Rebel Wilson had quite the New Year’s resolution for 2020. The 40-year-old actress has been very vocal lately about her "Year of Health" in which she is not only focusing on trying to lose weight but work on her emotional health as well. If you’ve followed along on social media, then you’ve seen the incredible transformation as she shed over 60 lbs and has finally reached her goal weight. But what exactly was her secret?
Recently the comedian laid it all on the line in an incredible hour+ long Instagram live post detailing every part of her journey to transform herself. Gossip Cop dives in to give you the rundown.
Her Exercise Routine
In the beginning of her post, the Pitch Perfect actress addresses struggling with her weight for the last 20 years and asks if any viewer can relate to going all-in on a fad diet or going hard on exercise for a period, losing a few pounds, only to gain it back later (yes, we can certainly relate!). She knew that this time around she would need to completely change her lifestyle and find something she can stick with. While Wilson did acknowledge she is blessed to have great personal trainers, her biggest suggestion for exercise is something just about anyone can do,
On the physical side, my biggest tip guys, is get out there and walk. If you can do an hour that’s fantastic, that’s what I like to do when I go walking. It is the best, just get your body moving.
Wilson added that walking, hiking, or even running is a great opportunity to listen to books or podcasts that can help with your emotional and mental wellbeing.
Another favorite of Rebel Wilson is getting in some strength training, as she went on to say, “I love lifting weights, I love that feeling of feeling strong and powerful. And the weights are so good for you, not only for your muscles but for your bones as well.”
In the end, she stressed that it’s all about finding something that works for you, so say if you have bad knees, give swimming a go. In terms of how often she works out, Wilson shoots for six days of the week of at least one hour of physical activity but stresses that doesn’t need to be intense every time – even a leisurely stroll can suffice.
(Instagram)
Talking About Nutrition
At the top of her post, Rebel Wilson went into her struggles with overeating and how she was addicted to food, especially sugar, to the point that she even kicked off her wellness journey by getting professional help with a sugar detox. Growing up, the actress confessed she would eat fast food multiple times a week, never would even consider ordering a salad, and primarily fueled on only carbs and sugar. Even once she started upping her physical activity, she struggled with losing weight because she was overestimating how many calories she was actually burning off, adding, “You can’t out train a bad diet.”
On top of everything else, Wilson revealed was diagnosed with PCOS, Polycystic ovary syndrome, which caused her to gain weight rapidly in her early 20s. Coupled with her genetics, “I have the gaining weight gene” she mused, it made dealing with her weight very difficult. Yet she knows that is no excuse, just an obstacle she has to face.
The key was figuring out what works for her body type, which turned out to be a high protein diet. Having been basically a vegetarian in the past, she admitted this was no easy feat, but her body responds to it well, so she opts for chicken or salmon when dining out. Protein shakes made with vegan protein powder also proved an effective way to stay fueled throughout the day.
Other insights she shared include upping her water intake, trying to be mindful with eating, and trying to cap calories at 1500 per day. Despite all this, she still stressed she was far from perfect in the nutrition department, saying,
Does this mean I eat clean and healthy every day – no, far from it. But I am prioritizing where I can.
(Instagram)
Her Emotional Journey
While changing physical and nutritional habits is no easy feat, Rebel Wilson admits the hardest part was the emotional aspect. For the longest time, Wilson details a “cycle of negativity” in which she would try to diet and exercise then fall off the wagon, which led to guilt and shame. The key to her journey was freeing herself from this.
If you’ve struggled like how I’ve struggled with emotional eating and overeating, I just want you to know that it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person or you should feel bad about yourself or guilty or ashamed or anything like that because everyone has vices, and that might just happen to be yours. And it’s just about how you manage it and what you can do to try and replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones.
The key is to just work on it, figuring out what your personal triggers are, and figuring out the “why” behind the negative behavior,
What I found is that, why I was doing those unhealthy behaviors is that I wasn’t treating myself with love and respect.
To help combat this, Wilson took the advice of a doctor to try purge emotional writing. The premise is pretty simple: set a timer for 12 minutes and just write down all of your emotions. Anything that is stressing you out, people that you’ve had an argument with, anything that you’re feeling – just write it out. Wilson adds that she likes to end these writing sessions by listing out everything she is grateful for that day, even if it is something as simple as getting the chance to watch a show she likes or a friend texting to say hi.
And while Wilson admits she still has those negative feelings and gets tempted to turn to treats to soothe her stress, it’s now something she is aware of and is working on how to manage.
The Main Takeaway
Throughout the video, Wilson kept coming back to the same points – it’s not about the number on the scale, it’s not about being perfect, and it’s not about making certain foods completely off-limits – it’s about balance and putting in the work. We’ll all have bad days, but the end focus should be overall health and wellbeing, and it’s a journey to get there, not a sprint. And that’s something we can get behind.
You can check out Rebel’s full post below.
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