Viola Davis, a name synonymous with talent, strength, and beauty, has captivated audiences for years with her powerful performances. At 57 years old, she's never looked better, embodying a sense of confidence and self-acceptance that resonates with many. Her journey towards physical strength and well-being is a testament to her dedication, discipline, and willingness to embrace her body's capabilities. This article delves into Viola Davis's weight loss secrets, exploring her workout routines, dietary changes, and the mindset that has fueled her transformation.
Embracing Strength Over Slenderness
Davis's perception of an ideal body has undergone a significant transformation over the years. She once confessed to People Magazine that she felt her muscular and thicker physique hindered her femininity, longing for a "willowy and thin" appearance. However, her role in "The Woman King," a historical epic about an 18th-century all-female African military unit, marked a turning point in her self-acceptance.
"I was always muscular and thicker, and I felt like my femininity could not be created with this canvas," she previously told People. "And then all of a sudden, with this role, my muscles, my arms, my thick legs, my heavy voice were perfect. I felt unapologetic about it. I celebrated it physically in every way." The role allowed her to embrace her physical strength and redefine her understanding of femininity.
Davis told USA Today, “It’s great when women are seen as physically strong. There’s so much emphasis placed with women looking tiny and slim and petite - femininity is associated with all of those things. It’s nice when it’s associated with strong."
The "Woman King" Transformation
Davis's preparation for "The Woman King" was an intense physical undertaking. Her trainer, Gabriela Mclain, emphasized muscle gain rather than weight loss for Davis and the other women in the cast. Mclain told People Magazine, “I did not want them to lose too much weight, I wanted them to gain muscle,”. To achieve this, they followed a rigorous training schedule and a high-protein diet.
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Davis described her training regimen to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show: “I was 56 when I trained to be this warrior: five hours a day, hour and a half of weight training, three and a half hours of martial arts punching, 10.0 on the treadmill. And as I was running on that treadmill, Jimmy, I said ‘I’m gonna have a d--- heart attack.’”.
The physical demands of the role not only transformed her body but also shifted her perspective. "Sometimes you do a movie and then it's over. And sometimes, you do a movie and it shifts you a little bit. You're a little bit better for it. And that's what it's been like for me with the training."
Gabriela Mclain: The Guiding Force
Gabriela Mclain, Davis's personal trainer, has played a crucial role in her fitness journey. Mclain, who also trains Davis’ husband, Julius Tennon, said that the actress and mom to 10-year-old daughter Genesis, always brings her A-game to the workout mat. She endearingly refers to her star client as “Vee.” Mclain told The Post that Davis has astonishing range as an actress and “There isn’t anything she can’t do”.
Mclain's approach is holistic, focusing on full-body exercises, strength training, and functional movements. She customizes Davis's workouts based on her individual needs and goals, incorporating a variety of exercises to keep things challenging and engaging. Recently, Davis gave Mclain a shout-out on Instagram for her efforts: “Love my amazing trainer!” she wrote.
They end each training with a 15-minute superset of core busters including multiple reps of elbow planks, donkey kicks, bicycle crunches and mountain climbers.
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A Glimpse into Davis's Workout Routine
Davis's workout routine is diverse and demanding, reflecting her commitment to physical strength and overall fitness. Here's a glimpse into her typical workout schedule:
- Cardio Kickboxing: Mclain tells POP Sugar, “Mondays, we usually do a cardio kickboxing-style workout. Focusing on her punches and kicks,”. This high-intensity workout focuses on burning fat, speeding up the metabolism, and improving agility. Mclain incorporates punches, side kicks, jabs, uppercuts, and roundhouse kicks into Davis's cardio routine.
- Strength Training: Wednesdays are dedicated to strength training, incorporating heavy weights, medicine balls, and exercises targeting the legs, upper body, and core.
- Resistance Training: Fridays typically involve resistance bands, ankle weights, and kicks to build strong and fast legs.
- Full-Body Exercises: Davis and Mclain often focus on full-body exercises to maximize strength and endurance.
- Core Work: A 15-minute superset of core exercises, including elbow planks, donkey kicks, bicycle crunches, and mountain climbers, is incorporated to strengthen the core muscles.
Davis is not afraid to push her limits, embracing challenges and consistently striving for improvement. Her trainer has applauded her "dedication" and "consistency," noting that "She doesn’t complain, she always pushes to the limits, she’s extremely humble and disciplined. It’s always such a treat to train Viola. She is a perfect example of how hard work pays off."
Davis listed weight lifting, HIIT workouts, resistance bands and medicine balls as some of her fitness essentials. “I do a lot of planks, a lot of step-ups, a lot of medicine ball exercises-like 15- to 20-pound balls. I run. I have a Peloton bike. I have a Boflex machine. What don’t I do?” she said.
The Role of DNA Analysis
To optimize Davis's training, Mclain conducted a DNA health analysis to identify her genetic predispositions. Mclain explained the value of DNA testing while chatting with People. “Before we started I actually did DNA testing on the main five that were signed under me, which was Viola, Thuso, Lashana, Sheila, and Adrienne. I did the DNA testing on all of them, which helped me pretty much figure out the best way to train, the best way to protect their muscles and protect their body because they’re all different,” she said. “There’s no one plan fits all. Everybody needs to train in a different way.”
The results of the analysis informed Mclain's approach, allowing her to incorporate targeted exercises like explosive weight training and strength training, as well as modify Davis's diet.
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Dietary Adjustments: Fueling the Warrior Within
Davis's dietary choices are as crucial as her workout routine in maintaining her physical strength and overall health. Mclain encouraged her client to eat five protein-packed meals a day, per Harper’s Bazaar UK.“I was trying to create real warriors, not Ms. Olympias,” she told the publication. “I didn’t care for them to be extremely lean with a low body fat percentage. I wanted them to look how these warriors would really look. They would eat a lot so they could power through all these battles.
While prepping for her role in “The Woman King,” Davis made it her goal to gain muscle mass so her character would look strong. “I made sure to not cut carbs too low because they are the fuel that gave Viola the energy she needed during the training and filming,” Mclain told Shape.Her meal plan consisted of an array of foods, including complex carbs like quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes; protein, including chicken, fish, eggs and lean beef; two snacks between meals; healthy fats, including olive oil, meat, eggs, fish and avocado.
The DNA analysis also revealed Davis's risk for type 2 diabetes, prompting Mclain to adjust her diet to manage her blood sugar levels. Eating every three hours helped her (have) more energy, maintain and increase lean muscle mass, and (reduce) body fat storage,” she told Shape.
Key aspects of Davis's dietary approach include:
- High-Protein Diet: Davis consumes a diet rich in protein to support muscle growth and repair. Researches continue to find more and more evidence on the impact of a high-protein diet on weight loss efforts.
- Complex Carbohydrates: Davis incorporates complex carbohydrates like quinoa, brown rice, and sweet potatoes to provide sustained energy.
- Healthy Fats: Healthy fats from sources like olive oil, meat, eggs, fish, and avocado are included in her diet.
- Frequent Meals: Eating five meals a day, spaced three hours apart, helps regulate blood sugar levels and maintain energy throughout the day.
- Mindful Choices: Davis is "hyper vigilant" with her food choices due to her predisposition to diabetes, opting for healthier alternatives like cauliflower pizza crust and yam noodles.
Age is Just a Number
Davis believes that age is just a number when it comes to working out. While chatting with Prevention about her go-to exercises, she explained how her dedication to fitness has intensified as she’s gotten older.“I love being 53, but the body is different at 53, and I’m only saying that because I work out really, really hard-probably harder than a 20-something year old,” she said.
She embraces the challenges of training at 57, pushing herself to new limits and proving that age is no barrier to achieving physical strength and well-being.