How Seven Philly-Born Celebrities Stay Fit

Shutterstock

For celebs who are in the spotlight constantly, keeping in shape is practically part of their job. So it’s no surprise that many of the stars we adore are as fit as it comes. These seven Philadelphia born-and-bred celebrities — from Kevin Hart to P!nk to Will Smith and more — are definitely fit and, call us nosy, but I’m sure we’re not alone in wanting to know how they do it. So we shamelessly dug up their wellness routines to inspire, inform, and entertain you. Check them out below. 

Kevin Hart

Earlier this summer, we pointed you to this ripped North Philly native’s Instagram account for a wealth of workout inspiration — if you haven’t yet seen it, it’s a must. When he’s not busy making us laugh until we cry, People reports that Hart is working out every day, only taking off every other Sunday. His routine typically includes two to three miles on the treadmill plus weight training and occasionally CrossFit. When he’s on the road doing standup, he works out as soon as he arrives at each hotel, to make sure nothing else gets in the way.

As for diet, Hart relies on foods like grilled chicken, brown rice, and pineapple, and avoids bread and dairy for the most part. He claims he really doesn’t miss junk food much, but, in true Philly fashion, he does splurge on the occasional cheesesteak. And, as if we didn’t have enough reason to admire this comedian’s dedication to fitness, Hart is inspiring others to get active: He’s been posting photos on Instagram of his “Local Run With Hart” 5K races in different cities across the country, and he also serves as an ambassador for Rally Health, a digital platform that helps people manage health and wellness.

Bradley Cooper

Since this Germantown Academy grad’s acting career exploded, his exercise and diet regimen has often depended on whatever role he’s preparing for. Though he’s always been athletic — he told Esquire that he rowed crew in college — he had to go all out for last year’s American Sniper: To gain forty pounds of muscle to play Navy Seal Chris Kyle, Cooper worked out with a trainer for two hours a day and ate over 5,000 calories a day. According to Men’s Health, at the peak of his training for that movie, he could dead lift over 400 pounds for five sets of eight reps (holy cow!). But as soon as filming wrapped up, he had to lose the weight for his next role, again with the help of a trainer.

Cooper does live by certain rules no matter what role he’s playing, though: he swears by super-sets, emphasizes the importance of not cheating on his diet, drinks (good quality) protein shakes to support muscle growth, drinks plenty of water, and applies intense focus to reaching his goals.

Taylor Swift

Swift, from Reading (then Cumru Township, then Wyomissing), is known for being a gym rat who — how the heck does she do it?! — always emerges post-workout looking completely unsweaty and perfect. Aside from working out on the regular, she told WebMD that she also makes an effort to eat healthy, especially during the week, relying on salads, yogurts, sandwiches, and lots of water. She avoids sugary drinks but doesn’t like to restrict herself with too many rules. On the weekends she’ll eat more comfort foods like burgers, fries, ice cream, and cookies, and replace her weekday Starbucks Skinny Vanilla Latté with a more indulgent Pumpkin Spice Latté. If she does overindulge, she doesn’t beat herself up but makes adjustments in her eating for the next day or two.

Will Smith

Like Bradley Cooper, Smith’s constant switching from role to role keeps his diet and exercise regimen switching as well — he weighed 225 in Ali and 183 in I Am Legend, according to Esquire — but in between movies he does not slack off. According to Health Fitness Revolution, Smith makes it a rule to work out at least five days a week, incorporating a lot of running and weight lifting.

For the Wynnefield native, working out is as much emotional training as it is physical. “I enjoy pushing myself,” he told Esquire, “There is nothing like having to change your physical form to put you in contact with every weak part of yourself, to train yourself in discipline.” Now that’s commitment. On a lighter note, the Fresh Prince also told Esquire that his body inspiration is super-lean, four-percent-body-fat Hugh Jackman.

P!nk

Not only is this Doylestown native constantly in front of a camera, but she is also known for accomplishing stunning feats of athleticism and acrobatics during her concerts. So, needless to say, she has to look and feel fierce. She has attested to working out five days a week while on tour, doing an hour of cardio and an hour of strength training or yoga, which she also does before each show, Fitness reports.

After gaining sixty pounds while pregnant with her daughter Willow, Pink switched to a mostly vegan diet, occasionally including chicken or fish, the Examiner reports. When not on tour, she still prioritizes being active every day, even as a busy mom, because she feels it helps her tackle all of the other tasks in her life. As she told Women’s Health, while her health and strength are important to her, she isn’t one to obsess over not being skinny — I, for one, certainly empathize with her inability to resist a slice of cheesecake every now and then.

Tina Fey

When she lost 35 pounds on Weight Watcher’s at 29, this Upper Darby-bred pioneer of female comedy made healthy eating a part of her life for good. According to Self, Fey’s favorite healthy staples are beans and kale, but she still splurges on a piece of cake with white icing from time to time.

In the past, Fey surprised interviewers when she told them she didn’t exercise at all, not being able to find time between work and motherhood. Lately, though, she fits in a workout with a trainer infrequently and says if she ever had an extra hour in her day she would take a long walk. She emphasizes healthy body image to herself and her daughters; she talks to them about food only in terms of health, according to the Examiner. She also never weighs herself, but marks her progress by how her clothes fit.

Kobe Bryant

Most of us probably won’t be stealing Kobe’s training routine anytime soon, but we still want to know how the heck his game and his physique are always on point. During the basketball season, the Lower Merion High School grad tells Men’s Fitness he works out four hours a day including practice, focusing a lot on Olympic lifting outside of practice and also incorporating high-intensity cardio like sprints and suicides.

Off-season, it’s all about maintaining his basketball skills and his strength and agility. He claims that all of his physical conditioning happens off the court, and that practice is for fine-tuning his skills. With all of that physical exertion though, recovery has to be an activity in itself — to reduce pain and inflammation, Bryant ices at least his knees for twenty minutes a day and goes to acupuncture, according to Business Insider.

As reported on the Lakers’ Fit for Life page, Bryant’s diet during the season, especially pre- and post-game, is regulated by the team’s nutritionist, who has the players avoid added sugars and what she calls “inflammatory oils” like canola and soybean oils in favor of olive oil or grass-fed butter. Grass-fed beef and eggs from pastured chickens are also staples in Bryant’s diet. His pre-game meal is typically a salad topped with lean protein, and post-game he refuels with a low-sugar chocolate milk. To support joint health, ESPN reported that Bryant regularly eats soup made with bone broth, which has come to be very trendy lately in healthy foodie circles.

Like what you’re reading? Stay in touch with Be Well Philly—here’s how:

• Like Be Well Philly on Facebook
• Follow Be Well Philly on Twitter
• Follow Be Well Philly on Pinterest
• Get the Be Well Philly Newsletter