Jennifer Lopez in Bathing Suit Says "Summer Mode: Activated"

Jennifer Lopez just posed in a swimsuit. "Summer mode: activated," the 52-year-old icon captioned it. You’d think the key to weight loss would be holding back, and depriving yourself, but quit the opposite in JLo's mind. Jen has a different approach to not depriving her body, which keeps the cravings at bay. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see how Jennifer Lopez 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 Allows Herself Snacks

She allows herself some snacks. I mean, we’re not saying she’s diving into a box of Gushers or downing chocolate milk, but Jennifer told HELLO! that she always has snacks on her. "I always carry fruit and veggies with me to give me something to snack on between meals." She’ll nibble on fresh veggies or fruit every two or three hours to keep her metabolism pumping. "There’s just something about the way food is presented that makes it taste better. Arranging your favorite fruits and vegetables on a beautiful wooden board takes snacking to the next level. So, why not show off your creative skills by building a tasty & healthy snack platter for your friends and family—or even a mini version just for you," says the Mayo Clinic.

2. She Allows Herself Some Cheat Moments

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Stop expecting perfection, we’re all humans that experience things like events, parties, weddings, and normal cravings. Sometimes you just need to give yourself a pass to splurge, especially when your diet is so strict or you might snap. While J-Lo eats healthy the majority of the time, she’ll take one day a week to have a little something sweet. She doesn’t believe in perfection.

3. She Gains Control of Her Eating

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By allowing that room to breathe and still slightly indulge in a cookie here and there, she’s actually doing herself a favor. For this article on the Mayo Clinic about weight loss and controlling emotional eating, one thing mentioned is not depriving yourself. “When trying to lose weight, you might limit calories too much, eat the same foods repeatedly and banish treats” explains the Mayo Clinic. “This may just serve to increase your food cravings, especially in response to emotions. Eat satisfying amounts of healthier foods, enjoy an occasional treat and get plenty of variety to help curb cravings.”

4. She Doesn’t Take Things Too Seriously All the Time

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In addition to her giving herself some room when it comes to eating, she does the same for her workouts. This shouldn’t surprise most people, the woman can dance. Dancing works so many muscles within your body, leading to a healthy lifestyle in a fun way. "Dance has always been a huge part of my life and taking the time to move my body and do something that's so good for me is key to my happiness," Jen said to HELLO! She even took a liking to pole dancing when she began training for her part in Hustlers, according to Vogue.

5. She Loves to Cook

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She has a good relationship with food and explores flavors and spices within her veggie loaded dishes, making them not boring, but still healthy. "We eat a lot of green vegetables, asparagus, brussel sprouts, broccoli and kale," Jen said to HELLO! "I love to cook a lot of stuff, I love cooking Puerto Rican food because that's what I grew up on." Having fun with food and passing those healthy habits on to her children is an incredible way to help them develop a healthy lifestyle, too.