Here’s Exactly How Jessica Alba Stays in Shape
Thanks for the tips, Jess!
Actress and Honest Company founder Jessica Alba has always been the picture of fitness and wellness. Less than a year after giving birth to her third child, son Hayes, the entrepreneur recently proved she’s back to her pre-pregnancy body by sharing one of her go-to workouts with her Instagram followers.
And the best part of it? It only takes half an hour to do.
“30 min cardio – when you only have 30 min to get it in – check out my stories to get my 30 min interval treadmill cardio,” she captioned on a post-workout photo.
Want a bod like Alba’s? Dumb question. Here’s how the star gets that A-list physique.
She Does Interval Training
Alba’s 30-minute workout is a great example of interval training.
Her treadmill workout consists of starting at a 2 percent incline on the treadmill, then jogging at a 3 speed for one minute, followed by running at a 7 speed for two minutes. You repeat those intervals until you hit the 24-minute mark, at which point you reduce the incline to 1 percent. Then, you jog at a 3 speed for 30 seconds, followed by sprinting at 7.5 speed at one minute. Then, you start your five-minute cool-down at a 2 percent incline at a 3 speed.
Phew! High-intensity interval training (HIIT) like Alba’s workout torches fat faster, and thanks to all that intense exertion, your body burns calories for 24 hours after your workout. And unlike steady state cardio, which can cause you to lose muscle, HIIT workouts help you hold onto your gains, so you’re simultaneously dropping weight while keeping toned.
She Uses an Incline on the Treadmill
Alba’s treadmill workout consistently stays at an incline, which is excellent for challenging the cardiovascular system and is a great way to get your heart pumping without having to increase speed. Walking or running on an incline also increases the number of calories burned, and helps simulate the experience of running or walking up and down hills outdoors – an amazing way to train for outdoor running on a cold or rainy day.
The incline feature also helps to build longer, leaner legs, including calves, thighs, and glutes and helps to prevent boredom, so your treadmill workout seems less like running on a hamster wheel.
She Spins
According to US Magazine, the star also likes to frequent Cycle House in L.A. where she logs intense 40-minute long spin sessions that are said to burn anywhere from 400 to 1000 calories.
Not only is spinning an excellent way to burn fat, but it also helps build muscle definition, focusing on tightening and toning your legs, butt, and core muscles. By increasing or decreasing the tension of your bike, you also play with the dynamic of your workout. Want to burn more fat? Pedal faster with less tension. If you want to tone up, increase the tension and pedal slower.
And since it’s also a low-impact workout, it’s an awesome exercise for older adults as well as those with injuries.
The Takeaway
While we might not ever be like Alba, by adhering to a workout routine that includes interval training, incline work, and spinning, we might get close enough.
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