Rita Ora, the talented singer and songwriter who even dabbles in acting, isn’t afraid to take risks when it comes to working out and wellness. She advises women to make better choices for their health and overall wellness, not just to focus on becoming “skinny.” The proof that it works is on display in her latest batch of photos in a swimsuit, captioned “Today was magical.” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see how Rita Ora stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don’t miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!
One trick Rita uses is eating half of the food on her plate. “I watch what I eat but I just cut my portions in half,” Rita said. “So if I want a burger I’ll just cut it in half and eat half of it. That or I’ll take the bread off and only eat the burger. Or if I want fries then I won’t have a burger to go with them.”
When you have control and you know how to have things in moderation, it’s ok to indulge occasionally. “I’m such a sucker for cheese and wine,” Rita admits. “I was just shooting a movie in Italy, and the pastas, the cheeses, the wine-ooh! Obviously I had to have all that good stuff. Now I indulge once a week. But I don’t go crazy.”
Rita admits she used to push herself to the point of feeling sick, which is obviously too far. There’s a good middle ground to find where you’re pushing yourself to the max, but not to a dangerous level. “I do circuit training. I usually work out for one or two hours, depending on how much time I have,” she said. “I do three circuits and repeat that three times. I mostly focus on my thighs and my bum, so I do a lot of squats and weight lifting. And I do one circuit of cardio. What I’ve learned is that you can take your time with training. You don’t have to beat yourself up as long as you get in the workouts that you need.”
Rita eats food that’s good for her body and strives for balance. “With the plan I’m on, you can eat quite a bit as long as you exercise,” Rita says. “In the morning, I have two boiled eggs, asparagus, and half a cup of muesli with almond milk. For lunch, I have chicken or fish with vegetables, and for dinner, I have six to eight ounces of fish with vegetables and half a potato. Plus snacks. I don’t eat bread or sugar. But I’m not starving myself. I used to be like, ‘I’m not eating!’ Eating isn’t the problem, though. It’s about what your body needs, and everyone’s body is different.”
It’s about strength over being skinny. “I’m not going to lie and say I was completely happy with my body before,” she admits. “I knew I could change a few things to improve my stamina, especially onstage. I didn’t start working out to get skinnier-I started working out to feel better. And I think it’s important for women to know that. Don’t be obsessed with being thin. You just have to be fit, healthy, and strong.” She’s learned to love her shape because it’s curvy. I have thighs. I’m a size 28 in jeans. And that’s an average, normal size. I’m proud that I’m normal.”