Working out is essential for overall well-being. It has many benefits, including burning calories, developing lean muscles, strengthening bones, reducing stress, and improving self-confidence. Top fitness experts agree that regular exercise can help you live a longer life and improve your health span, the years you are free of health problems and disabilities that limit you.
Ultimately, health span is more important than lifespan since it’s the quality of the years you live rather than the quantity. Leading a healthy lifestyle can help you improve both quality and quantity of life, so it’s a winning formula for health and longevity.
If there’s one person in the celebrity world who’s defied the aging process, it’s Jennifer Aniston. Now in her 50s, Aniston could pass for someone 20 years younger. How does she do it? Fortunately, she’s not afraid to share her secrets for staying fit and lean during the second half of life. What can we learn about diet and fitness from Jennifer Aniston?
Jennifer Aniston is a Fan of 16:8 Intermittent Fasting
Jennifer Aniston reveals that she’s a proponent of 16:8 intermittent fasting. This structured approach to eating consists of fasting for 16 hours and eating only during an 8-hour window period. While fasting for 16 hours sounds intimidating, it’s not as hard as you think. You can do it by eating an early dinner and then close down the kitchen until late morning when you eat a late breakfast/early lunch.
What are the benefits of intermittent fasting? Sixteen hours of fasting gives your body a rest from digesting food. Some studies show that fasting increases “autophagy,” the efficiency with which cells clean up old, damaged cells to make room for new ones. The possible anti-aging benefits of intermittent fasting are intriguing but need more research.
Some studies show intermittent fasting helps with weight loss, although there’s no strong evidence that it’s more effective for weight loss than reducing calorie consumption. Still, some people find it easier to do than cutting back on calories.
However, intermittent fasting isn’t for everyone. If you have certain medical conditions, like insulin-dependent diabetes, or take some medications, you may not respond well to fasting. So, check with your physician before going on any type of fast.
Aniston Varies Her Workouts
One way to make exercise boring is to do the same workouts over and over, and when you become bored, you’re more likely to skip your workouts. Plus, your body adapts to doing the same workouts at the same intensity over and over, and you burn fewer calories and make strength and endurance gains.
Jennifer Aniston doesn’t give herself a chance to get bored. She does a variety of workouts, including:
- Kickboxing
- Stair climbing
- Jumping rope
- Strength training
This golden girl whose celebrity fame has withstood the test of time exercises most days of the week for up to 90 minutes, but never lets her workouts get stale. She cycles through different workouts for variety and to avoid reaching a plateau. Smart! She knows how to challenge herself and keep her workouts interesting.
She Listens to Her Body
As busy as she is, fitting in a workout isn’t always easy, and she doesn’t take working out to an unhealthy extreme. You might think she’d be obsessed with working out, but nothing could be further from the truth. She admits to taking it easy on a day her body is crying out for rest. Rather than push through a demanding workout, she’ll lighten up and do something relaxing that still keeps her body moving, like a nature walk.
Such an approach is key to sustained health and fitness. If you force your body to work too hard, it will rebel, and you’ll burn out. By listening to what your body needs on a particular day, you don’t push yourself too hard and risk burnout or discouragement. Rather than launching into an intense workout every day, balance high-intensity training sessions with lower intensity recovery workouts.
Aniston Chooses Nutrient-Dense Foods
Although Aniston practices intermittent fasting, there are some problems with this approach. Intermittent fasting doesn’t dictate what type of food you can eat or not eat when you’re fasting. So, you could intermittent fast while eating a junk food diet. However, Aniston chooses nutrient-dense foods, including lots of fruits, vegetables, healthy fat, and lean protein sources. In other words, she doesn’t make a lot of room in her diet for junk food.
Smart! The composition of what you eat matters. What you put on your plate affects hormones that impact all aspects of physical and mental function, and your body weight too. When you make smart carbohydrate choices and ditch junk food, your insulin level drops, and it’s easier to control your weight. Choose wisely!
Jennifer Aniston is in It for the Long Haul
There are many reasons why people start exercising and getting fit. For some, it’s a natural progression of their lives–they want to be healthier, look better, and feel stronger after decades of unhealthy eating and sedentary living. For others, it’s a matter of necessity–a serious illness or injury has forced them to reconsider their lifestyles and find more active ways to heal and recover. However, Jennifer Aniston has made fitness a priority for decades, which at least partially explains why she still looks fantastic and has the energy of someone decades younger.
The Bottom Line
It’s noteworthy that Jennifer Aniston doesn’t chase after every diet and exercise that comes along. She takes a balanced and holistic approach to staying lean and healthy. It seems to work for her. It can work for you too. What can you learn from Jennifer Anniston’s lifestyle habits? Here’s a summary:
- Intermittent fasting isn’t for everyone, but it may have some anti-aging benefits. (needs more research)
- Vary your workouts to keep them fresh
- Balance the intensity of your workouts. It’s okay to have lower intensity days
- Upgrade the content of your diet to include more nutrient-dense foods
- Make your health a priority
References:
MarieClaire.com. “Jennifer Aniston’s Exact Diet And Exercise Routine”
“Jennifer Aniston’s Diet: Benefits, Downsides, Fitness Routine.” 16 Jul. 2021, healthline.com/nutrition/jennifer-aniston-diet-and-fitness.
“40 Jennifer Aniston-Approved Diet And Fitness Habits.” 11 Feb. 2021, womenshealthmag.com/health/g30226758/jennifer-aniston-diet-workout-tips/.
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