Milla Jovovich, a celebrated model and actress, has openly discussed her approach to diet and fitness, particularly in the context of her career and personal well-being. Instead of adhering to restrictive diets like the keto diet, Jovovich emphasizes a balanced and sustainable lifestyle that prioritizes vegetable-based nutrition and regular exercise.
Jovovich's Evolving Views on Weight and Body Image
Jovovich has expressed a pragmatic view on weight, noting that she doesn't worry about gaining weight as she gets older. She even claims that she has no qualms about gaining weight as she gets older. In an interview with Net-A-Porter's The Edit, she mentioned that men tend to be more attentive when she has a little weight on her. Her husband, in particular, appreciates her curves.
However, the modeling industry often demands a certain physique, leading to pressure to lose weight. After giving birth to her daughter in 2007, Jovovich faced this pressure. She recounted an experience where she lost weight for a Vogue Paris cover in 2012 using a liquid diet. While she achieved the desired thinness, she felt that she looked older in real life.
Jovovich's experience highlights the potential drawbacks of extreme diets and the importance of maintaining a healthy body image. She joins other models in speaking out against the pressures of the industry and encouraging a more positive and realistic view of body weight.
The "80 Percent Vegetable-Based Diet"
Instead of the keto diet, Jovovich prefers an "80 percent vegetable-based diet," focusing on portion control. She told People in an interview that the keto diet "can be hard to sustain."
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Jovovich adopted this dietary approach to prepare for her role in the action film Monster Hunter, released in 2020. She found that prioritizing vegetables improved her skin, energy levels, and overall well-being.
This approach aligns with a broader trend among celebrities like Jillian Michaels and Kelly Ripa, who have also expressed reservations about the keto diet. While the keto diet may offer short-term weight loss benefits, its restrictive nature and potential side effects make it difficult to maintain in the long run.
The Downside of Keto
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb eating plan that burns fat instead of carbs for energy. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake to induce ketosis, a metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel. While this can lead to rapid weight loss and improved blood sugar control for some individuals, it also presents several challenges:
- Sustainability: Restricting carb-based foods like breads, pastas, cakes, and certain fruits to induce ketosis. The recommended carb intake on the keto diet is less than 20 grams per day, which is less than you'll find in a single apple or banana! The diet is extremely restrictive, making it difficult to adhere to long-term.
- Side Effects: Even the short-term side effects of beginning a ketogenic diet are intense: Symptoms that can last days to weeks may include hunger, fatigue, low mood, irritability, constipation, headaches, and brain fog.
- Nutritional Concerns: Nutritionists don't like that there's no long-term research on sustaining a keto diet over time. The emphasis on high-fat foods may also raise concerns about cardiovascular health.
For Jovovich, a mostly veggie-based diet is the trick.
Incorporating Exercise into a Healthy Lifestyle
In addition to her vegetable-focused diet, Jovovich emphasizes the importance of regular exercise. She told People that she makes time to work out "every day" to boost her energy levels. She credits exercise with improving her mental health, reducing feelings of overwhelm and depression, and sharpening her focus.
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Milla Jovovich's Training Tips
MillaJ.com also shares a section of Workout Videos. Jovovich's training regimen includes:
- High-intensity cardio intervals: three times a week.
- Low-intensity long duration cardio: at least two sessions for recovery (60 minutes or more).
Jovovich has also trained with MMA in the past.
Additional Tips for Success
In addition to diet and exercise, Jovovich offers the following tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle:
- Limit bread and sugars: Minimize your intake of processed foods and sugary drinks.
- Be mindful of hidden calories: Stay particularly wary of hidden, empty calories in dressings and sauces.
- Eat until you feel mildly discomfort: You should feel a mild discomfort yet ought to be able to keep your energy levels up throughout the day.
A Word of Caution
It's important to note that Milla suffers from one major vice of smoking.
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