How Julianne Hough, Carrie Underwood and More Stars Got Their Healthiest Bodies: Workout and Diet Secrets

Credit: MEGA; Mediapunch/Shutterstock

How Julianne Hough, Carrie Underwood and More Stars Got Their Healthiest Bodies: Workout and Diet Secrets

It feels good to feel good! Julianne Hough, Carrie Underwood and more celebs have worked hard to achieve their fittest figures yet — and Us Weekly has gathered all the best tips and tricks to follow in their footsteps. The 32-year-old Dancing With the Stars alum has always been serious about getting in shape, but as she's gotten older, she's learned to be more gentle with her body. Instead of "killing" herself in the gym, Hough attributes her "banging" physique to a more low-key fitness routine, including yoga, spinning and a clean diet. Underwood, for her part, turned to fitness expert Erin Oprea to create a regimen that works for her busy lifestyle. "Carrie's a bad-ass, hands down," the Power Plate Diet author told Us exclusively. "She's a driven, driven individual [who] likes to lift some weights, which is fun." Oprea trained the 38-year-old "Before He Cheats" singer for 11 years — and fans have been able to see the results. "I think a lot of women ... they'll be scared of weights," the exercise guru said. "[But] weights make pretty muscles. The more muscles you have, the more calories you burn at rest. So go lift the weights!" When it comes to her diet, Underwood lets herself enjoy her favorite foods instead of seriously restricting calorie intake. "Having a doughnut occasionally is not going to kill you," Oprea teased of the "Cry Pretty" singer's healthy outlook. While some stars crave the motivational spirit of a trainer or group fitness class, others take matters into their own hands. Kristin Cavallari sweats out her stress four to five times per week — and does it all without the assistance of a coach. [jwplayer ZnUAkpJN] "Everything from lunges, kettle-bell swings, hip thrusts, step ups, and leg lifts with ankle weights. ... I do everything on my own," she exclusively told Us. " I lift weights, but I do circuit training to keep my heart rate up. I also started doing hot yoga every once in a while. ... I don't do it as often as I would like, but I love it when I'm able to make it happen." For the former MTV star, 34, staying fit isn't about "looking jacked." Instead, it's about turning everyday healthy choices into a committed lifestyle. While it can seem intimidating to kickstart a wellness journey, Cavallari thinks a little positivity goes a long way. "It's important to give ourselves grace and not beat ourselves up," she told Us. "For so many years in my early 20s, I was all or nothing. I have the best relationship I've ever had with food and health [now] because I've let go of a lot of that control. It's about consistency — just keep showing up." Keep scrolling for expert advice from Hollywood's hottest trainers and healthiest stars, and pick up the 2021 body issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now! [podcast_block]

Credit: MEGA; Mediapunch/Shutterstock

How Julianne Hough, Carrie Underwood and More Stars Got Their Healthiest Bodies: Workout and Diet Secrets

It feels good to feel good! Julianne Hough, Carrie Underwood and more celebs have worked hard to achieve their fittest figures yet — and Us Weekly has gathered all the best tips and tricks to follow in their footsteps. The 32-year-old Dancing With the Stars alum has always been serious about getting in shape, but as she's gotten older, she's learned to be more gentle with her body. Instead of "killing" herself in the gym, Hough attributes her "banging" physique to a more low-key fitness routine, including yoga, spinning and a clean diet. Underwood, for her part, turned to fitness expert Erin Oprea to create a regimen that works for her busy lifestyle. "Carrie's a bad-ass, hands down," the Power Plate Diet author told Us exclusively. "She's a driven, driven individual [who] likes to lift some weights, which is fun." Oprea trained the 38-year-old "Before He Cheats" singer for 11 years — and fans have been able to see the results. "I think a lot of women ... they'll be scared of weights," the exercise guru said. "[But] weights make pretty muscles. The more muscles you have, the more calories you burn at rest. So go lift the weights!" When it comes to her diet, Underwood lets herself enjoy her favorite foods instead of seriously restricting calorie intake. "Having a doughnut occasionally is not going to kill you," Oprea teased of the "Cry Pretty" singer's healthy outlook. While some stars crave the motivational spirit of a trainer or group fitness class, others take matters into their own hands. Kristin Cavallari sweats out her stress four to five times per week — and does it all without the assistance of a coach. [jwplayer ZnUAkpJN] "Everything from lunges, kettle-bell swings, hip thrusts, step ups, and leg lifts with ankle weights. ... I do everything on my own," she exclusively told Us. " I lift weights, but I do circuit training to keep my heart rate up. I also started doing hot yoga every once in a while. ... I don't do it as often as I would like, but I love it when I'm able to make it happen." For the former MTV star, 34, staying fit isn't about "looking jacked." Instead, it's about turning everyday healthy choices into a committed lifestyle. While it can seem intimidating to kickstart a wellness journey, Cavallari thinks a little positivity goes a long way. "It's important to give ourselves grace and not beat ourselves up," she told Us. "For so many years in my early 20s, I was all or nothing. I have the best relationship I've ever had with food and health [now] because I've let go of a lot of that control. It's about consistency — just keep showing up." Keep scrolling for expert advice from Hollywood's hottest trainers and healthiest stars, and pick up the 2021 body issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now! [podcast_block]

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Kelly Ripa

Broadway dancer turned fitness guru Isaac Boots has worked closely with the daytime talk show host for years, conducting dance conditioning sessions "to lengthen, to tone [and] to basically burn out each muscle group." Boots told Us in May, "It's a whole body workout ... The real work comes from your core." 

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Jana Kramer

The One Tree Hill alum keeps "training and jamming" with Oprea "regularly," even amid her divorce from Mike Caussin. 

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Maren Morris

The "Girl" singer welcomed son Hayes in March 2020 and didn't feel pressured to "bounce back" after giving birth, Opera told Us. "She's worked her butt off," the trainer said. "Obviously, eating clean has been a huge part of it, as well as playing tennis. ... I always try to encourage all my clients to get out and find exercises that they love instead of just structured fitness." 

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Julianne Hough

"When I look at pictures of myself when I was 19, my body was banging, but I was killing myself," the Kinrgy founder said, noting that she's mixed up her workouts with a more holistic blend of yoga, dance cardio and spin classes. "I love my shape because I feel strong and fit, and that makes me feel confident." 

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Carrie Underwood

The American Idol alum trained with Oprea for more than 10 years — and even wrote the foreword to Oprea's 2016 book, The 4 x 4 Diet. "She's a hard worker," the health coach said of Underwood, who used a variety of weight training, squats, lunges and more to achieve her fit physique. When it comes to food, the country star "is not that obsessive" about counting calories. "She definitely has fun and enjoys our friends and cookouts and things like that," Oprea told Us. 

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Naomi Osaka

The tennis pro makes sure to start with an "active dynamic warmup" to prepare her body for a match, training five or six days per week. According to trainer Yutaka Nakamura, "Proper hydration is crucial for optimal performance. Naomi's drink of choice is BODYARMOR LYTE – which provides her with the adequate electrolytes and vitamins she needs, but with no sugar added, and no artificial sweeteners, flavors or dyes."

"Naomi has a very clean diet. She enjoys green smoothies in the morning which helps to cleanse the system and eats lots of protein throughout the day, such as salmon, and her favorite, sushi. Lately, she is obsessed with Sweetgreen [salads]," the fitness expert said. "We always schedule a day off a few days prior to the start of the tournament. This gives Naomi a chance to regenerate and recover. ... [She wants] to perform at the optimal level during competition and sustain a healthy mind, body and soul throughout her career."

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Jennifer Aniston

The ageless Friends alum has taken up boxing in recent years, noting, "It's the longest workout I've actually stayed with consistently other than yoga. There's something about the mental aspect of boxing. ... You're not just sitting on a bike. It's amazing."

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Halle Berry

Peter Lee Thomas is convinced Berry, one of his A-list clients, "can out-run, out-lift and out-train most people." The Oscar winner hits the gym at least five times a week — and is willing to try anything once. "We're flipping tires, using sledgehammers, climbing, using kettlebells," Thomas told Us. "We make it diverse and we make it fun."

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Tracee Ellis Ross

The Black-ish actress is "incredibly connected" with her body, which trainer Tracy Anderson thinks is what gives her the drive to go the extra mile. "She shows up for the new routine every time it's created for her. And she grows. And I think she's someone that clearly loves growth," Anderson said. "She respects her whole body and she works on her whole body. ... Her fitness goals are to respect her life and show up for her health."

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Kristin Cavallari

The reality TV personality is so dedicated to health and fitness that she calls it her "lifestyle" — and she hasn't given up during the coronavirus pandemic. "I do everything on my own," Cavallari told Us, adding that circuit training is her favorite way to hit all her goals. "I worked out with a trainer for so many years living in Chicago so at this point I know what I'm doing so I'm able to do it myself."