(From LiveStrong.com)
Janet Jackson has been in the news because of her weight more than once. She has since written a book about her weight struggles and her journey so self-acceptance, called “True You,” reports ABC News. The book explains her struggle with weight and body image from an early age to help inspire others to love their bodies. She’s also spoken to a variety of magazines to explain her weight loss routine and how she got the famous body that she debuted in June 2006 on the cover of “US Weekly.”
A Lifelong Struggle
Weight and body image has been a problem for Janet Jackson since she was 10 years old, the superstar tells ABC News. At 11, when she began filming the TV sitcom “Good Times,” she was asked to bind her chest because she was developing too rapidly. Thus began a lifetime of pressure and feelings that her body wasn’t good enough. She’s gained weight for roles, but she also gained weight because of emotional eating and poor food choices. Luckily, with the right diet and helpful trainer, she lost 60 lbs. and gained self-confidence.
Healthy Attitude
Janet Jackson tells “Essence” magazine that her eating problems were often related to emotional problems. Emotional eating is a common issue if you struggle with your weight, because you tend to use food to cope with your emotions and feelings. Taking time with a therapist to define the reasons for your emotional eating can help you gain control over binging and connecting food to your feelings.
Exercise
Janet Jackson’s amazing figure was not achieved by therapy and self-awareness alone. Janet trained with celebrity personal trainer Tony Martinez to help slim her down after she gained weight for the movie “Tennessee.” Martinez tells “Ebony” magazine that Jackson lost 60 lbs. by following an exercise routine that included a 90-minute workout five to six days a week. The workout usually consisted of various cardio activities, like running and sports, paired with a strength training resistance band workout. She also used an exercise ball to help tone her body.
Diet
A hard body cannot be won by exercise alone. Not only did Jackson deal with her emotional eating difficulties, she also followed a strict diet. She ate healthier foods, thanks to delivered meals from the Fresh Dining meal delivery service, reports “Entrepreneur” magazine. While it may seem as though only wealthy celebrities can afford dining services, the meals simply restricted Jackson’s calories. You can do the same by tracking your caloric intake at home and eating fewer calories overall.
