British singer Rita Ora is sharing some highlights from a recent trip to Los Angeles, where she visited a few studios and got some workouts in. Ora, 33, posted several pictures from her trip, including one of herself posing in front of a mirror in workout shorts and a black sports bra. “LA dump-lings,” she captioned the post. “Such a babe,” a fan commented. Ora went from hating exercise to finding a routine she is thriving under—here’s what her diet, fitness, and wellness routine looks like these days.
Ora has learned to genuinely enjoy working out instead of overdoing it and feeling terrible as a result. “I do circuit training,” she told Shape. “I usually work out for one or two hours, depending on how much time I have. 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. I used to push myself until I felt sick. But I’m approaching it differently now. I enjoy working out. And I like the aftermath-that feeling of contentment.”
Ora learned skincare and makeup tricks from the best. “I feel like I’ve been able to learn from some of the best makeup artists in the business just by watching them work,” she told Byrdie. “It’s helped me feel confident to know what works for me and how to use it. In my everyday life, I go for a stripped-back, natural approach to makeup, and a big part of that look is ensuring my skin is hydrated from the get-go. I’ve found that so many MUAs swear by prepping bare skin before applying any makeup. To do this, I look for hydrating sprays with ingredients like vitamin E and caffeine to soothe and awaken my skin, especially when I’m running low on sleep.”
Ora enjoys a protein-packed diet with one cheat day a week. “With the plan I’m on, you can eat quite a bit as long as you exercise,” she told Shape. “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.”
Ora’s nighttime skincare routine doubles as self-care and me-time. “For some real me-time in the evening, I’m a big fan of using a light therapy face mask, which helps to kill bacteria and calms inflammation,” she told Byrdie. “It’s relaxing, too, so ideal for when I need to switch my brain off after a busy day.”
Ora emphasizes how important it is to be fit for health over the number on the scale. “I’m not going to lie and say I was completely happy with my body before,” she told Shape. “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. I love my 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.”