How Celebs Stay Healthy
10 celebrities reveal their single — and simple — favorite way to stay balanced and keep in shape
by Candy Sagon, Stacy Julien, AARP The Magazine, April/May 2015
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John Berry/Getty Images, left: Andrew Burton/Getty Images
Daily Affirmations
Our experts share the one surprising thing they do each day to relieve stress, stay fit and eat healthfully.
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Jordan Strauss/AP Photo
Mark Cuban
“The one thing that I do every day to reduce stress is play with my kids,” says the billionaire businessman, investor and owner of the Dallas Mavericks. “Whatever pressures I find myself under [while] managing my 70-plus companies goes away the minute I’m with my three kids, hearing their laughter and seeing their smiles.”
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Andrew Burton/Getty Images
Arianna Huffington
“It begins the night before, with a good night’s sleep — which, for me, means seven to eight hours,” says the founder of the online news site Huffington Post and author of 14 books, including her newest, Thrive. “When I wake up, I don’t start the day by looking at my smartphone. Instead, I take a minute to breathe deeply, be grateful and set my intention for the day.”
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Mark Lennihan/AP Photo
Phil Jackson
“When things are going wrong, take a breath and reset yourself,” says the legendary basketball coach. “You do that through mindfulness — you just come right back in and collect yourself.” (As told to Oprah Winfrey in a recent interview)
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Martin Klimek/ZUMA Press/Alamy
Michael Pollan
“Forget the processed instant oatmeal packets. I soak my oatmeal overnight with water and a little yogurt so it begins to ferment,” says the author of Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual and The Omnivore’s Dilemma. “This makes it not only cook fast in the morning, but also more nutritious and easier to digest.”
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Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times via Redux
Mollie Katzen
“I’m not an anti-meat vegetarian. I occasionally eat small amounts of sustainably raised meat to make sure my diet is high enough in protein,” says the author of The Heart of the Plate: Vegetarian Recipes for a New Generation and The Moosewood Cookbook.
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Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Mark Bittman
“Ninety-nine percent of Americans could stand to eat more vegetables. I even eat them at breakfast,” says the New York Times columnist and author of VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00. “Just this morning I had leftover broccoli rabe with garlic and chilies on whole grain toast.”
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Aaron Harris/Getty Images
Jane Fonda
“I skip dinner whenever possible. I eat a really big, wholesome breakfast, a good lunch around 3 or 4, and no dinner,” says the Oscar-winning actress and fitness icon. “This works only if I’m not going out and am going to bed early.”
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John Berry/Getty Images
Scott Hamilton
“The one thing that works for me like nothing else is plyometrics [jumping on and off boxes],” says the 1984 Olympic figure-skating gold medalist. “Now, if I could just find a way to backflip off the box!”
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Retna Digital/Corbis
Denise Austin
“I practice great posture all day. I pull in my tummy and tighten my abs for five seconds. That’s equal to one sit-up!” says the fitness guru.
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Andy Kropa/Getty Images
Dorothy Hamill
“I learned from skating how important it is to keep your core muscles strong, so now core exercises are my favorite,” says the 1976 Olympic figure-skating gold medalist. “I’ll do planks and use the stability ball. My upper body is weak, so strengthening it is something I really try to do.”
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