Jennifer Lopez ain’t kidding around when she sings that she’s still Jenny from the block: at 51, she looks like the same girl who broke out on the scene in the 90s.
But don’t chalk her age-defying looks up to genetics alone. Lopez is notorious for her discipline, and that extends to her diet. Whether prepping for her role in Hustlers or gearing up for the performance of a lifetime at the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show, JLo has always been living proof that hard work pays off. Check out the details of her daily eating plan for some insight into how she pulls it all off.
What JLo Eats For Breakfast
Based on a 2015 food diary she shared with People, Lopez doesn’t miss out on the most important meal of the day. She revealed that she starts her mornings with a fruit and yogurt smoothie with a scoop of whey protein for good measure.
Dodd Romero, her trainer and life coach, told Us Weekly that other typical meals include oatmeal with fresh berries or lean proteins, like egg whites.
Another interesting tip? She starts every day with a glass of fresh lemon water.
Lopez’s Favorite Lunch
At mid-day, Lopez opts for something light. Her food diary includes a salad recipe that consists of chopped kale, toasted pumpkin seeds, and queso. And don’t even think of a heavy dressing—a drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice is all she needs.
As a general rule of thumb, Romero says she “stays away from processed foods and gets her nutrients from whole sources.”
What’s For Dinner?
Dinner is about going low-carb and high-protein. Romero says Lopez opts for white meat turkey, chicken breast, and grass-fed beef—but only three to four times a week. Don’t dare try to tempt her into straying, either. According to an interview with Us, her private chef Kelvin Fernandez said he learned this lesson the hard way, after making rice for a family meal.
“The next day she’s like, ‘Kelvin, you served me rice.’ And I’m like, ‘No, no, no, no, no, there was chicken, there was salad. You grabbed the rice!'” he told the outlet. “From that moment I said, ‘Alright, Jennifer. I’m going to serve you every single plate individually. Do not look at anyone else’s plate. Do not look at what anyone else has.'”
Light On Booze, Heavy On Hydration
“I…don’t drink, smoke, or have any caffeine,” Lopez told InStyle in 2016. And according to Romero, “She drinks a minimum of seven glasses [of water] a day.” Scroll through her Instagram feed and you will often find her with a bottle (or blinged-out reusable cup) to sip from.
Even JLo Has Cheat Days
We doubt Lopez goes as far as The Rock when it comes to cheat days, but she allows herself treats every now and then.
“She is a very balanced person, so she’s not going to miss out on Thanksgiving or a holiday with her children,” Tracy Anderson—her L.A. trainer—told People. Romero added that she will often treat herself to a handful of nuts a day and that her guilty pleasure is the occasional cookie—something fiancé A-Rod can attest to.
“Throughout the years I’ve learned the importance of maintaining a healthier […] diet,” added Lopez. “I still eat some of the foods I love, but in moderation. I don’t deprive myself.”
“What’s going on inside of us is really a reflection of what’s going on on the outside of us, and she’s very a happy person and that just translates into beauty,” says Anderson. “She loves life, and loving life is taking care of her body.”
JLo Also Takes Fitness Very Seriously
Lopez has been known to switch up her fitness routine over the years. She has multiple trainers in multiple cities, and she tailors her workouts to fit her needs at the moment. To prepare for Hustlers, she twirled on a pole. And when she’s not near a gym, she simply turns to her first love: dancing. But it helps that she has a reliable workout buddy in her fiancé Alex Rodriguez, as well as access to world-class facilities. Check out the pair pumping iron at the Dallas Cowboys training facility during her It’s My Party tour.