How to Stay Slim Like Penelope Cruz

Penelope looks long, lean and toned on the beach

Penelope Cruz is a lithe and lean Spanish actress who maintains a healthy lifestyle as well as a positive attitude. Learn her tips and tricks for staying slim without feeling deprived.

Things You'll Need

• Activity you love, like roller blading or ballet
• Workouts that combine cardio and strength training
• Running or walking sneakers and light dumbbells (5 to 10 pounds)
• Exercise mat
• Portion controlled meals.
• Small amounts of favorite foods (like red wine or red meat)

Instructions

1. Stay slim like Penelope by tapping into your past. Penelope danced for years growing up and has maintained her long and lean ballerina form by continuing to participate in dance classes whenever possible. Try returning to your favorite sport or activity as a child or try out a hobby that you have never done before.

2. Try a combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength training every day. Penelope exercises with her personal trainer 5 days a week, but prefers a variety of cardio (such as walking or jogging) and lightweight training at each workout.

3. Focus on more than one muscle group at a time. Penelope’s trainer leads her through integrated workouts that work multiple muscles (like a bicep curl with a squat), in addition to concentrated core work for lean abdominals. This can make workouts faster but equally as effective.

4. Place the focus on your health instead of on your body. Years ago, Penelope decided to change her life for the better by doing yoga and Pilate’s workouts, quitting smoking and changing her eating habits. Positive lifestyle changes can be far more motivating for weight loss than striving for a smaller clothing size alone.

5. Try minimizing the calories and portion sizes of favorite foods. Penelope chooses to have her meals delivered by NutriFit or similar dieting programs whenever on location, because it takes the calorie and size control out of her hands.

6. Watch your calories while enjoying your diet. Although Penelope makes healthy choices whenever possible, she continues to enjoy moderate amounts of her favorite foods like red wine, steak and dessert. If you stop depriving yourself, it can be easier to enjoy a well-rounded eating plan without ever going to extremes.

Tips & Warnings

• Create a similar “meal delivery” diet to Penelope’s by choosing pre-packaged healthy meals from your grocery freezer. You can enjoy favorites like macaroni and cheese or paninis without the monstrous sizes.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• NutriFit Online Resource