Get a Jessica Alba Body – Celebrity Diet and Workout Review
Jessica Alba’s diet and workout for girls who want a lean and curvy body…by Brad Campbell
When it comes to selecting a female celebrity body from which to use for inspiration, most girls would have Jessica Alba right at the top, along with girls like Jessica Biel, Megan Fox, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, you get the picture.
Jessica’s managed to create a lean and tone body without sacrificing her feminine curves. I think Alba has just the right mix of the hard and athletic look, blended with soft and curvy.
So what exactly is Jessica Alba’s height and weight, you ask? Well, during the fiming of Into The Blue, the actress weighed 127 lbs (58 kg)…not too shabby given Jessica’s height of 5′7″ (1.70 m).
Allow me to break down her exact diet and workout routine so you know what it takes to get a Jessica Alba body.
I have to warn you that most celebrity workout reviews I’ve done end with me totally tearing apart their methods and suggesting more advanced strategies that will help transform your body faster than you otherwise would using these generic celeb routines.
For example, just check out that Angelina Jolie wannabe, Megan Fox’s Workout, and tell me this isn’t complete garbage. Okay, back on subject…without further ado, let’s see how Jessica got to be such a lil hottie…
Jessica Alba’s Workout Routine:
–> This is a sample 40 minute home workout that Jessica used to quickly lose her pregnancy weight and get back into excellent shape.
–> Alba starts with 10 minutes of cardio work, jogging lightly for the first 2 minutes, followed by running 6 minutes hard and then jogging the last 2 minutes.
–> Next, Jessica rocks a weight training circuit. She performs 3 sets of 20 repetitions using 3-lb dumbbells, for the following exercises:
1) Lateral shoulder raises
2) Reverse flys
3) Alternating forward lunges combo’d with bicep curls
–> After this brief strength training circuit, Alba heads back to the treadmill for more interval cardio. This time, she completes a 5 minute session consisting of 30 seconds of light jogging, alternating with 30 seconds of sprinting.
–> After this, Jessica hits up more weight training, again performing 3 sets of 30 repetitions using 3-lb dumbbells, for the following exercises:
1) Chest presses
2) Squats combo’d with shoulder presses
3) Tricep dips
–> After this, Alba hops back on the treadmill for another 5 minute cardio session, using the same 30 seconds of jogging, alternating with 30 seconds of sprinting.
–> Now it’s time for core work. Alba completes just 1 round of 20 repetitions for the following exercises:
1) Bicycle crunches
2) Reverse crunches
3) Plank hold x 30 seconds
My thoughts on Jessica Alba’s Workout:
Jessica’s workout routine is actually pretty solid. This is similar to my hybrid-style workouts, where I like to blend weight training with cardiovascular training to promote a major post-workout boost in metabolism.
Another positive to Jessica Alba’s workout is that her cardio bouts use intense intervals, rather than simply jogging at an easy level for the entire time. This will also contribute to a greater fat-burning effect after her workout has ended.
Jessica doesn’t overdo it on ab exercises, which is nice to see (most celebrities base their whole damn workout around useless ab crunches that don’t do squat for burning body fat). I’m cool with you doing a small volume of ab training at the end of a workout, if that floats your boat…just remember, it doesn’t do much for creating a flat, tight stomach.
My major problem with Alba’s workout plan is that she does her weight training based off the myth that girls need to be doing very light weight and high reps, so they don’t get big and bulky. I’m sorry, but 3-lb dumbbells just doesn’t cut it.
This won’t challenge your muscles enough to spark new growth, nor will it cause the fat-burning hormonal response we’re looking for. If you want to lose fat and get tone, even if you’re a female, it’s best to use heavy weights.
Other than that, Jessica’s workout is actually much better than the typical, generic, cookie-cutter (straight out of an old fitness magazine) crap that other celebs report using. Mixing cardio work into your weight training is a great way to save time, boost metabolism and work different energy pathways in the same workout.
Just don’t let me catch you doing your weight training exercises with hot pink 3-lb dumbbells, okay? Cool, now let’s move on and review her diet plan, which is really where you’re able to sculpt a body like Jessica Alba…
Jessica Alba’s Diet Plan:
–> Jessica’s main secret weapon in losing fat and getting tone is portion control…and she reports being very good at resisting junk food and not overeating at restaurants.
–> Alba is very carb-conscious and leaves breads, bagels, pastas and desserts off limits…but will give in once in a while and have chocolate cake for a special treat.
–> Jessica’s typical diet plan includes lots of lean meat, fruits, veggies, whole grains and low fat cheeses. Here’s a sample day of eating for Jessica Alba:
Breakfast – 1 cup of oatmeal with berries and 3-4 egg whites (scrambled)
Lunch – Salad with 6 oz of chicken breast, salmon, or tuna
Dinner – Sashimi or 6 oz of filet of beef (or other lean protein), lots of veggies and 3 small red potatoes
Snacks – A handful of almonds or popcorn
My thoughts on Jessica Alba’s Diet:
Jessica’s diet is very typical to anyone who has a lean and tone body. This isn’t by coincidence…if you want to lose fat and flaunt shapely lean muscle, without giving up your curves in the process…you’ll need to eat a low calorie diet that is based around lean protein sources, veggies and healthy fats.
Note that it’s not mandatory to go extremely low carb…this just makes it easier to keep your total daily calories at a deficit, so fat loss can take place (see Fat Loss 101 for more info). It’s just way too easy to overeat on carbs and the resulting insulin spike will give you more cushion for the pushin’ if you’re not active enough immediately after eating.
If you really want to speed up your fat loss results, though, you can get crazy with it and use a high calorie cheat day, followed by a fasting day. This resets your hormone levels and keeps your metabolism running at a high level week after week…rather than risking the chance of your body going into starvation mode, where it tries to store fat and slow metabolism because of the prolonged low-calorie intake.
As you can see, it takes discipline, hard work and consistency to get a body like Jessica Alba. Most people drastically underestimate just how hard it is to lose enough fat to get that super toned look. Don’t worry, though, because once you’re there, it’s a lot easier to maintain than it was to make the transformation.
If you’d like advanced fat loss workout videos, coaching lessons, my Fat Chance ebook and a coupon that lets you try out my Inner Circle program for 14-days for just $1, go ahead and sign up for my free VIP list by entering your name and email below.
Also, let me know your thoughts about this review of Jessica Alba’s diet plan and workout regimen. Do you agree that she has one of the best celebrity female bods in the game? If not, who’s got her beat? Talk below…
Your Fat Loss Coach,
Brad Campbell
Posted by Brad Campbell | in Celebrity Workout Reviews | 46 Comments
She is in my top five. Thank you.
[...] like Brooke Burke in her day, Kim Kardashian, Jessica Biel, Mariah Carey, Jessica Alba and Shakira have that going for [...]
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[...] PS – If you liked my Megan Fox Workout, you’ll also like this —> Jessica Alba’s Workout Plan [...]
Hi,
I just read this and think you’ve gone into great detail which is alot of help. I weigh about 9stone 3lbs and Im 5′5. I feel I am overweight and really need to tone up, I was hoping to lose a stone before April. Do you think this is possible?
Hi Sheena – absolutely, 1 stone in 3 months time is very attainable. In fact, if you hit it hard, you’ll probably smash this goal. Follow the diet plans and workouts on this site and let me know what questions you have. Best of luck to you.
-b
i was doing this workout and my arms were dying i was wondering like i hope this will not make my arms gross buff i just really want to work out my stomach is this the right excercize for me? Because there isnt any planks or abything to really do with the abbs?
No this will not make you buff and gross looking – the only way to do that would be with a very high cal, high protein diet and potentially testosterone injections, which I’m sure isn’t the case for you. don’t worry about getting too buff, it’s not going to happen.
There is an ab circuit in the workout – did you see the bicycle crunches, plank hold and reverse crunches? Just don’t get overly concerned w/ ab work – the only way to get a flat, tight stomach is to burn through the fat that’s currently stored there. And you do this w/ high intensity weight training, cardio workouts and proper diet plan.
-b
how many days a week should i do this because right now i have bball games tues and fri? The rest of the school week i have 3 hr practices but they arnt doing much for my body, at least there not helping me to get the jessica alba body.
Hi Saria – Ideally, you should do this workout 3 times weekly, but given your practices and bball games, this may be overkill. With that much activity during the season, you shouldn’t have too much of a problem burning body fat. I’d take a close look into your diet plan and see where you can make improvements. Are you getting enough high quality protein around the clock? Are you eating lots of veggies and minimal amounts of processed carbs? Are your only liquids water and green tea? See where you can clean up your meal plan and that will help more than anything. Then I’d say do this strength training workout with heavier weights than Jessica Alba uses, twice weekly (you can leave out the cardio if you feel over-trained). Let me know if you have questions. Hope this helps. Good luck w/ the bball season – I used to be obsessed with bball, so it brings back high school memories, lol.
-b
me gustaria saber que tipo de ejercicios de musculacion hace jessica todo mejor dicho
me gustaria saber que tipo de ejercicios de musculacion hace jessica todo mejor dicho sobre ella
I’m 5″7 and 132 pounds, I work out regularly but want to reach a slightly sleeker look. I’ve been trying her diet (i used to eat bread with bfast, lunch, and rice or pasta with dinner) and doing okay with it. I have to say though 6oz seems like a lot to me, I almost feel overly full. I checked my tuna can, it’s 5oz and says that is 2 servings! Why so much? I feel like I’ll gain not lose. *tried her workout too and it felt a bit easy so I did more cardio after…am I on the wrong track here? Thanks!
Hi May – at your weight you should shoot for about 1,450 cals per day. Don’t be afraid of eating lots of protein sources – this is what will give you that toned Jessica Alba Body. Also, be sure to do some form of carb cycling – if you haven’t yet, read my posts about cheat day / fast day and give that a shot. This keeps the metabolism running high to promote more fat-burning.
With the Jessica Alba workout, if it’s a bit too easy, make sure and increase the weights used and run harder during the intervals, BEFORE increasing the amount of time you workout for. This will be better for losing fat. When that becomes easy, you can add more cardio time afterward.
You’re doing great and your stats indicate you’re pretty close to a toned Jessica Alba body type
-b
Thanks! One question about the cheat/fast thing – how do you define fasting? Just water on the fast day? Is there a calorie limit on the cheat day? (e.g. no more than 3,000 or something like that)
I am basically pretty lean, but have a tendency to keep weight in my butt, not the worst problem to have, but my measurements are 33-26-38 and I have trouble getting that area. should I be doing more exercises to hit that area?
On a fast day you get NO cals whatsoever – just water, green tea, coffee, etc. I do allow some protein snacks or some veggies if you absolutely need it (some guys are worried bout losing muscle during their fast day workout and therefore like to have a protein shake pre- and post-workout, which is fine). NO calorie limits on the cheat day – just eat what you want throughout the entire day and eat til you’re full (don’t over-stuff yourself)…also don’t save it all for one meal – it has to be maintained for at least 8 hrs to be effective.
Actually your measurements are pretty good – that should put you at pretty much the ‘hourglass figure’ right? I wouldn’t stress about it too much – most girls would want your measurements. If you need to tone up the butt and hips, focus on various lunges (front, rear, side, 45-degree), squats, lying hip extensions, lying stability ball leg curls, etc – use a really exaggerated range of motion – and this will tighten up those muscles.
Other than that, if you can take another 1-2 inches off the waist, you’ll be rockin’ it
-b
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Thanks! I love your website, it’s really helpful – esp compared to diet/weight loss tips I’ve gotten from women’s magazines. I like the focus on being lean and toned rather than just skinny
was skeptical about the binge/fast thing – then tried it and had no problem fasting the next day at all. it was a great evening of guiness that ended at IHOP with unlimited pancakes and a bunch of confused looking dudes watching me eat a ton, ha. and today i wasn’t even tempted by fresh baked cinnabons – the pancake binge turned me right off. thanks so much again!
May, thank you, thank you. I’m all about toned *and still curvy* for girls and lean and ripped for guys…really feel strong about that and think it’s the only way to go. Some ppl won’t agree, but those who do will really enjoy the content on this site.
Dude, I flippin’ love me some pancakes…that sounds SO good right now. I’ve done some damage myself at IHOP with the unltd pancakes thing
Let me know how it goes – I bet in a few days you feel tighter and leaner. Talk soon…
-b
I really want to take it up a notch, so I am sticking with this once a week cheat thing…gotta say, it is weird. I cleaned out the food my parents bring me finally (usually sits in the freezer – lasagna, bagels, cookies, etc). It felt so wrong. You better be right about this dude…are you sure it works for girls too?
since i increased the weights/intensified the intervals I like it a lot more. I now call the 5 min part ‘5 min in hell.’ looking forward to increasing it even more. I also like this routine because it’s FAST. no more 2hours at the gym. looked at the other workouts you recommended..should i change it up? I’m having a blast with this routine, but i read everywhere ‘bla bla change it up regularly’ but it’s such a pain. what are your thoughts? if i’m increasing weights/intensity is it okay to stick with this for awhile?
Does a one-legged duck swim in circles? Of course I’m sure, haha.
Make sure and do the fast day right after it for best results, though.
Glad you’re stepping it up. The heavier weights and increased intensity will be all you need to keep this workout producing results for ya. People love to jump around and switch up their workouts like every week and it doesn’t do any good. I just got done writing up some workouts for the Inner Circle, and I recommended everyone use the exact same workout for AT LEAST 4-8 weeks before even thinking about changing.
You have to max out one workout before moving on and by increasing weights, running faster, jumping higher, etc, there’s so much room for progression within any given workout. Workouts don’t fail people, people fail their workouts, ya know what I mean?
I’d stick with this until you feel you’ve really maxed it out – up to 12 weeks or so and then switch it up.
-b
lol. glad you’re sure! i am all over that fasting day, it makes me feel so much better.
that is great to hear about sticking to the routine too – it makes sense to me too, i dont think i’ll technically get the MOST out of any routine until i’ve mastered it. for ex., i still mess up on form, especially when it comes to leg stuff.
thanks for the quick responses, it is really helpful and motivating too. btw – what amount of rest between sets do you recommend? 30 sec?
Yes, usually for fat loss, I like to keep the rest periods no longer than 45 secs. 30 secs is so short, it really makes you work when you’re short on oxygen, which tend to give a better post-workout spike in metabolism. Will try to get some more vids up to show correct form.
have an awesome week.
-b
Great! Also – I’ve been doing this workout 5 days a week, should it be a daily thing though? i’ve read a few times ‘rest’ days are a necessary part of a workout routine, but i’ve also read that alba works out everyday…what are your thoughts?
I would recommend doing this workout 3-4 days per week and filling in as many other days (with at least 1 whole day off) as you’d like with varying forms of cardio training (ie steady state runs, tempo runs, intense intervals, moderate intervals…and be sure to mix up the duration, intensity and type often).
Does this make sense? I want you attacking the weights hard 3-4 times each week, but allowing your muscles to repair and rebuild on the non-weight training days…then, creating a larger caloric deficit and higher resting metabolic rate by hitting up the various cardio workouts on other days.
-b
wow i feel like i’m in class and i just got homework lol! seriously though this is great, and i’m psyched to work it in. excellent stuff as usual!
lol, yep I’m a pretty strict teacher. love the attitude, think you’ll look better than Jessica Alba when it’s all said and done
-b
haha! thanks! it’s much more fun working out when I have some goals/plans in mind.
i got a bit setback though – my left knee is SORE. i kept it elevated during classes and tried to run on it tonight, but anything over an easy pace was NOT happening. i hit the bike and elliptical instead, but it didnt feel as intense. for leg workouts the knee pain was manageable (just uncomfortable, not painful really)
any suggestions til the knee gets back to 100%?
REST. unfortunately, i’ve done the whole ‘toughing it out’ thing before and it def doesn’t help. i’d do very low impact cardio like you’ve been doing (bike and/or elliptical), and let it rest as much as possible. wish there was some amazing trick i could yell ya, but there’s not…time is now your new bff, haha.
i hope you just tweaked it and in a few days you’ll feel like a rock star again…
just don’t overdo it, ‘cuz that’ll delay the healing process.
-b
Hi if im 5′3″ and 113 lbs how much fat would I need to lose before you start to see the toned results?
hey Danielle – any clue what your current body fat % is? i’d really be guessing if i didn’t first know this number. from there, we can calculate a pretty accurate number. check out this post first —> http://www.topfatlosstrainer.com/2010/01/14/how-to-calculate-body-fat-percentage/
get that figured out using one of the described methods and we can go from there.
-b
Hi Brad! I’m 23 years old, 5′10″ and 138 pounds. Reading Jessica’s height and weight has made me feel more confident with my own proportions! Yet I’d still like to tone up and shed 10 pounds, so I’ll give this workout a shot. Any advice for someone who wants to thin up and tone their mid-section, specifically? I’ve got some extra “shtuff” on my tummy, sides and lower back that I’d like to see disappear. And is 128 pounds a healthy goal for someone who is 5′10″? I don’t want to be too small! Thanks!
Although “spot reduction” is a very controversial topic, the only way to ‘possibly’ achieve this is to perform some work in your trouble areas in btwn intense cardio workouts. So for example, do the first part of your treadmill workout and then hit the abs, lower back, etc with direct training, then hop back to the treadmill for more intense cardio. This MAY help slightly to target those areas, but in general, you’ll just have to lose fat everywhere to see changes in your trouble spots. Yes, without knowing some of your other measurements, 128 lbs sounds very good for someone 5′10″….I think that’d be an awesome look.
-b
Hi Brad! Nutrition question – sometimes (even though I know you’re not a proponent) I count the calories, and I’m a little lower than 1500, usually 1300, sometimes even 1100. Is this too low? I would gladly eat more, but my basic logic is that a little less can always be better. Your advice?
Hi May – well, I’ve got nothing against counting cals…I just know it’s unrealistic to think that most ppl would be able to stick with it for more than a few days…if you can, then that’s great and you’ve got literally zero chance of failing when it comes to your energy balance.
If you go real low and create a huge caloric deficit, as long as you’re getting enough protein, vits and minerals, this would actually lead to faster fat loss results. BUT, you’d absolutely have to use the cheat/fast day (like you have been) to ensure your metabolism doesn’t grind to a screeching halt. The lower you go, the more likely you are to drop leptin levels, thyroid levels and increase hunger (your body’s way of preventing you from ’starving’)…therefore, it becomes even more impt to use a high cal cheat day to reset things.
That was a long-winded way of saying, YES, this is cool b/c I know you’re cashing in on the once weekly cheat day.
Keep up the awesome work – I’m glad to hear you’ve seen firsthand now why this dieting strategy is so effective. Like you said, it’s not just a cool trick, but almost completely necessary for fast and continuous fat loss results.
-b
She is so HOT
AGREED
Agreed as well. LOL.
I was doing so well – then I got too ambitious with my clean day calories (see above) and I couldn’t handle the cheat day…it turned into 2 cheat days…then I tried to fast the third day…ended up eating, very lightly, veggies and fruit, but not a full fast.
Not feeling so hot now. any tips or advice? I am just trying to get back on track, but I am feeling very disappointed. Weighed in a bit heavier. Workout intensity doesn’t seem affected, but my diet is getting hard to control again.
Don’t worry bout your slip-up, this is totally natural. You hit the nail on the head actually. You were probably a bit too aggressive with your 5 ‘normal’ days, which causes leptin to drop, thyroid levels to drop and hunger-stimulating hormones to increase (your body is trying to protect you against ’starving’). Try increasing cals and protein consumed slightly on the clean eating days. You can also get more advanced and have a mid-week bumb in cals (but still staying fairly clean), to really prevent against this…of course, you can follow that day (for example, Wednesday) up with a 1/2 to 3/4 day fast as well. Throws another curve ball at your body and sort of allows you to ‘cheat the system’ and keep the results coming.
Don’t get down on yourself – I’m coming off a terrible week, where I failed to have any self control…
Keep me updated – you may feel even better after this slip-up (a few days after getting back on track).
-b
thanks! comforting to know a slip up on this approach won’t make me turn blue or suddenly gain a ton of fat. I actually feel pretty toned, just like i usually do after a good cheat/fast day, not that I want to re-do last weekened again or anything…
I have been a lot better, not being too hard on myself and trying to figure out different food combos and snacks. just goes to show everything is a learning process…i’ve been debating about whether or not to do a cheat/fast combo this weekend (i usually do sat/sun). given the recent slip up, what are your thoughts? i guess i’m wondering if my leptin levels dropped enough to warrant it.
haha, you may turn green…but definitely not blue. i know the feeling – i had an unexpected binge last night (that NEVER happens to me, especially not mid-week…i’m always on my lean body game mid-week…) and as disgusting and disappointed as i was last night…my muscles felt SO tight and full today, thanks to the glycogen being restored, along with water.
you hit the nail on the head…everything is definitely a learning process and although you should try to follow the plan with 100% accuracy, the fact is everyone’s going to slip up now and then. limiting those slip-ups and getting back on track immediately is the difference btwn those who get great bodies and those who never make it ‘there.’
you could prob get by w/o doing the cheat and fast day this week. i’m going to try and skip my usual cheat/fast combo this weekend b/c of my pigging out last night. you may just want to do a slightly higher intake of healthy carbs during that scheduled cheat day and then more veggies and protein the next day, but w/o totally fasting. sorta like a more mild version, but still using the same principles. this would be the best plan of action (for us both, lol)….
-b
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agreed! i think i’m going to do that thiscoming weekend as well, i have been off track! this is a great compromise of sorts to get me back on track…the cheat/fast definetly feels intense, and i have to be feeling like i’m coming off a great week to really nail it.
i liked me modified fast day today, basically just digestive aid ginger tea and dried cranberries to help my sometimes sensitive stomach…especially after an evening of drinking!
Cool. Yep, I’m doing the exact same thing today (and also did a lil drinking last night as well). The cheat day just isn’t the same when you feel guilty from a slip-up earlier in the week. Hope you have an awesome week.
help im 5,5 around seven an a half stone i dont want 2 way any less then that but want 2 tone up my mid section!my biggest prob is i bloat so badely an cant flaten my abbs:( any way u can help?thanks
How is your diet going? Sometimes too many carbs or high fiber foods can be the cause of this. I’d suggest eating lots more veggies in place of standard carbs. Also, definitely check out this post: cheat day diet…if you implement this, followed by a fast day…it works great for tightening up the stomach.
Brad