Courteney Cox, known for her roles in Friends, Cougar Town, and the Scream franchise, turned 60 in June 2024. She maintains a fit and radiant appearance through a combination of regular exercise, a balanced diet, and a commitment to overall well-being. Cox often shares glimpses of her active lifestyle with her 15.2 million Instagram followers, inspiring many with her dedication.
Exercise Routine
Courteney Cox's workout routine is diverse, incorporating cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises.
Tennis
A significant part of Courteney's fitness regimen is playing tennis. She enjoys hitting the tennis court twice a week, embracing the sport for its cardiovascular benefits and competitive spirit. Building cardiovascular fitness is essential for overall heart health, improving the body's ability to pump blood. Cox herself acknowledges that she "looks horrible" when she plays, prioritizing function over fashion with sunscreen, Asics sneakers, and supportive bands.
Cardio and Cross-Training
Having previously sustained a wrist fracture, Courteney sought alternatives to her beloved Pilates. She uses the cross trainer (or elliptical trainer) for steady-state cardio, which involves repetitive movements that work multiple muscle groups. This type of exercise provides mental health benefits without risking impact injuries.
Strength Training
Strength training is a crucial component of Courteney's fitness routine, especially as she gets older. She told Marie Claire that it’s more important for her to do weights as she ages to maintain muscle and said, “It’s amazing how I used to be really muscly but not so much anymore.” Her strength training workouts include exercises such as chest presses, shoulder presses, leg raises, kettlebell sumo squats, and chin-ups.
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Courteney Cox's Strength Training Workout:
- Chest Press: This exercise targets the pectoral muscles. Grasp the handles, push outward until arms are fully extended (but not locked), and then return to the starting position.
- Woodway Treadmill Run: This builds cardiovascular endurance. Maintain an upright posture and a relaxed arm swing while building up pace.
- Shoulder Press: Seated in the machine, grab the handles and press directly overhead at a diagonal, then slowly lower back to the starting position.
- Captain’s Chair Leg Raises: This exercise targets the abdominal muscles. Engage the core and raise legs until quads are parallel to the ground, then lower in a controlled movement.
- Kettlebell Sumo Squats: This tones the legs and hips. Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, hold a kettlebell, and squat down while keeping the core tight and chest tall.
- Chin-ups: This challenging exercise works the biceps, shoulder muscles, lower back, and spinal stabilizers. Grasp the bar with an underhand grip and pull the body up until the chin is over the bar.
Pilates
Courteney practices reformer Pilates three times a week with instructor Jessica McTighe, known for creating a lean, dancer-esque silhouette. Pilates improves core strength, strengthens muscles, and enhances mind-body awareness.
Boxing
Courteney has also incorporated boxing into her fitness routine. Boxing is a great form of cardio that strengthens muscles throughout the body, particularly the core.
Additional Exercises and Equipment
In 2023, Cox shared that she works with a physical therapist three times a week and has upgraded her home gym with machines and a Bosu ball for leg presses. Her trainer incorporates treadmill work, machine exercises, leg presses, and crunches into her sessions.
Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS)
Cox has experimented with an EMS suit from Katalyst, which uses electrical stimulation to contract muscles. While the FDA notes that EMS devices can temporarily strengthen muscles, they are not cleared for weight loss or girth reduction.
Diet and Nutrition
Courteney Cox complements her exercise routine with a balanced and mindful approach to nutrition.
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Daily Essentials
She invests in good facials and pricey products and wears SPF daily. She described her regular faciallist, Mila Moursi as ‘amazing’, and that she layers up all her oxygen, anti-wrinkle, and firming creams on top of one of her serums. Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF50 Moisturizer is her go-to choice. She has also described The Cream by Augustinus Bader, Tata Harper exfoliating cleanser, and an ESPA dry brush as daily essentials.
Morning Routine
Courteney starts her day with a nutrient-rich routine, including a special drink. She told Marie Claire, "I am doing the cucumber, pineapple, ginger, and lemon thing. I don't know if it's cleaning my gut, but it's a way to get something liquid down because it's hard for me to drink water. Finally, I have a cup of decaf coffee with oat milk and honey."
Balanced Meals
Courteney generally skips breakfast, opting for a carb-free 'turkey roll-up' made with low-fat turkey ham. For lunch, she typically has turkey roll-ups with Boar’s Head turkey, mayonnaise, mustard, Havarti cheese, avocado, Fritos, and pepper. Dinner is her favorite meal, often consisting of steak and broccoli. She also enjoys cooking pasta with garlic and olive oil, and turkey mince chili with cheese and cornbread.
Emphasis on Vegetables and Protein
Courteney's diet includes plenty of fresh vegetables and protein. She shared with New You, “Luckily, some of my favorite foods in the world are vegetables. I just love kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus." She also consumes a lot of protein, such as steak, chicken, and fish.
Healthy Habits
Cooking at home allows her to control ingredients and ensure balanced, nutritious meals. Courteney often shares her recipes on Instagram, inspiring fans with her culinary skills.
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Occasional Indulgences
Cox eats a balanced diet of whole foods but doesn’t deprive herself. She isn’t afraid of carbs and has pizza and pasta. Cox incorporates "cheat meals" into her diet to maintain a healthy relationship with food and prevent over-restriction.
Vitamins and Supplements
Courteney takes vitamins every morning, including Omega 3, Omega 6, and Omega 9 capsules, as well as Vitamin D and Vitamin D pills. While supplements can help fill nutritional gaps, she emphasizes the importance of obtaining most nutrients through her diet.
Wellness Practices
In addition to diet and exercise, Courteney Cox incorporates various wellness practices into her daily life.
Skincare
Courteney is a big believer in lasers for skincare, using treatments like Ulthera and Fraxel to boost collagen and remove discoloration. She also uses a red light panel in the mornings, which she finds relaxing and beneficial for her skin.
Mental and Emotional Health
Courteney prioritizes her mental and emotional health, recognizing its importance for overall well-being. She has spoken about the importance of decluttering her home and removing toxic people from her life.
Embracing Aging
In 2019, Courteney shared that she had come to terms with aging and stopped using fillers, embracing her natural appearance. She emphasizes the importance of accepting oneself and aging gracefully.
Sleep
She has also admitted to sleeping under red light when struggling with insomnia.
Infrared Sauna
In 2017, Jennifer Aniston told Shape that she became an infrared sauna devotee after using Courteney’s.
Cold Plunge
Courtney told Glamour that one of her favorite ways to take a moment for herself involve a piping hot sauna, some essential oils - and then a cold plunge. She said: ‘In the afternoon I take a sauna, a hot sauna. I use water with essential oils on it so it becomes steamy. It’s not infrared; it’s just a pure hot sauna. Then I get into my cold plunge. The dopamine hit you get is so, and I shouldn’t say, it’s like a drug. I actually haven’t taken a drug that gives you a dopamine hit, but that’s what this does. And it lasts a long time.’
Lifestyle Choices
Quitting Smoking
Courteney quit smoking at age 34 with the help of hypnotism, a decision that significantly improved her health and well-being.
Home Environment
She loves decluttering and clearing out her home. She said: 'I HATE clutter! My favourite drawer is the one that’s empty. I think it’s best to clean as you go as opposed to having to do it all at once; it leaves you feeling less overwhelmed.'
Products and Preferences
Hair Care
She was an ambassador for Pantene’s Age Defy and Keratin Repair ranges and was thrilled with how the products left her famously dark and glossy locks. She said: ‘ I love Pantene, and I really use it.
Towel Warmer
She revealed she had one of the gadgets (which are surprisingly affordable) when revealing one of the most important beauty lessons she had taught her daughter Coco, now 19.
Body Wash
Courtney’s preferred products are so pricey that a £26 Nécessaire shower gel almost seems reasonable in comparison.