JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Selena Gomez’s Weight Loss Journey with Positive Body Image
Here’s a comprehensive overview of Selena Gomez’s weight loss journey, diet, exercise routine, health status, and approach towards body positivity. Read on!
When it comes to matters of health and fitness, Selena Gomez has always been a Bad Liar. In her media interactions, she has been quite honest about her diet, exercise regimen, health, and how hurtful social media trolls about her body get at times, despite her being very strong and confident in her own skin. Hence, Selena Gomez’s weight loss journey is truly “rare” and inspiring for fans who look up to her. In essence, Gomez’s transformative journey comprises balanced meals, organic food, exhilarating workout routines, and a lot to do with her health struggles with lupus and her kidney transplant. Scroll away to learn more.
Who Is Selena Gomez?
An accomplished singer, actress, producer, and entrepreneur, Selena Gomez has been winning fans’ hearts for the last two decades. With her impressive talent, hard work, and earnest pursuits, she never ceases to be relevant in show business and now in the beauty industry, too.
She began her career as a child actress in the television series Barney & Friends, and with the role of Alex Russo on Disney’s Wizards of a Waverly Place, she became a teen idol. Then, she set forth as a recording artist and formed a pop-rock band “Selena Gomez & the Scene” — each of its releases has received accolades from the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).
She kickstarted her journey as a soloist with her EDM-inspired album Stars Dance, followed by Come & Get It. After those worked out, Gomez moved on to releasing some electropop records along with some singles such as Good for You, Same Old Love, and Hands to Myself — some of these became massive hits in various countries.
Some of Gomez’s most wildly popular releases include Lose You to Love Me, Taki Taki, Bad Liar, It Ain’t Me, Wolves, Who Says, Love On, and Back to You. Gomez has also collaborated with several other pop icons and bands with songs such as Ice Cream (BlackPink), Calm Down - Remix (Rema), We Don’t Talk Anymore (Charlie Puth), Bad Blood (Taylor Swift), Send It On (Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, and Demi Lovato), and Let Somebody Go (Coldplay).
She has also starred in several movies such as Another Cinderella Story (2008), Monte Carlo (2011), Spring Breakers (2012), The Fundamentals of Caring (2016), The Dead Don't Die (2019), etc., and became the voice of Mavis in the Hotel Transylvania film series (2012–2022). In 2020, she also launched the cosmetics company Rare Beauty and started Rare Impact, a non-profit for mental health awareness — both named after her third album.
In addition to her astonishing success and remarkable career trajectory, Gomez has always been looked upon by fans for her immaculate beauty and fitness levels.
How Did Selena Gomez Gain Weight?
For most of her career, Selena has managed to maintain a fit and slim figure. However, in 2013, she was diagnosed with lupus. This is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes tissue damage in different body parts such as the heart, joints, lungs, skin, kidneys, blood cells, etc. (1). Because of this, the Only Murders in the Building star is on a medication, which she needs to consume lifelong and she attributes the same to her frequent weight fluctuations.
In several interviews, Gomez mentioned that she puts on lots of water weight every time she is on the medication and drops several pounds whenever she stops consuming it. However, the pop star agrees that the medication is vital for her health, and she cannot stop consuming it permanently.
Adding to her persisting health issues, in 2017, Gomez also had to go through a kidney transplant, which further had critical effects on her health. After a kidney transplant, patients are typically asked to be on anti-rejection medicines, which have many side effects — weight gain being a common one (2).
These factors contributed to Gomez’s noticeable weight gain. In an Instagram live video, the Bad Liar singer was chatting with her 9-year-old sister Gracie Elliot Teefey, wherein she addressed her recent weight gain, saying that she “enjoyed herself during holidays.”
Selena Gomez’s Views on Body Image
(Image Source: Getty Images)
Currently, Gomez’s health is at a stage where her weight fluctuates frequently. Regardless, the singer does her best to take care of her health and embraces body positivity and self-confidence. Gomez made a statement in a recent interview, with reference to body image and standards, saying that while she has immense respect for models, she definitely cannot be one herself.
While taking care of her health has never been off the table, the It Ain’t Me singer now refuses to adhere to the unrealistic beauty standards this industry has for women. She reminds herself every day that she cannot be perfect, and sometimes, it’s okay to just be herself.
In her documentary My Mind & Me, Gomez opened up about how body shaming trolls don’t bother her anymore, and more so because she doesn’t want such trolls to bother others who are experiencing the same. The Who Says singer believes that it is unfair when people are bullied or judged for what they look like, who they are, and who they love. She also believes that “no one deserves to feel less.”
Regardless of what the body shamers say, Gomez’s positive attitude continues to inspire millions of fans to practice self-love and have more realistic standards with weight and fitness.
Selena Gomez’s Diet Plan
Compared to what’s typically expected of celebrities when it comes to weight management, Selena doesn’t like to overthink her meals or obsess over calories in her daily diet. Her aim is usually to just get in all essential nutrients so that she can stay strong through her hectic schedule.
Her trainer, Amy Rosoff Davis usually helps Gomez plan her meals, ensuring that they are rich in protein, healthy fats, fiber, and complex carbohydrates, to keep her satiated and align with the energy requirements for her workouts. Davis also encourages Gomez to consume superfoods that help boost immunity, ensuring she stays strong and healthy amidst her persisting health issues.
Brown Rice Bowls: Davis has made a lot of brown rice bowls for Selena, with a generous side of vegetables, protein (beans, turkey, or chicken), and avocado. This is an excellent example of a balanced meal, as it is rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and unsaturated fats to keep one feeling satiated for long. Vegetables and avocados are also rich in antioxidants and improve heart health (3), (4). Gomez loves her healthy breakfast burritos prepared in a similar fashion.
Chicken Salad/Turkey Salad: Chicken is an excellent source of protein and putting it together with a generous amount of vegetables makes for a healthy, complete meal (5), (3). During meals when Selena feels the need to go a little easy on carbohydrates, she gobbles down a healthy bowl of chicken salad with grapes and celery.
Grapes and celery are both abundant in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and fiber, with the former also being rich in fatty acids (grape seed) (6), (7).
On other days, Gomez likes to switch up her choice of protein with turkey and has it in a scrumptious salad with avocado, beans, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Selena usually has such salad-type meals for lunch, especially when she is shooting, recording, or has a busy schedule lined up.
Greek Yoghurt And Granola: This is another healthy breakfast option that Selena likes to have. Compared to regular yogurt, Greek yogurt is thicker, creamier, and higher in protein. Granola, depending on its contents, can be an excellent source of dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
Teriyaki Bowl: With either chicken or salmon as a choice of healthy protein, Gomez likes to nosh off a healthy teriyaki bowl made with an Asian-marinated cucumber, avocados, and rice or a side of sushi.
Organic Food: Selena is very particular about consuming fresh produce from local farmer’s markets. She opts for organic fruits and vegetables as well as hormone-free and grass-fed meat. Research shows that food produced without any pesticides, growth hormones, or genetic modification is far healthier than food produced otherwise and prevents many side effects of the latter (8), (9).
Green Tea: Instead of opting for more heavily caffeinated beverages, Gomez likes to sip on a cup of refreshing green tea whenever she needs a little pick-me-up. Green tea has impressive antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, neuroprotective, and cholesterol-lowering effects on health. It contains zero calories, has lesser amounts of caffeine, and aids in weight loss (10).
Hydration: Instead of having sugary drinks, Gomez likes to stay hydrated with humble water — and has a lot of it on an average day to stay hydrated. Earlier, she used to make the mistake of not having enough water, but these days, she consciously reminds herself to stay hydrated and thereby, rejuvenate her body.
Having said that, the Wolves singer likes to indulge once in a while in delicious fast food, especially tacos, egg rolls, onion rings, and the spicy chicken sandwich from Jack in the Box.
She also likes eating spaghetti, ice cream, chocolate, pizzas, and pierogies and has a soft corner for Flamin' Hot Cheetos. The key here is that she understands moderation and keeps a healthy balance between enjoying delicious treats and eating nutritious food.
Now that we have many insights about Selena Gomez’s food choices, let’s understand her exercise routine.
Selena Gomez’s Workout Routine
Amy Rosoff Davis has been Selena’s trainer for the longest time and has influenced and mapped out much of her workout plan. Her exercises are very unique, often circuit-based, and comprise a mix of different disciplines such as stretching, balance work, pulses, etc.
The Love On singer’s workout routine aims to give one a lithe and flexible physique. Moreover, Davis encourages her to listen to her body as much as possible and mixes things up to keep the workouts fun and effective. After all, the trainer believes that exercise should be a natural part of one’s lifestyle, not an obligation or punishment.
Let’s learn more about Selena Gomez’s workout routine.
Warm-up And Cool-down: Davis’s training style includes an elaborate warm-up routine, characterized by repeated micro-movements to awaken and tone the muscles. There are many pulses and standing exercises in her warm-ups and deep stretches in her cool-downs.
Pilates: Gomez’s exercise comprises precise movements with several repetitions, focusing on toning specific muscle groups such as the quads, glutes, triceps, core, etc. They are designed to strengthen and lengthen the body and build strength while increasing flexibility. Davis devices 30-minute workouts inspired, from Pilates to target different muscle groups.
Yoga: Downward dogs, upward dogs, cobra pose, cat and cow stretch, warrior pose, pigeon pose as well as sun salutations and breath alignment are some yoga-inspired additions that Davis adds to Selena’s typical workouts.
Dance Cardio: Most of the fun element in the singer’s workout routine comes from dance-inspired moves, such as ballet and freestyle, which jazzes up the exercise and keeps the endorphins pumping.
Circuit Training: While Davis’s circuit training exercises are very diverse and unique, they often contain a good mix of HIIT moves with a little bit of kickboxing and strength training using light to medium weights. By definition, circuit training involves practicing a repeated series of exercises in one set, followed by a short break, and then heading on to a new set of exercises.
Hiking: Gomez’s trainer sometimes likes to take the usual workout outdoors. Through hiking, the star not only burns some calories and gets fitter but is also able to step out in nature and unwind. They often stop at waterfalls for a rejuvenating, soulful experience.
Davis had also introduced the Wizards of a Waverly Place star to “Shape House,” an urban sweat lodge to engage in sweat sessions to burn calories.
Selena Gomez’s Before And After Weight Loss Transformation
Before:
( Image Source: Getty Images)
After:
Be it her fun and exhilarating workout regimen, her wholesome diet, or her approach toward body positivity, Selena Gomez’s weight loss journey is truly inspiring and considerably “rare”. While Gomez is quite hardworking and dedicated, her fitness routine sounds less grueling and more exciting than that of most other celebrities in showbiz, which influences fans worldwide to have a holistic and reasonable approach towards fitness.
Sources:
1. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535405/
2. Weight gain after renal transplant: Incidence, risk factors, and outcomes - PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9162351/
3. Nutritional Quality and Health Benefits of Vegetables: A Review
4. A Comprehensive Review of Hass Avocado Clinical Trials, Observational Studies, and Biological Mechanisms - PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8705026/
5. Poultry Consumption and Human Health: How Much Is Really Known? A Systematically Searched Scoping Review and Research Perspective
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9776623/
6. Grape bioactive molecules, and the potential health benefits in reducing the risk of heart diseases
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8567006/
7. A Review of the Antioxidant Activity of Celery (Apium graveolens L) - PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871295/
8. Human health implications of organic food and organic agriculture: a comprehensive review - PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5658984/
9. A Systematic Review of Organic Versus Conventional Food Consumption: Is There a Measurable Benefit on Human Health?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019963/
10. Beneficial effects of green tea: A literature review
FAQ's
