazing body in a bathing suit. “Creature of nature,” she captioned the post. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Michelle Rodriguez stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.
1. She Gained 20 Pounds of Muscle in Three Months
Michelle Rodriguez packed on up to 20 pounds of muscle in three months when preparing for her role as Holga Kilgore the Barbarian in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves with the help of personal trainer and nutritionist Magnus Lygdbäck. "The scale went up 20 pounds and she didn't gain fat," Lygdbäck told Insider.
2. She Trained 5 Days a Week
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Rodriguez trained five days a week with a three-day split, mostly lifting weights. Lygdbäck explains that she benefited from the phenomenon of "newbie gains." He used progressive overload, continually increasing the weight or reps. He also devised a three-day split, cycling through workouts with three different body-part focuses: legs; chest and back; and arms and shoulders, doing core and mobility work as well as a cardio warm-up during every session.
3. She Ate 5 Times a Day
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While training with Lygdbäck, Rodriguez ate five times a day, focusing on a slight calorie surplus to fuel her muscle growth. She ate one gram of protein per pound of body weight, starting each day with a breakfast of 20 to 30 grams of protein, like eggs or a protein smoothie. Three hours later, she would have a snack with protein and fiber, like another protein smoothie, boiled eggs, or a chicken salad. Lunch would be a protein source like chicken, beef, or fish; a complex carb like farro or barley; healthy fats from nuts or avocado; and "a ton of vegetables," says Lygdbäck. After another snack, she would eat dinner, similar to her lunch.
4. She Does Yoga
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Michelle is also a yogi. There is a laundry list of reasons to do yoga, explains Harvard Health. “Researchers found that people who practiced yoga for at least 30 minutes once a week for at least four years, gained less weight during middle adulthood,” they said. “People who were overweight actually lost weight. Overall, those who practiced yoga had lower body mass indexes (BMIs) compared with those who did not practice yoga. Researchers attributed this to mindfulness. Mindful eating can lead to a more positive relationship with food and eating.”
5. She Follows the 17/20 Diet
After three months, Rodriguez moved over to a calorie-deficit diet to lose fat and lean out. Lygdbäck's nutrition philosophy is called the "17/20" principle – 17 out of every 20 meals should be on point nutritionally. The other three can be whatever you want.
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