Fitness inspiration for the weekend: 5 things Jennifer Lopez does to stay fit at 56

Jennifer Lopez is glowing—and how! At 56, she looks stronger than ever, and it is no accident. The global star has maintained her enviable physique and radiant energy through decades of consistent dedication to health and wellness. In fact, she thinks women become more confident as they age. “Women get more confident as they get older. Men in their 20s are very confident and cocky, and women are super insecure. And then it flips: men get super insecure, and women get comfortable in their own skin, in a way that makes them more beautiful,” she told W magazine. If you are looking for weekend motivation or a complete lifestyle overhaul, J.Lo’s fitness secrets are surely an inspiration.

Despite her busy schedule, J.Lo ensures that she works out at least four times a week. It is definitely not easy to show up, given that she is mostly travelling for work, but she does it anyway. “Very rarely will I skip my workout. Sometimes, I work too late the night before, and I’m like, ‘Ugh, I can’t do this.’ But I tell myself, ‘Just do it. It’s only an hour.’ It’s just talking yourself off the ledge of being a lazy bum,” she told US Weekly.
She doesn’t like her health suffering because of a tight schedule. “I don’t like doing it later; it’s harder to get there when I have my day going already. I work out three or four times a week.”

Guess what? J.Lo loves her veggies. The star eats a well-balanced diet, which includes lots of vegetables. “We eat a lot of green vegetables—asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and kale. I love to cook a lot of stuff. I love cooking Puerto Rican food because that’s what I grew up on,” she said. J.Lo earlier told People that she always ensures she eats right. “I do try to eat right.” She also eats quality protein. Fish is an important part of her diet, but she avoids salmon. Her chef, Kelvin Fernandez, earlier told US Weekly that he cooks a different fish every time. “I know Jennifer doesn’t love salmon, so if I’m cooking salmon for the [table], I always have to do a sea bass or a halibut or cod for Jennifer because she’s just not a fan of the texture and the taste of salmon.”
For lunch, she likes to eat salad with a good protein option and lots of vegetables. She also enjoys a simple salad with broccoli, peppers and courgette, with a drizzle of vinaigrette on top. For dinner, she has quinoa with protein.

It’s no surprise that J.Lo loves dancing. In fact, she uses dance as a form of cardio exercise in her fitness routine. Dancing is a full-body workout that burns calories while improving coordination, flexibility and cardiovascular health. “It’s no secret that I love dancing, so it doesn’t even feel like exercise to me. I freestyle dance with Tracy Anderson five times a week. We’ll incorporate light weights (3 lbs/1.4 kg) for the arms and moves that focus on the butt and thighs and engage the core,” Lopez told People.

What’s one of the crucial factors in wellness? Sleep. And yet, most people tend to put it on the back burner. Getting adequate sleep is crucial for the body to function properly. Sleep is even more important when you are on your fitness journey. Inadequate sleep not only undermines results but also adversely affects the body. Jennifer Lopez does not make that mistake—she does not sacrifice sleep. “The number one tip is to always get enough sleep. I can’t stress this enough. Ideally, I would love to get nine or 10 hours of sleep, but either way, I always make sure I get at least eight,” Lopez told InStyle US.

Jennifer Lopez doesn’t drink alcohol. That’s right—she avoids it altogether. She doesn’t smoke either. Those are off-limits. She doesn’t even consume champagne, regardless of the occasion. “I don’t drink or smoke or have caffeine. That really wrecks your skin as you get older,” she told Hollywood Life.