One look at Shakira’s diet and exercise routine and it’s easy to understand why the Colombian singer proclaimed that her “Hips Don’t Lie”.
Like her fellow 2020 Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show performance partner Jennifer Lopez, the 43-year-old mother-of-two follows an eating and workout regimen that’s not for the faint of heart.
That being said, it’s a vigorous routine that ensures she stays stage-ready and able to maintain the stamina needed to dance for hours on worldwide tours in front of thousands of fans—as demonstrated in her 2019 Shakira In Concert: El Dorado World Tour trailer.
Shakira’s Exact Diet And Exercise Routine
In order to understand exactly how the global superstar stays in shape, we’ve rounded up everything Shakira and her trainer Anna Kaiser have ever said about her daily diet and exercise routine to learn how she keeps performance-ready at all times.
EXERCISE: Dance Interval Training
Given how much dance plays a part in Shakira’s stellar performances, it’s no surprise that dance-based fitness makes up an important component of her exercise routine.
Following her good friend and trainer Anna Kaiser’s signature dance interval workouts, Shakira kick starts every Monday morning with a 90-minute sweat session.
“The focus of this workout is cardio endurance. I want her to push through with few breaks for the entire 90 minutes,” Kaiser said of the singer’s Monday workout.
A long-time belly dancer, Shakira also brings her own touch to the training session, Kaiser added.
“She will make some of the movements her own, adding flair with her hips,” she said. “Even though it’s super intense, she’s still having fun!”
EXERCISE: Mixing Up Her Workouts Across Strength Training, Swimming and HIIT
While dance-based fitness and rehearsals form a significant part of the Colombian singer’s workout routine, she does switch up her workouts across the six days of the week that she trains.
“Every day is different because I want to make sure I’m preparing her not just for the Super Bowl, but for each day as it comes,” Kaiser told E! News in January 2020.
“Yesterday she had a really long dance rehearsal in the afternoon, so we just focused on an hour of pure strength in the morning. [Some days] she has even longer days of physical dance rehearsals, so she just started with something very short: 20 minutes.”
As a result, Shakira’s varied workout routine includes weight-based strength workouts ranging from 45 to 60 minutes, HIIT circuits (High Intensity Interval Training) and swimming.
DIET: Fresh Food, Small Meals, Lots Of Protein and the Occasional Treat
Just like Lopez, Shakira favours a well-rounded diet focusing on whole, fresh foods.
While she eliminated sugar and dairy in the lead-up to her Super Bowl performance, the singer makes sure her eating habits are balanced at all times.
“She’s good about it in general, but she will treat herself,” Kaiser told E! News.
“Balance is really important. Having those moments where you’re allowed to cheat every once in a while is also very important.”
Per Kaiser, Shakira’s typical day on a plate is as follows:
- Breakfast—Eggs or avocado with olive oil, tomato and sea salt, followed by a smoothie with berries, plant protein, greens or a green powder.
- Lunch—Fish and fresh vegetables or a salad with “lots of colours”.
- Afternoon snack—Soup, usually a “really good artchichoke” soup, or a “leek and eggplant soup” with carrot and ginger, and occasionally a side of cucumbers with lemon and salt.
- Dinner—Fish and veggies (“It’s usually cold for lunch and warm for dinner.”).
Every now and then when the usual dishes get a little bit monotonous, Kaiser will mix in one of Shakira’s favourites—pork chops. And as far as treats go, the singer can’t go past some good quality dark chocolate.
“Sometimes there will be dark chocolate, like a really pure dark chocolate with little to no sugar in it,” said Kaiser.
WELLNESS: Recovery and Phone-Free Time
After a week of tough training, Shakira typically takes Sunday off to ensure optimal rest and recovery, Kaiser told E! News.
Physical health aside, Kaiser also has Shakira leave her phone turned off until after her morning routine is complete to ensure her focus and a balanced mental state.
“Kaiser doesn’t let me turn on my phone until I finish my workout and spend time with my kids,” the mother-of-two said in an Instagram video.
And the habit didn’t just form because of the Super Bowl, Kaiser explained to E! News.
“She’s filming new music videos, she’s coming out with new music, she’s still really involved with her philanthropy schools in Columbia. There are just so many things happening at one time.
“Plus she’s a mom, she has kids and she wants to spend time with them too. There’s just not enough hours in a day. So we have to refocus. Refocus, realign, and find ways to try to be present.”
