Hilary Duff’s Workout And Approach to Fitness Is All About Feeling Good

Hilary Duff’s workout and fitness regime has significantly improved the way she feels. The mom of 4 maintains an active lifestyle and stands as an inspiration.

Sanchari Bhattacharya
Written by Sanchari Bhattacharya , Health & Fitness Expert
Updated on Aug 28, 2024 | 03:18 PM IST | 97.9K
Hilary Duff’s Workout
Hilary Duff’s Workout (Image Source: Getty Images)

Hilary Duff is a renowned American actress, author, singer, businesswoman, and a mom of four who is passionate not only about her career but also about fitness. Duff’s professionalism in the entertainment industry is worth appreciating. Hilary Duff’s workout, healthy lifestyle, and approach to fitness are a source of inspiration just like her acting talent. 

The Lizzie McGuire star is quite vocal about her lifestyle, health, fitness, and diet. Fans worldwide praise the way she has maintained herself post the birth of her four kids. Her fitness regime and dietary habits have fetched her results and made a huge difference in how she feels. 

As you scroll ahead, you will get to know the details of her workout routine, diet, and so much more. 

 

Who Is Hilary Duff?


Hilary Erhard Duff was born on September 28, 1987, in Houston, Texas. She kickstarted her acting career in the year 1993 by playing minor roles. She also appeared in numerous independent and mainstream films which fetched her multiple accolades. 

It was in 2003 when she garnered maximum attention and success. She has won a lot of prestigious awards and accolades. Some of her prominent works include The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Cadet Kelly, Agent Cody Banks, and How I Met Your Father. She has also authored various books and has released musical albums. 

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Over the years, she has not only received a significant amount of fame and media attention for her prominent works in films, series, and television but also her way of living. 

The mother of four publicly disclosed that she likes to be active and has a lot of energy that she wants to burn off. Due to her commitment to working out and exercising, she feels a lot better and stronger. Plus, she prefers spending time with people who make her feel good about herself and share similar thoughts on health, body positivity, sleep, and diet.

Such willingness to prioritize her health has left fans wondering about her fitness and wellness goals with four kids and a thriving career. Below are the insights about her fitness regimen and what she prefers to stay fit and fine. 

Read More: Brie Larson’s Weight Loss: How the ‘Captain Marvel’ Star Keeps Herself Fit

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Hilary Duff's Workout Routine And Fitness Details 

 

1. She Prefers Morning Workout


Duff does four to five one-hour sessions a week. She prefers to work out in the morning when she can because that’s what keeps her going throughout the day. Especially when she is vacationing or on a hectic holiday season, she likes to tick “work out” off her to-do list. This way, she manages to get it out of her way with a sense of satisfaction that she did it.  

As per research, regular physical activity and exercise at the same time of day, specifically during the morning, facilitates exercise adherence and improves weight management (1).

2. She Levels up Her Workout with Weights


Duff amps up her workout with heavy weights as she believes that if getting stronger is one of the fitness goals then lifting weights can be the very first step to take. In one of the interviews, she confessed that as a woman, weight lifting is incredibly important, especially for the bones. It is also vital to maintain body posture and maintain balance. 

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Initially, she steered clear of lifting weights with a fear of bulking up. However, over time, she changed her thoughts and overcame her fears. The actress also expressed that she likes lifting, squatting, hip thrusts, jumping jacks, and using a barbell with lots of weight on it. Doing so, she never felt so strong and lean. 

In fact, Duff challenges herself by adding weights to her cardio-based workouts and also when she is hiking. On the treadmill, she used to do 12-3-30 workouts but it started getting easy for her. As a result, she started wearing a 12-pound weighted vest and leveled up the intensity level. 

As per research, physical activity is essential to maintaining health, wellness, and physical function. Lifting weights and a focus on strength training are important elements of physical activities for midlife and older women as it aids women in maintaining muscle and bone mass (2).

3. She Loves Working out with a Friend

While working out, Hilary loves the social aspect. Hence, she prefers working out with a friend. She grabs someone to work out or hike with her. When she has company while working out, she feels a lot more motivated rather than carrying out her exercises all by herself. 

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4. She Likes to Get a Little Bit More Sweaty


The American diva likes her workouts extra sweaty. While confessing her love for heated workouts in one of the interviews, she appreciated that such workouts focus more on the purging of toxins. Particularly, the actress is fond of HIIT Pilates class in a heated studio. Adding to that, she said that there’s nothing more than it that makes her skin feel better. 

Research proves that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) induces numerous physiological adaptations that improve exercise capacity such as maximal oxygen uptake, aerobic endurance, and anaerobic capacity (3).

5.  She Is a Big Fan of Resistance Training 

While working out with her personal trainer, Dominic Leeder, she began paying heed to building lean muscle mass and targeting her metabolism. The duo started by super-setting stability and strength exercises through resistance training. 

They used to look around at 75 to 80% of her one repetition. Later, they did eight reps at a slower rep range. Doing so, Hilary discovered that it was one of the best ways to gain lean muscle mass, especially when mixed with a sensible and science-based diet.

Research indicates that there are several benefits associated with strength training, including an increase in lean body mass, metabolic rate, bone density, decreased risk of injury, and building back lost muscle tissue that commonly occurs with aging (4).

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6. She Enjoys Playing Tennis with Her Husband


Typically on Sundays, she plays tennis with her husband for one hour every week. When the kids leave the house, they tend to enjoy the sport. It is kind of an escape or a little break from her daily routine. 

Moreover, Duff finds tennis a complex game because it is difficult to think about other things when you are playing. In fact, tennis diverts her mind and calms down all the wondrous thoughts going on in her mind. The brain automatically shuts off and allows you to take a much-needed break from the daily hustle and bustle. 

People who play tennis appear to have significant health benefits like improvement in bone health, aerobic fitness, a more favorable lipid profile, a lower body fat percentage, and reduced risk for developing cardiovascular disease (5).

7. She Is Quite Aware of the Pregnancy Weight Gain


The mother of four is realistic about pregnancy weight gain. High social support, food security, and increased prenatal care are associated with a normal weight gain in pregnancy (6).

Initially, it was really hard for her to lose the extra pounds. However, she affirmed that it does take a lot of effort, focus, and dedication to get back into the original shape post-delivery. She advises to talk to friends and reserve energy to get to the gym. 

8. She Maintains a Balance Between Gym Time And Family Time


Although Hilary is dedicated to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, she tries to balance her career path, gym time, and family time. According to Duff’s trainer, Leeder, finding a way to balance every aspect of her personal life was challenging for her but he has worked with her continuously to set new fitness goals, depending upon her needs and necessities. 

Their goal was to maintain what they currently had while maintaining a fantastic lifestyle. It was also about staying mentally happy. Research also states that continuous exercise along with a healthy diet are the greatest factors in lifestyle. They have a direct and positive relation with one’s overall health (7).

9. She Likes Being Active with Her Kids


Duff agrees that children have a lot of energy, and keeping up with them qualifies as a workout. In fact, Duff and her son Luca go swimming, and since he is an avid bike rider, she got herself a scooter, too. In addition, they jump on a trampoline in the backyard and play tag. 

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Hilary Duff’s Views on Working Out And Mental Health


Hilary believes that being in the public’s eyes is a lot of pressure to look or appear in a certain way. However, she has successfully overcome her share of insecurity and tries to be kinder to herself. 

She never tries to put a lot of pressure on herself, concerning how she looks. When she was young, she did feel the pressure of what the audience thought or spoke about her. But, after becoming a mother, it doesn’t affect her at all. 

Post delivery, Duff believes that she is not her priority, her kids are. However, she does care how she looks and feels but has managed to take good care of her mental health. She likes to work out, eat healthy meals, and drink beverages. 

Hilary is proud of her body, which gave birth to four children. Today, she is in a place where there is peace along with all the changes that her body has undergone over the course.  

That was all about her workout and fitness routine! Keep scrolling to know what Hilary Duff’s dietary habits look like. 

 

Insights from Hilary Duff’s Dietary Plan And Habits

 

1. She Keeps Counting Macros


While working out with a dieting coach and personal trainer, Duff learned that counting macros i.e. macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids is an effective way to maintain a balanced diet. Macronutrient intake is an important aspect of any diet due to its direct influence on body composition, energy balance, and health outcomes (8).

She believes that such a practice aids in more flexibility and the practice makes one eat more of everything that you actually like. 

While conserving in an interview, Duff spoke about following a custom weekly menu. She gives the credit to her dieting coach who has helped her stay lean while binging bread, chocolate, and wine. 

If one is working out, regulating counting carbs is very important. Carbohydrates are an important dietary energy source that plays an important role in gut health and immune function (8).

 

2. She Practices Mindful Eating


Hilary strives to practice mindful eating because, after working with a dieting coach, she realized that she was consuming many extra calories while eating mindlessly.

Mindful eating is paying attention to our food on purpose and moment-by-moment. The purpose of such practice is not to lose weight, it is to aid people to savor the moment and the food, encouraging full presence while eating. Those who adopt this style of eating will likely lose weight (9).

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The How I Met Your Father star also stated that she had no idea about the meals she was taking in a day. She lost 10 pounds, not by starving herself but by consciously eating everything she liked.

3. She Prepares Meals Ahead of Time


In order to avoid impulsive and unhealthy meal choices, Hilary Duff likes to prep meals ahead of time when she can. She usually tries to make a lot of stuff over the weekend like a good quantity of quinoa to throw in some salad. 

Hilary Duff’s workout, favorite gym activities, and overall fitness regime serve as a source of motivation for many. Her emphasis on feeling good and staying committed to a strict routine showcases her holistic approach to well-being. As a mother of four and a businesswoman, Hilary’s fitness journey inspires audiences to prioritize their health and find joy in staying active and fit. Right from indulging in strength training and intensity workouts to eating a balanced diet, she did it all with sheer determination and perseverance! 

 

Sources

1. Consistent Morning Exercise May Be Beneficial For Individuals with Obesity

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7492403/

2. Strength Training Improves Body Image and Physical Activity Behaviors Among Midlife and Older Rural Women

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4354895/

3. Evidence-Based Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Exercise Capacity and Health: A Review with Historical Perspective

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8294064/

4. Increasing Lean Mass and Strength: A Comparison of High Frequency Strength Training to Lower Frequency Strength Training 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4836564/ 

5. Health benefits of tennis 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2465255/ 

6. Weight gain during pregnancy and its associated factors: A Path analysis 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7424458/ 

7. Impact of Lifestyle on Health

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4703222/ 

8. Nutrition: Macronutrient Intake, Imbalances, and Interventions 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594226/ 

9. Mindful Eating: The Art of Presence While You Eat

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556586/ 

FAQ's

How often does Hilary Duff exercise and work out?
She works out at four to five one-hour sessions a week.

Does Hilary Duff have a personal trainer to help her stay fit?
Yes, Hilary Duff has a personal trainer, named Leeder.

What type of cardio workout does Hilary Duff do?
Hilary Duff does HIIT Pilates as her cardio workout.

How does Hilary Duff manage to stay motivated to work out?
She grabs a friend to work out with her to stay motivated to work out.

How does Hilary Duff manage her workouts with her busy schedule?
As a busy mom of 4, Hilary Duff works out in the morning so that she can tick it off her to-do list first.

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About The Author
Sanchari Bhattacharya
Sanchari Bhattacharya
Health & Fitness Expert

Sanchari, a certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach

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