celebrity weight loss

Whether she's wearing lacy leather at the Super Bowl or a formfitting jumpsuit at the Grammys, Beyoncé knows how to wow. Since having daughter Blue Ivy over a year ago, the singer has been hard at work on looking and feeling her best. In fact, when she debuted her postbaby body at a concert just a few months after Blue's birth last year, she even acknowledged how hard she's been sticking to her strict diet and exercise regime. "I had to lose 60 pounds. They had me on a treadmill. I ate lettuce!" she told the crowd. Of course, it's a lot more than that. Here's how Beyoncé's philosophy has evolved throughout the years to help her stay healthy and fit.

• She's realistic: "I can't eat what I want, and I can't not go to the gym," Beyoncé told Self. She also has the right outlook; she knows that there isn't a quick fix when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. "The truth is, it's a lot of sacrifice. It's more about your mental strength than physical strength. You have to push yourself. It doesn't matter what trainer you have. And it doesn't matter what program you're on. You have to be healthy and make the right choices," she said.
• She saves time: Beyoncé is a fan of celebrity trainer Marco Borges, who trains her using his signature Power Moves philosophy. This system helps Beyoncé save time since it relies on exercises that work several muscle groups at once. She also saves time by interval training, alternating between sprinting and running while on the treadmill, to burn more calories in a shorter amount of time.
• She seizes exercise opportunity: She may be busy, but when Beyoncé has a few minutes, she knows that she can fit in a few extra calorie-burning moves, like squats, lunges, and planks, no matter where she is. Get Beyoncé's five-minute do-anywhere workout here.
• She motivates herself: Whether it's a picture of an Oscar by her treadmill or a dress she wants to fit into, Beyoncé always has a way to motivate herself to work out. And it's no surprise that the singer uses music as one of her main workout motivations. "I'll put on a song that I really like and do [biceps curls with] five-pound weights [for] the whole song and just try to burn out," she told Self. If music is an important component of your workout routine as well, try this hour-long workout set to Beyoncé's latest album.
• She indulgences smart: Beyoncé may have been one of the Master Cleanse's most famous devotees, but she has since learned from her mistakes. "There are healthier ways to lose weight — I wouldn't recommend it," she told Elle about the deprivation cleanse she went on when dropping weight for her role in Dreamgirls. Instead, Beyoncé eats breakfast, salads for lunch, and a "light dinner" and allows herself a cheat day on Sundays.

"My whole journey has been about self-acceptance. There's no quick or magical way to lose weight. You just have to do it the natural way — diet and exercise and stick to it — and be able to do it at your own pace. Everyone has their own thing."

— Jordin Sparks, a former American Idol winner turned singer, songwriter, and actress, talks about her recent weight loss in her September cover interview with Redbook. She's rocking her slimmer new bod while costarring alongside the late Whitney Houston in her first film, Sparkle, opening on Aug. 17.

"It's taken me every day of 10 months to lose the weight. I did it slowly and I did it moderately. It was important for me to lose it. I was a fit and active person before I had my son, but if there's one thing I could do for a new mom, it'd be to alleviate her of any guilt or any stress over the idea of having her body look a certain way."

— Jenna Fischer from The Office on the slow and steady road to losing her baby weight. She tells People that the process didn't come easy, and she had no personal chef, trainer, or nanny to help get her back to her prebaby body. Jenna focused on eating a healthy diet and exercising during her son Weston's naps.

Hilary Duff gave birth to Luca Cruz less than two weeks ago, but is already exercising to get her prepregnancy body back. She hit the gym Saturday and tweeted, "20 minutes on the elliptical seems like an eternity!!! What the hell…"

Though many obstetricians recommend holding off on exercise until six weeks postpartum (longer for a C-section), every woman is different. Here are some workout tips for brand-new moms.

• Check with your doctor before exercising: How ready you are depends on how well you're healing. Most doctors recommend avoiding exercise until the bleeding stops, but may give the green light for low-intensity workouts, such as short walks or stretching.
• Start off slow: Don't expect your body to run 30 minutes straight like it did before you were pregnant. Aside from the stress of the actual birth, lack of sleep and low energy levels associated with nursing offer new moms little get-up-and-go. Start with low-impact exercise like walking, yoga, or swimming. A 10-minute walk around the block every day for a week (or longer) will feel like plenty. Gradually increase the intensity and length of your workouts as your strength and stamina increases.
• Invest in some baby gear: If you find it emotionally difficult to leave your baby, exercise with them. There are hundreds of baby carriers out there to enable you to walk with your baby. I'm a huge fan of the Moby Wrap, since it feels the most supportive on a new mom's often-sore back. If you're not into wearing your baby, or a C-section won't allow for it while you're healing, buy a jogging stroller (walk at first and run when you're doctor gives the OK). Postnatal fitness classes are another great option, not only for exercise, but as a way to connect with other new moms.

Keep reading for more workout tips for brand-new moms.