Jessica Alba’s Trainer Reveals Her Slim-Down Secrets
Since giving birth to daughter Honor Marie Warren on June 7th, Jessica Alba has kept a fairly low profile. But the actress, 27, made a splash on the red carpet of the ALMA Awards August 17th, flaunting her curvy figure in a luminous Narciso Rodriguez dress. Jessica’s trainer, Ramona Braganza, shares Jessica’s post-baby weightloss plan in this week’s PEOPLE.
While we all know celebrities have the time and money it takes to get in shape fast, Jessica’s diet is quite easy to follow. The actress has a protein-packed breakfast that can include oatmeal, turkey bacon or egg whites; a lunch of fish and salad; and a dinner of chicken breast with brown rice. In between meals, she snacks on fruit, almonds or cheese. The meal plan is reasonable, considering Ramona says that "Jessica has always preferred healthy food."
In terms of workouts, Jessica returned to the gym three weeks after giving birth, starting off simply with 25 minutes of crunches or other core exercises. Eventually, she added 20 minutes of cardio and 15 minutes of chest presses and lunges to her routine, and now hits the gym for an hour six days a week, combining all three types of workouts.
Jessica, who gained 35 pounds during her pregnancy, has so far lost 25, thanks in part to nursing — "I lost the tummy just breastfeeding" — and is hiking and boxing in her free time to help melt off the final 10. "She always gives me 100 percent," Ramona says. "And her body shows it."
Source: PEOPLE, September 1st issue; Photo by Fame.
Thanks to CBB readers Bella and Malia.
- Posted on Aug 20, 08 at 1:30PM
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- 26 Comments
August 20th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
i’m so tired of hearing how celebrities loose all their baby weight within weeks of having a baby. i also don’t know how you can breastfeed a 3 week old and pump weights at the gym. i was still in my pyjamas when my daughter was 3 weeks old.
i appreciate that celebrities are under pressure in terms of their appearance but there really does appear to be some sort of competition of who can loose weight the quickest, next we’ll hear a story like….yes and she popped out a gave her a quick peck on the cheek and ran to the gym to work on my tummy!
August 20th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Emmajlh, I understand your frustration. The way you experienced your newborn is the way most women do: it’s a big adjustment. As far as celebrities go, they pretty much all have at least one nanny to help out, enabling them to do things for themselves (like spending time at the gym) that most of us have to put off.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Well said, Emma! I can only agree with you. Besides – my doctors said I should not do any crunches as long as there is a palpable crack between my abdominal muscles.
And – how stupid is eating egg whites? Really, as if there aren’t other problems in the world.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Actually Elli eggs whites aren’t stupid at all, Any weight program you do will recommend it. It’s when you eat a lot of yolks that nutritionally it’s a problem. Also I nursed both my sons for 13 and 15 months and was out doing my running program about 2 1/2 weeks after they were born. I run races and for my mental and physical health it was important to me to get back out there. If you have an uncomplicated natural birth it’s not an issue. Jessica had a hypnobirth I think right? So I’m sure she was fine, it’s not like she had a csection recovery to deal with. Plus she has always been a fit girl. Personally I like reading fitness stories because I can relate to them and like hearing what other people do for their programs.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I agree with the other posters…this is not news and not information that will make other new mothers who don’t have the luxury of nannies and personal trainers and chefs feel good about themselves. Reporting such information is exactly one reason why women feel such intense pressure to stay thin and lose weight quickly after giving birth.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
She has every right to want to lose her baby weight and get sculpted/toned/buffed out she wants to. She’s eating a great diet. I wonder how long the 6x per week will last, though, that’s a lot. Everyone is different. There’s a new mom at my gym who is clearly hitting it hard and that’s her total perogative. When and if I do get pregnant and become a parent, I do want to be in the best shape possible. In my experience exercise makes life easier, not harder.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Well, I’m interested in it. The food listed is healthy and things we all could be eating instead of a lot of the junk we do. While most moms can’t do a whole routine, many can take their stroller out around the block at least a few times a week. It’s all in what’s important to you and if it’s a priority to you. For some moms it will be and for some it won’t.
For me it’s inspirational and I like reading stories like it – for me it is news. If people are so affected by what they read on a baby website maybe they need to reevaluate or just scroll past stories that don’t interest them. I scroll past the sports stories and it’s not a big deal…..
August 20th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I can’t believe she did crunches after 3 weeks. I think I was still bleeding and it seemed the more I was on my feet the more I bled. I know everyone is different but wow.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
What shape you’re in before getting pregnant has also a lot to do with how fast you’ll lose the baby weight.
My sister was like a toothpick before she got pregnant, and gained, what I would say, an average amount of weight during her pregnancy. My niece was born 1 month prematurely, my sister didn’t breastfeed, didn’t do ANY kind of exercise, ate normal amounts of food (wanna add that she is in no way a health nut, and eats anything from McD to salads) and she was back to her pre-pregnany weight within 3 weeks.
So, some are just lucky to have good genes – I hope the same goes for me when I have a baby.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I am actually pretty interested in this. I think there’s nothing wrong with wanting to shed your babyweight. Personally, when i look good, it contributes to me feeling good.
I admit i find it sad if new mothers feel pressured to loose the extra weight but if that’s generally want they want- then go for it (I feel happier being in good shape).
August 20th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Her diet sounds terrific. It doesn’t sound the least bit outlandish. Jessica also looks terrific.
I think part of conceiving, carrying, and caring for a baby is all about health and fitness. I mean, that’s why there are so many pre-natal fitness classes popping up. That’s why doctors recommend losing weight if you are obese or overweight before trying to conceive. And we all know the benefits of why exercise should be part of our daily lives as we raise our children and care for our families.
Now I wouldn’t go on the “cabbage soup diet” like Jaime King and I wouldn’t do a triathalon like Jennifer Lopez, but Jessica’s diet and exercise plan sounds quite doable if I have a significant other to take care of the baby for an hour or two and take due diligence when shopping for my weekly meals.
None of which Jessica is doing requires a nanny or a full-time personal trainer.
August 20th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I’m going to tell you what i guess I should have known but wish someone had told me before I got pregnant. Abs! Work your abs like crazy! Unless you’re predisposed to being heavy, everything else will go back the way it was except your abs. The more toned your abs are before you get pregnant, the more easily they will go back to toned.
August 20th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I agree with momsquared. Nothing about Jessica’s meal and exercise plan sounds outrageous or unreasonable-in fact, it sounds very inspirationally normal-and while everyone is entitled to their opinion, which for some means getting angered by stories about celebrities losing their baby weight, I personally am tired of people blaming these women and their lifestyles for their own personal insecurities.
For these women, eating right and exercising are part of their job, mainly because the public that whines about how they make everyone feel inferior simultaneously demands that they be physically superior. Trite as it sounds, the old saying is true-if you are happy with your body, it doesn’t matter how many stories you read about celebs losing weight. People need to do what THEY can to make themselves look and feel their best and not rely on others, especially people who don’t know them from a hole in the wall.
Perhaps most importantly, they should also think about why they take an article on a celebrity baby website so personally.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
All you guys who are knocking celebrities and their diets etc after baby need to remember one thing : They are celebrities. Their body is a huge part of what they are selling.And their image is something that always needs upkeep otherwise people will forget about them.
Just like my friend who is a model. She told me, she felt bad for leaving her kid with his grandma etc to work out, but if she didn’t work, he didn’t eat.. She needed to maintain her career so the people hiring wouldn’t forget about her and replace her with one of the other millions of girls.
It’s the same way with actresses I imagine. They don’t have the luxary a lot of the times like us to go on maternity leave and fall of the face of he earth for a couple of weeks,staying at home in jammies.As soon as they are able, they have to get back to the way they used to be otherwise they will not get as many jobs.
And as much as she hates it,Jessica has been known a lot as a sex symbol.The basis of her fans are men,especially young men.She has to keep them interested too. It’s what happenes when you drop out of school to follow your hollywood dream..if that fails..what the heck are you going to do ?
And besides, face it.Jessica is no Halle, Demi or Nicole. If she doesn’t do the ’rounds on these public outings and things people are going to say “yeah..remember that one girl from Sin City”..
August 20th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Wow.. someone getting bashed for wanting to be healthy..sad.
One month after my daughter was born, I was back at the gym. What is wrong with that?! I was not there all day, only for a hour. And she is eating healthy with a new baby???? How dare she!! I usually do not get involved, but this time I felt it was necessary seeing as some of you are being so ignorant. I had a natural delivery with no problems. While she is sleeping, am I supposed to sit at her side the whole time? My husband was there, so I don’t see what the problem is.
It has nothing with having to do with being a celebrity either, some of us just want to be happy and healthy, and I do not feel happy and healthy sitting there eating potato chips all day
August 20th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Janis, you are so right! I actually think my arms and legs look more fit and toned than before I gave birth. But the abs? Ha! I cannot imagine a diet and exercise routine that could fix those.
August 20th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
ha! alexandria…i totally agree! My daughter is 10 months old and I’m still breastfeeding and wondering if these awful abs will ever fit in a fitted tee again!
August 20th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Why are we criticizing people for losing weight and working out after having given birth? If it wasn’t feasible or possible for you that soon, that’s completely fine. Nobody’s criticizing you for your choice, so why criticize Jessica’s? It’s not a competition.
August 20th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
So true Aya! If it’s part of your job to keep your body in shape and look good to make money, they really have no choice but to get back in shape as quickly as possible. To me her diet really doesn’t even seem like a “diet”. Sounds pretty healthy. The article says she works out for an hour 6 days a week, that’s no time at all really and I’m sure she has some of that equipment at home. If I had had the time when my daughter was first born I definitely could’ve used an hour a day to myself. I also nursed and I’m not really sure it helped me lose weight because I was ALWAYS starving haha. As soon as I stopped I dropped 10 lbs within 2 weeks, I’ve heard your body stores extra fat when you breastfeed and you lose it once you stop. Either way, she looks great! Maybe these celebs should be a motivator for all of us, if they can do it why can’t we right?? Don’t get me started on Nicole Kidman though…:)
August 20th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
I’m not surprised she lost so much weight already, in general she is very weight conscious and how thin you are before pregnancy really makes a difference. For the most part if you were say 110 before pregnancy as oppose to 165 before pregnancy you will have an easier time losing the weight, especially if you don’t gain a huge amount and gain a normal weight like 30lbs.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
This is so silly, every celeb says the exact same thing! Then the real “people” like comedians bust them out on it in their stand up…they are actually just over exercising and eating teeny tiny portions. I highly doubt any of these celebs loses their weight in a healthy way. At least Sarah Jessica Parker said she was starving and doing tons of exercise…Kate Hudson said she was starving too and had to work her butt off. Those are the realities not “oh chicken and fish and veggies!” I eat extremely well and still have 10lbs. of post preg weight and I had a baby 3 years ago! Sheesh.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
I vote for Erica
for best comment of the week!
August 21st, 2008 at 8:51 am
Wow, she looks like she was never pregnant. Well, except on top.
I’m not an expert or anything but I don’t see anything extreme about the the foods she’s eating. It seems well rounded and healthy. As for her work out, if you do a hard workout 6 days a week that’s a big impact on your overall appearance when you’re already fit. Plus, like others have said, she was pretty lean and thin prior to getting pregnant. If I remember she’s always been a healthy eater too. But, I have to agree with silentgirl’s statement. I do think the celebs who struggle don’t usually let on. There are many who will say “oh, I just run around after the baby”. That’s bull and we all know it. I do remember Sarah Jessica Parker talking about how hard it was to loose her baby weight. I also remember her talking about how it’s not the same for her as for non celeb Moms because she could have a trainer to her house and someone to care for the baby at her house. Things that most people don’t have.
August 21st, 2008 at 9:18 am
Vomit. First of all, returning to the gym after just 3 weeks is slightly psychotic. Your body needs to rest. Second of all, I am so sick of these stories that make all the other mothers in the world feel bad that they haven’t lost their baby weight after just two months. Of course she’s lost her baby weight! She has a trainer and the resources to able her to work out 6 hours a day if she’d like! Just stop publicizing these stories please!
August 21st, 2008 at 8:59 pm
I found Ramona after reading an article about how Halle Berry lost weight. She did her 3-2-1 Baby Bulge Begone workout(it said Jessica ALba did it too) It’s very doable and can be done in less than an hour. It’s 3 blocks are 10 minute cardio, 2 blocks of a strength rotation and 1 block of core work. I tried this for a few days, but working out at night is just too tiresome! When I feel comfortable taking my baby with me to the gym during the day, I’ll try it again!
August 23rd, 2008 at 2:44 am
am i the only one who thinks all these celebs are LYING? i commend beyonce and jennifer garner for saying they were either losing weight by not eating (in beyonce’s case) or just not a size zero right away (in jen’s case). also kudos to elizabeth hasselbeck for not fronting on her 3hour/DAY workouts. 6 hrs a week WONT cut it! DUH! ask your doctor. you need an hour of moderate exercise EVERY DAY just to maintain the weight you ARE!
seriously, the photogs had her almost completely thin in 6 weeks. she is claiming she didn’t exercise until her baby was three weeks old? right. i’ve got a bridge in brooklyn….