Foods celebrities eat & don’t eat to stay healthy & in shape

Being mindful of what we eat might be the most challenging part of staying healthy. While it's easy to indulge in our favorite foods and treats, getting back in shape after one too many tacos is not easy. That is why having a balanced diet plan in place is key when it comes to nutrition. Eating healthy doesn't necessarily mean cutting out the foods we love. Instead, it's all about eating more of the kinds of foods that our bodies need to perform. 

When we focus too much of our attention on what we are eliminating from our diets, we lose sight of the wonderful and nutritious ingredients we could be adding to our plates to get us closer to our goals. A lot of celebrities have been open about what they eat on a daily basis, and they credit the food they eat for keeping them feeling and look great.

More from MamásLatinas: 22 Celebrities who inspire us to go hard at the gym

Many of them have challenging jobs and hectic schedules, so staying on top of their meals helps them stay on the right path to living a healthy lifestyle. Most stars follow specific meal plans and stick to the ones they know have worked for them in the past. Others are always open to trying new things and learning as they go. 

One thing that some stars have been vocal about is how the war against carbohydrates is not always necessary to lose weight. For people who are active and looking to build muscle, carbs are sometimes a must-have. If you're seeking inspiration for what to add to your plate to keep you looking good and feeling healthy, scroll through to learn about some foods and diet plans our favorite stars swear by.

Sofía Vergara doesn't deprive herself of her favorite foods, but she avoids salt before a big event.

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"I try not to eat salty things the night before because I'm very sensitive to salty things and get really puffy eyes," she told Self magazine. Sodium also causes the body to retain water, which her trainer, Gunnar Peterson, has said prevents your body from showing muscle definition.

Kim Kardashian used to cut carbs out of her diet in the past.

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"There's a myth that eating carbs is bad, but this isn't true!" Kim once wrote on her app after years of eating only protein and vegetables while on the Atkins diet. "My trainer Mel [Alcantara] always says that before and after you train, you should eat simple carbs, like sweet potatoes, and small amounts of fat and protein, like chicken. You should also have veggies with your meals, since you need them to help effectively break down and absorb your protein, fat and carbs."

For someone as social as Jennifer Lopez, sticking to clean eating when she goes out is key.

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When she's home, J.Lo sticks to organic produce and high-quality protein. But when she goes out to dinner with friends, she doesn't splurge too much.

"I'm a very social person and love spending time with my friends and family, so when we go out to eat I try to make healthy choices," she said to Hello! "Most restaurants offer healthy, low-calorie meals so I watch for things on the menu that fit my lifestyle. I'll have a salad or some fish with veggies. And I make sure I drink lots of water throughout the meal."

Thalía keeps her dinners simple and allows herself to eat chocolate.

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The singer kicks off her day with a hefty breakfast, including corn tortillas, beans, and protein. She ends it with a light meal like oatmeal.

“Chocolate in her case, helped because the serotonin helps reduce hunger, and it even helps burn fat from her waist, which also helped her mold her small waist,” her cousin and nutritionist Xavier Orizaga Sodi once revealed.

Jennifer Aniston has looked incredible since she starred in "Friends" in the '90s.

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Simple is key for Jennifer's diet. "When I wake up, I have warm lemon water and then I have a shake or avocado and eggs, which is one of my favorites," she told Elle. "I sprinkle a little coconut oil on that. Sometimes, I'll have a puffed millet cereal with a banana or I'll do oatmeal with an egg white whipped in at the end." She adds egg whites to her oatmeal for "extra protein," and for lunch and dinner she has vegetables or salad with protein. For a snack she has an apple with almond butter. Simple but tasty.

Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady are even picky about the type of fruits they eat.

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You don't become one of the best athletes and one of the most recognizable models in the world by eating junk food. The couple sticks to a strict diet that consists of 80% vegetables and 20% lean protein. The couple do a lot of juicing and stick to organic produce, but they stay away from inflammatory fruits like tomato.

Becoming a mom made Kylie Jenner more aware of her nutrition.

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Kylie had to change up her eating habits to get her body to look like it did before she got pregnant. "I’ve always had a really flat stomach but I never felt like it went back to what it was before Stormi until recently, and I feel like it has a lot to do with diet," she said on Instagram Live in March 2019, a year after giving birth. “I really eat very crazy usually. Like whatever I want. Pizza, pasta, a lot of dairy. And I just kind of cut all of that out and have just been eating better. And I feel like that’s the trick for me, personally.”

Shakira keeps her body lean by making her nutrition match her lifestyle.

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Her personal trainer Anna Kaiser said she makes sure that Shakira is eating the right foods and the proper amounts whenever she's on tour so that the singer has enough energy. Shakira has protein in all of her meals, including breakfast, and eats small meals throughout the day to help her metabolism stay sharp. Shak stays away from eating a complex carb with protein, as pairing the two can take too long to digest. So she eats protein with vegetables or vegetables with a complex carb.

Adriana Lima doesn't look this good on accident.

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Adriana has been known to skip out on caffeine, sodium, and red meat to avoid cellulite, but now she mostly feeds her body the nutrients it needs to stay active. "I love smoothies, fresh fruit, and veggies. I also take a daily vitamin and drink lots of different herbal teas to help purify my body," the Victoria's Secret model told CR Fashion Book in 2017. "It doesn't bounce back the way it used [to] after having kids, so I have to workout really hard to be in good shape in addition to being a tired mother."

Kourtney Kardashian has been an advocate for clean eating for years.

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Her gluten-free diet and many dietary restrictions were often made fun of by her family on their show Keeping Up With the Kardashians, but from the looks of it, her diet plan has paid off*.* She once told Redbook that one of her go-to home-cooked meals is wild salmon with sauteed greens*.*

Hugh Jackman got in superhero shape thanks to avocados.

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The actor had to be in the best shape of his life to play Wolverine for multiple years. To prepare for the role, he told Men's Fitness that he ate chicken breast and avocado every day.

Jessica Alba became aware about what she should include in her meals.

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The actress focuses on blood-sugar balance, which helps reduce inflammation and also reduces cravings. To create a nutrition plan that fits with her busy lifestyle, Jessica worked with health coach Kelly LeVeque. The plan they developed to help the mom of three includes having protein, fat, fiber, and greens as the focus of each meal.

Selena Gomez keeps it simple for breakfast.

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Like plenty of other celebrities, Selena turns to Greek yogurt as her go-to breakfast choice. Not only does it have probiotics to help with digestion, it also has protein that is necessary for muscle building. While people usually pair it with granola, which is high in sugar, it is best to add some fresh fruit instead.

Gabrielle Union has a secret weapon that she uses daily.

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The actress drinks a gallon of water every single day. She downs half of it before noon to make it easier, but she credits it for keeping her body and her skin looking as amazing as they do.

Demi Lovato makes sure to add some good sides to her meals.

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The singer trains hard at the gym, so she needs to eat things that will replenish the energy and nutrients she burns during her workouts. Fitness magazine reported that her go-to side dish is sweet potatoes, which are packed with vitamin A.

Madonna has stayed on top of her game thanks to the macrobiotic diet.

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The Queen of Pop is now in her 60s, but she has managed to maintain a youthful glow and a killer physique thanks to her strict diet and workout regimen. The macrobiotic diet focuses on organic fruits and vegetables, including sea vegetables, and requires the removal of meats, dairy, eggs, and wheat from a person's nutrition. Sea vegetables are said to have anti-aging benefits, so that explains a whole lot!

If you are as active and strong as Serena Williams, carbs are necessary.

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While most women stay away from carbs during a diet, others like Serena understand the importance of consuming some healthier options like brown rice. The athlete fuels up on brown rice to maintain high energy during her tennis matches.

Cindy Crawford believes in controlling what you can as far as diets go.

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She keeps it simple in the mornings, and she has a valid reason why. "It's really important to start the day out right. It's very easy to control what you eat for breakfast, for the most part, if you're home. If you start with…good foundations it sets you up well," she told Elle. "I start out with a protein shake. That gets me through with very even energy."

Kate Hudson knows a balanced diet is key.

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Relying solely on animal protein might not be the best thing to do for someone who has a fitness clothing line. To maintain balance and stay fit, Kate mixes beans and lentils into her diet for additional plant-based protein, and she pairs them with vegetables or fish.

Halle Berry has been focused on the keto diet.

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The keto diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein plan, which Halle once explained as meaning "No sugar, no carbs. Nothing white." She has been using it to manage her weight and her diabetes. "My diet is geared towards managing my diabetes, so I try to eat four small meals a day. I like to feel strong and healthy," she once told Woman and Home magazine.