Celebrity workouts! From Adele to Holly Willoughby, your favourite star’s daily fitness routine

She turned heads on the red carpet this month at the Brit Awards in a plunging black gown – and Adele’s new diet and fitness regime is clearly doing wonders for her confidence, as well as her health. 

Meanwhile, Davina McCall looked sensational in a shimmering, bandeau dress on the judging panel at the final of The Masked Singer, and fellow TV presenter Holly Willoughby wowed This Morning viewers recently in a chic, floral mini-dress by Ted Baker, worn for her 41st birthday celebrations.

They aren’t in their 20s any more, but somehow, these fabulous stars are looking better than ever.

So, what’s their secret? We asked the best fitness and nutrition experts to reveal the A-list celebrity diet and fitness tips to get us all looking like goddesses…

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Her exercise secrets

The nation’s favourite singer looks jaw-droppingly stunning since she lost seven stone and her whole lifestyle has changed with it – with
Adele

jokingly referring to herself as an ‘athlete’ now.

As her London-based personal trainer Pete Garacimo explains, the singer wanted to get slim but ‘not super-skinny’ for health reasons.

Quizzed on her body transformation, she admitted that taking up exercise during lockdown helped to manage her anxiety levels. She explains: ‘Working out I would just feel better. It was never about losing weight it was about becoming strong.’

In fact, Adele, 33, loves the results she’s getting so much that she makes time to exercise throughout the day, every day. The singer revealed: ‘I do my weights in the morning, then I normally hike, or I box in the afternoon, and then I do my cardio at night.’

Her diet secrets

At one point, it was rumoured that the star followed the Sirtfood diet. The founders of this food plan, started back in 2016, believe that a diet rich in ‘sirtfoods’, including kale, citrus fruits and blueberries, works by activating specific proteins in the body called sirtuins, which in turn promise to boost the body’s metabolism. But Adele has since dismissed the idea that she followed a strict diet, crediting her exercise regime, rather than what she was eating, for getting her into shape.

What we do know is that she ditched her old habit of ten cups of sugary tea a day, junk food and pints of cider. She now eats healthy meals to fuel her workouts, saying: ‘If anything, I eat more than I used to because I work out so hard.’

As Harley Street Nutritionist
Lily Soutter

explains: ‘Alcohol and sugary drinks are packed with calories, but they don’t make us feel full, so by swapping these out for nourishing meals, Adele is likely to enjoy a lower calorie yet more fulfilling diet all-round.’

Make it work for you

Resistance training is at the heart of Adele’s regime – it helps build muscle, gain strength and improve your metabolic rate, so that you burn more calories, even at rest.

Top health and fitness coach
Gavin Gillibrand

says it’s easy to do a similar routine to Adele’s at home with weights – or even cans of beans if you don’t have any gym equipment to hand.

‘Get a set of dumbbells and start with the basics,’ he explains. Start by using weights or cans to do bicep curls. Holding the weight in your hand, bend your arm and move it up towards your shoulder, then slowly straighten your arm to release. Exhale as you curl the weights up, inhale as you straighten your arm. Then repeat. Engage your tummy muscles while lifting and make sure your elbows stay close to your body. It’s always best to stand in front of a mirror to check your form.

Exercises that strengthen your core such as sit-ups, planks and ab crunches can be done lying on the floor or a mat. Tricep dips build arm strength and can also easily be done at home. Sitting on a chair or bench, place your hands either side of your bottom, then slide yourself off your seat, feet still on the ground and knees bent. Bend your elbows to around 90 degrees with your hands still on the seat, gently lower your hips, keeping your arms behind you and your hands still on the seat, then lift yourself back up.

Aim to build up to three sets of 10-15 reps for each exercise. You can also do squats anywhere using just your own bodyweight – no extra weights are needed. Avoid working the same muscles two days in a row and always warm up properly beforehand, as cold muscles are more prone to injury. You should do the full body routine three times a week, according to Mr Gillibrand.

Mr Gillibrand also recommends walking for at least 10,000 steps a day, which can be done incrementally through the day.

If you can walk somewhere that isn’t flat, like Adele, who lives near some of the best hiking trails in Beverly Hills, all the better, he explains: ‘Hiking is simply a great way to do cardio, which is working your heart and lungs. It usually consists of going up and down hills or mountains so the elevation will provide additional resistance for the legs and core.’

Nutrition-wise, planning and eating regular healthy, portion-controlled meals will help fuel your workouts, a la Adele. Ms Soutter says: ‘Forget faddy diets and cutting out whole food groups. Regular balanced meals consisting of a combination of protein, carbohydrates and some healthy fats can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and can lead to weight loss.’

A balanced meal could be a simple spinach frittata, turkey bolognese with wholemeal pasta or even salmon with noodles and salad. The NHS has a free Easy Meals mobile app if you are lacking in inspiration while meal planning or out at the supermarket. Need help working out your portion size? Look no further than your hands: protein such as meat, fish or tofu should be the size of your palm, carbs the size of your fist and vegetables the size of your outstretched hand.

Adele’s new healthy way of eating means she’s getting more vitamins and minerals – and her skin is glowing as a result.

As Ms Soutter explains: ‘Cutting down alcohol and added sugar can make our skin look less dry and dull. Eating foods that include essential omega 3 fatty acids like salmon, mackerel and tuna help maintain a dewy look too.’

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Her exercise secrets

For decades now, Davina, 54, has been known as the queen of fitness DVDs, and her fitness community at Own Your Goals is impressive –you only have to look at her toned tummy to see that she practices what she preaches. The star is a keen runner, but also loves weight training, HIIT and dance workouts.

Her diet secrets

The Masked Singer judge boosts her workouts with a low-sugar diet. Lunch favourites are pasta, chicken and avocado salad, or poached eggs, and supper will be a lighter option such as fish and vegetables.

Healthy snacks include crackers topped with coronation chicken and salad, nuts and seeds, and a strange sounding combo of tuna, cottage cheese and cold baked beans.

Lily Soutter explains: ‘Opting for fibre-rich wholegrain crackers with high protein toppings are a great way to keep us fuller for longer. Fibre has satiating properties while protein in little and often amounts can support maintaining and building muscle mass. Other great snacks include natural yoghurt with fruit and berries, banana with nut butter, boiled eggs or hummus on wholegrain crackers.’

Make it work for you

Davina has a figure that most of us would die for – there aren’t many fiftysomethings who can still rock a string bikini.

And her diet may explain why her skin belies her years. ‘Eating lots of sugar can cause a process called glycation. This is where sugar molecules permanently bond to protein molecules, forming advanced glycation end products,’ explains Ms Soutter. ‘AGEs make the skin less elastic, a key factor in ageing and sagging skin.’

Ditch processed foods, which contain lots of junk such as preservatives and additives, and don’t have any health benefits. As Ms Soutter says: ‘Drinking lots of sugary drinks can lead to blood sugar imbalances and may contribute to weight gain.’

An easy way to channel Davina is by following the Mediterranean diet. ‘This way of eating has long been known to support a healthy heart, but research shows these benefits may extend to other areas of wellbeing too, by lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease,’ explains Ms Soutter.

‘The key is to eat less meat, some fish and dairy and a wide variety of fruit and vegetables of all colours so that you “eat the rainbow”, as well as whole grains, beans and pulses.’

Making sure protein is in every meal helps balance blood sugar, which in turn can reduce anxiety levels, while foods that contain tryptophan, such as bananas or turkey, are important as this amino acid helps make serotonin, which boosts sleep and mood. Magnesium-loaded foods such as almonds also help sleep issues, as well as helping get menopausal symptoms such as irritability and brain fog under control.

Eating a salad or soup every day is an easy way to get more nutrients into your diet. Extra-virgin olive oil, avocado and nuts are all good sources of healthy fats, just watch portion size (they’re still fat, after all). Stick to a third of an avocado, around 30g of nuts, which is a small handful, and a tablespoon of olive oil.

As for exercise, you can obviously sign up for workout led by the fitness queen herself. Alternatively, get a free HIIT (high-intensity interval training) hit, via The Body Coach Joe Wicks or Les Mills on YouTube.

When pushed for time, Davina runs between meetings with a backpack. Fitness expert Mr Gillibrand says: ‘Go for a run – it’s free, simple and easy – or follow a dance video on YouTube. The main thing is to find something you enjoy, so that you will do it regularly.’

If running feels like too much at first, take inspiration from Joanna Hall’s
Walk Active

who promotes power-walking for health. She promises that walking can reduce stress and joint strain, and improve both posture and tone. Couch to 5k is a highly rated app for people who do want to build up to running and, for an even gentler approach, free app None To Run can get you moving gradually, too.

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Her exercise secrets

In her self-help book Reflections, Holly says running helps her de-stress and pilates helps her get out of her head and back into her body. The presenter also reportedly loves kickboxing, which builds stamina and core strength.

Later this year, Holly will be bringing the work of cold-water therapist Wim Hof to TV with a new BBC programme called Superstar Survival. A Wim Hof super-fan, the presenter knows that cold water immersion can boost mental and physical health. As Mr Gillibrand points out: ‘Cold water therapy is a winner – it reduces stress, while boosting endorphins and dopamine levels.’

Her diet secrets

Holly remains tight-lipped about her diet and says this is because she has spoken to so many parents on This Morning whose children have suffered with eating disorders.

She has also opened up about the negative effects she felt at being body-shamed as a 17-year-old model in Australia, where a booking agent commented on her size despite her being ‘tiny’ at the time.

For Holly, breakfast is often yoghurt, granola and berries, and she adores jacket potatoes for lunch. Healthy snacks include fruit and carrots dipped in hummus, and the star loves to cook hearty meals from scratch for her family, including roasts and spaghetti bolognese.

Make it work for you

Lily Soutter recommends eating a balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, as Holly does.

She says Holly’s breakfast is a great option: ‘Yoghurt provides high-quality protein, while berries come with a hit of vitamin C and heart-friendly polyphenols.

‘Choose low-sugar granola to cut down on added sugars and enjoy an extra protein boost from adding nuts and pumpkin and sunflower seeds. A brand like Lizi’s is made with chicory root fibre, which will keep you fuller for longer.’

Ms Soutter also rates Holly’s comfort meal of jacket potato with cheese and baked beans: ‘Jacket potato with beans is a source of complex carbohydrates and protein, which provides slow-release energy to our body and brain to keep us feeling full.’

But she adds: ‘The majority of the fibre is found within the skin of the potato, so make sure you eat it and don’t throw it away.’

The TV star’s favourite suppers of roasts, spaghetti bolognese and pasta carbonara can be given an even healthier twist. Lighten up your homemade roast by choosing chicken over fatty lamb, ditching the skin and opting for new potatoes and green vegetables over mounds of roast potatoes and stuffing.

With spaghetti bolognese, Ms Soutter says: ‘Swap out white refined pasta for the wholegrain, which tend to be much higher in fibre, and research suggest regular consumption may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.’ You can also make bolognese with a plant-based mince alternative, which will lower the fat content.