Fit and Fierce over 50. Jennifer Lopez’s Diet and Fitness Routine Revealed.
Forget what you see in the tabloids, there is no ‘secret’ to how at 51, Jennifer Lopez keeps her body strong, lean and looking as fierce as it did back in 2003 when low-rise jeans and ‘Bennifer’ 1.0 were the rage.
Jennifer is public and proud about how hard she works on her diet and fitness, regularly posting fitness and workout posts on her social media. As a woman repping the over 50 crowd, we find her training methods and discipline inspirational, and if we are completely honest, Jlo’s fitness and diet approach is strikingly similar to what we do here at BodyRock day in and day out.
We’ve gone in and done a deep dive to discover everything we can about Jennifer Lopez’s fitness and diet routine, and we have included tips on how you can replicate her routine. Let’s break it down.
Jennifer Lopez lifts weights. It’s clear from both her social media posts, and the visible muscle tone on her arms, core and legs that Jennifer strength trains. Jlo has posted herself working out with dumbbells and bars and weights, even using the hashtag #lift to tag her posts. We know from the extensive interviews with her coaches that she trains 4-5 days per week, incorporating both HIIT and resistance training, which has been proven to be the most effective and efficient way to shed excess body fat and build lean muscle tone.
If you are 40+ and want to make significant changes to the way your body performs, looks and feels, strength training combined with HIIT (high intensity interval training) should be your exercise priority. Here at BodyRock, we started pioneering strength training mixed with HIIT back in 2008, and we’ve helped tens of thousands of women take their first steps towards this style of training. If you are 40+ and exercising but not seeing results, it’s time to start lifting. If you are 40+ and haven’t worked out in years, guess what, it’s time to start lifting. Anyone 40+ that is serious about achieving results and keeping their body strong and lean needs to move to a resistance based strength training program. It works for Jennifer Lopez, it works for our community, and it will work for you too. If you have never strength trained before, and are looking for a safe and achievable place to start, that offers guidance and workouts that are specifically designed for the beginner level, come and try our 30 day Beginner Bootcamp series or our Intro to Strength series on our fitness streaming service BodyRockPlus.com (for a limited time you can get a full year of access for just $69 with code NY22).
Jlo works out at home. Almost all of the workout posts that we reviewed from Jennifer Lopez’s social media and the interviews that she has given over the years points to the fact that Jlo prefers to train at home. Jennifer appears to workout all over her home - in the living room, backyard and exercise room, whatever works for her.
Jennifer Lopez often works out in front of her children. We’ve written at great length about the importance of mothers (and fathers) being the living, breathing example of the importance of fitness for their children. Kids that see their parents workout at home are much more likely to inherit a healthy attitude towards exercise and their health in general. Jennifer has chosen to set this example for her kids by training at home where they can witness her dedication in practice.
People have begun to realize that you can get a gym quality workout in your living room or wherever you prefer to exercise in your home. This trend and the benefits that come with exercising at home are not going to go away with the end of the pandemic. The idea that you have to physically travel across town to a gym to get a good workout session in is becoming as outdated as the concept that you have to commute into work and sit at a desk to be able to do your job effectively. Research has also shown that people are significantly more likely to workout and stick to their fitness routines when they have on-demand access to their workout programs at home vs relying on a trip to the gym.
Jennifer Lopez follows a common sense meal plan based around eating non-processed whole foods (whole foods refers to foods that you buy ‘whole’, usually unboxed and fresh - think fresh produce, vegetables, meats etc). Her personal trainer Dodd Romero explains that “she stays away from processed foods and gets her nutrients from whole sources”. When it comes to carbs Jennifer Lopez avoids refined carbs with added sugars and opts for oatmeal, sweet potatoes, brown rice and quinoa. For vegetables, she covers at least half her plate with leafy greens like kale, spinach and broccoli. She eats corn and carrots in moderation because they contain more naturally occurring sugars.
Jlo makes sure that she gets adequate protein to support her strength training workouts and fat loss efforts. She typically starts her days with eggs and prefers lean white meats like chicken or turkey, and occasionally eats beef for lunch or dinner. “Protein is my go-to, it fills me up and keeps me full longer. It's great muscle fuel” she says.
A few things to take away from this - Jlo follows a structured meal plan. She’s not out there winging it and expecting random results. She is smart enough to realize that she can’t achieve her goals without the structure, guidance and support that a meal plan provides. At 40+, your metabolism is slowing down and your diet isn’t going to be nearly as forgiving as it was in your 30’s. Invest in a solid, common sense meal plan like our BodyRock Meal Plan that includes a cookbook with easy to prepare meals, snacks and healthy dessert options. Our plan also includes a nutrition guide, so that you can empower yourself with the knowledge necessary to make better choices when it comes to what you are eating. Our plan extends outside of the kitchen, covering things like how to navigate eating out at a restaurant and how to select wines and spirits that won’t derail your progress.
Jennifer Lopez enjoys everything in moderation. “Throughout the years, I’ve learned the importance of maintaining a healthier diet - she told People magazine. “I still eat some of the foods I love, but in moderation. I don’t deprive myself”. She adds, “we are all human. I don’t think you should beat yourself up if you have a potato chip. Everyone wants a cookie or piece of cake or fried chicken every once in a while”. Following a meal plan doesn’t mean that you have to live in the equivalent of a nutrition ‘lockdown’. Our plan has delicious and tasty healthy dessert and snack options, but also allows for you the space to enjoy foods that you love in moderation, just like Jlo.
It might be easy to read this article and think - well of course she’s fit and has her diet together, she’s Jlo! It might be tempting to dismiss Jennifer Lopez on the basis that she is a rich celebrity with an army of trainers, chefs, and support staff helping her look her best (in researching for this article we didn’t find any evidence that Jennifer has a personal chef preparing her meals). If we are going to be fair, no one is lifting the weights for her. Certainly no one is forcing her to workout, follow a meal plan, or do any of the other things that she does to be an icon at 51. There are plenty of other successful celbs in their 50’s that don’t train at her level and still make bank. You might not have the bank roll that Jenifer Lopez has, but her overall fitness and diet strategy is available to anyone that wants to put in the effort to live their best life. You can start to learn how to strength train with us with our BodyRock coach Jessie, who is 40+ and has 3 young girls all under the age of 10. Jessie teaches our Intro to Strength workout series from the living room. If you haven’t trained in a while you can get started again with our 30 day Beginner Bootcamp series. Just like Jlo, you can get a better than gym quality workout at home, without having to travel to the gym. Finally, nothing is stopping you from following a similar, common sense meal plan that is designed for fat loss and keeping you energized. Our grocery lists and recipes don’t require a personal shopper or chef, they will deliver the results you crave all on their own.
Jennifer Lopez is 51, and whatever you might think about her music, acting chops, or current relationship status, she is a powerful, accomplished woman in her 50’s that is kicking ass and taking names. She is a shining example that being 40-50-60+ is not what it used to be. It’s never too late to get in the best shape of your life.
Best,
Freddy.
P.S. We have an amazing deal running on this strength training bar and weights set. Use code: Rocker20 to get this package for just $159.
