How to Get a Body Like Beyonce

Co-authored by Souad Gharib

Last Updated: June 17, 2021 References

Grammy-award winning singer Beyoncé has put countless hours of work into building a strong, toned body. Because she is a celebrity, Beyoncé has a personal trainer and is able to spend a lot of her time working out in the gym as well as dance rehearsals. She also has a naturally curvy body shape. Although you may not have a body exactly like Beyoncé’s, you can still take inspiration from her workout, diet, and self-care routines to achieve your strongest and healthiest self.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Working out Like Beyoncé

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Warm up to protect your muscles from injury. Beyoncé starts every workout with a five-minute warm-up to protect her from straining a muscle during her intense workout. For a quick warm-up, try jogging for five to fifteen minutes.^{[1]
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- Another light cardio warm-up includes five to fifteen minutes jumping jacks.
- You can also do some dynamic stretches to warm up your muscles and range of movement.^{[2]
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Train with high intensity intervals. Alternate sprinting and running to burn fat faster. This will help flatten your stomach and define your abs. Beyoncé also inserts bursts of exercises such as jumping lunges, plie jumps, lateral bench hops and reverse-squat kicks into cardio like walking or jogging.^{[3]
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Research source} Start with one interval training session per week and work your way up to two to three times a week.^{[4]
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- Intervals interrupt the consistent intensity of the exercise and allows her to burn more calories.
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3
Dance for your cardio. Beyoncé’s body is sculpted from lots of cardio, particularly from dance rehearsals for her tours. To stay fit and healthy, do cardio for at least thirty minutes, five times a week. Include hip-hop dancing in your cardio sessions to replicate Beyoncé’s rehearsal workouts.^{[5]
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- Try learning the dance routines in Beyoncé’s videos to get the full effect. Find a tutorial on YouTube and spend an hour learning the moves.
- For a guided experience, try buying a hip hop workout program like Shaun T’s Hip Hop Abs.
4
Practice “Power Moves.” Beyoncé’s trainer, Marco Borges, incorporates Power Moves into her workout to maximize its effectiveness. Power Moves are exercises that use multiple joints and muscle groups at once, so they have the power of three moves in one. Beyoncé usually focuses on exercises that use the four main areas outlined by her trainer—shoulders, hips, elbows, and knees—to save time and get in shape fast.
- For example, hip movement is supported by 17 muscles. When you do exercises that work the hip, you’re strengthening your core, butt, and legs. Marco recommends squats, pelvic tilts, plies, lunges, and skating.^{[6]
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- Some exercises that work all four areas include cobra planks, bicycle crunches, and pike push-ups.^{[7]
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Strengthen your legs with circuit exercises. Beyonce’s trainer recommends a circuit of four exercises, which results in a deceptively hard workout—your muscles will definitely be sore the next day! The exercises can include jumping lunges, plié jumps, pelvic lifts, reverse lunges, push-ups, dips, side planks, and reverse squat kicks.^{[8]
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- Even just five minutes of these circuits can brighten your skin and firm up your muscles. Beyoncé’s trainer recommends a quick five-minute circuit before a party or event.
- Try to train your lower body at least 2-3 times a week.^{[9]
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  Souad Gharib
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  Expert Interview. 8 June 2021.}
- Do 12-15 reps and 3-4 sets of each exercise.^{[10]
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  Souad Gharib
  Exercise & Wellness Specialist
  Expert Interview. 8 June 2021.}
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Improve your balance with single-leg step-ups. Beyoncé’s ability to perform gracefully in heels is due to her balance practice. To accomplish this move, step up onto a chair with your right foot and lift your left knee to your chest. Step back down with your left foot to starting position. Do 4 sets of 15 reps on each side. Incorporate this into your daily workout as often as possible.
- Make sure the chair that you use for this exercise is sturdy enough to accommodate your weight and movement.
7
Stretch at the end of your workout. Beyoncé’s trainer has her stretch at the end of every workout to keep her muscles flexible and limber. An easy way to stretch the adductor muscles in your legs after exercising is to lay on the floor and use a towel.^{[11]
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- Wrap the towel around your right foot, then bend and lift your right leg. Straighten your leg and carefully pull the towel down.
- Holding the towel with your right hand, slowly lower your leg to the right. Switch to your left hand and bring your leg across to the left.^{[12]
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- Make sure to hold each side for 30 seconds, then repeat with your other leg.^{[13]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Following Beyoncé's Diet

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Eat a vegan or plant-based diet. After her daughter’s birth, Beyoncé completed a 22-day vegan challenge created by her personal trainer to kickstart her fitness journey. Though she’s back to eating a generally plant-based diet, she recommends trying this challenge to increase your energy level and metabolism.^{[14]
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- Some breakfast options includes whole-grain toast spread with avocado and red pepper flakes or some homemade granola and a green smoothie.
- Beyonce generally just eats a salad for lunch, so try a large green salad.^{[15]
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- Some light dinner options include quinoa and beans or stewed lentils.
2
Drink a plant-based protein shake after your workout. Beyoncé’s trainer gives her a shake with plenty of plant-based proteins after workouts to replenish her energy and help her muscles recover. Try drinking a smoothie made of pea protein powder, almond milk, frozen fruit and spinach after your workouts to get the same effect.
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Drink lots of water. To keep her skin glowing and her energy level up, Beyoncé drinks a lot of water. The recommended amount is half your body weight in ounces, so use that number as a starting point and add several more cups if you work out or do any strenuous activities during the day.
- If drinking cup after cup of water feels tedious, try infusing your water with some sliced fruit or mint leaves to switch it up a bit.^{[16]
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Cheat every once and a while. Although she keeps a strict diet for the rest of the week, Beyoncé gives herself a cheat day every Sunday to eat the food that she wants. Don’t be too strict about your diet—make sure to cut yourself some slack and eat the foods you want in moderation.^{[17]
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- If you have a craving, you can fully satisfy it by splurging with one meal and enjoying it with all of your senses. Taking small bites and being mindful of the experience will make the splurge even more satisfying and help curb further cravings.^{[18]
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- As long as you keep your portions reasonable, you’ll be able to splurge once in a while and still maintain a healthy physique. For example, a bite or two of dark chocolate can satisfy a craving for something sweet.^{[19]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Practicing Self-Care Like Beyoncé

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Develop mental strength. Beyoncé balances her intense workout schedule and diet with a strong sense of motivation to keep her mind just as strong as her body.^{[20]
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- If you need help building mental strength and motivating yourself, consider getting a personal trainer to guide you through the process.
2
Have a healthy body image. Beyoncé focuses on both staying fit and loving the unique qualities that make her who she is. Embrace your natural body shape, whether you look like Beyoncé or not. Remember that you are unique in your own right and consider what is achievable for your body and lifestyle.
- Love what you have and make the very most of it—use Beyonce's lifestyle as inspiration to motivate you to exercise regularly and to eat well.
- Use positive self-talk to help develop a healthy body image and appreciate what makes you unique and beautiful.^{[21]
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Take time for yourself. Beyoncé has openly spoken about how important it is for women to be able to focus on themselves without feeling guilty or selfish. Doing this will help you take care of your body, as well as give you a boost of motivation and confidence.^{[22]
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- Taking time for yourself can mean many things, from setting aside time to go to the gym to taking half an hour to meditate by yourself.
- If setting time aside for yourself is difficult, schedule it ahead of time and set an alarm on your phone as a reminder. Treat your me-time as you would any other appointment in your calendar.^{[23]
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Sleep 7-9 hours each night. An important way to take care of yourself is to get enough rest. This can be difficult with a full schedule, but a lack of sleep impacts every area of your life. Set yourself a reasonable bedtime and stick to it as much as possible.^{[24]
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Expert Q&A

Question

How can I make my body look curvy?

Souad Gharib
Exercise & Wellness Specialist
Souad Gharib is the Founder of Female Trainer, a boutique women's gym based in West London, United Kingdom. Souad specializes in helping women reach their goals through exercise, nutrition, and counseling. Female Trainer offers personalized training sessions delivered by Souad and her experienced team of female trainers.

Souad Gharib

Exercise & Wellness Specialist

Expert Answer

Strength training helps you look strong and lean, which helps accentuate your curves. Choose exercises that enhance your natural form, and dedicate specific days to upper and lower body workouts.
Question

How do I get hips like Beyoncé?

Souad Gharib
Exercise & Wellness Specialist
Souad Gharib is the Founder of Female Trainer, a boutique women's gym based in West London, United Kingdom. Souad specializes in helping women reach their goals through exercise, nutrition, and counseling. Female Trainer offers personalized training sessions delivered by Souad and her experienced team of female trainers.

Souad Gharib

Exercise & Wellness Specialist

Expert Answer

Do plenty of lower body exercises, like glute bridges, deadlifts, and squats. Try to do 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps, with a special emphasis on your glutes.

Warnings

If you have any health conditions that could be triggered by exercise or a diet change, speak to your doctor before making any major changes.

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