Taraji P. Henson is showing fans and followers what a typical strength-training workout looks like for the actress. Henson shared a video of herself wearing red leggings and a matching tank top, lifting heavy weights at the gym. “She been working @forcefitnessinc,” she captioned the post. “Let’s gooooo🔥🔥🔥🔥😍,” commented Lala Anthony. Henson is 53 and in the best shape of her life—here’s what her fitness and wellness routines look like.
Henson meditates first thing every morning. “I try to set my mind right,” she told The Cut. “I try to tell myself that no matter what, today is going to be a good day, so when those curve balls come, I’m not taken by surprise. I can tell the days I don’t meditate, because I pop off. Things aggravate me. When you say ‘meditate,’ people think that you’ve got to be like: ‘oooohm oooohm.’ Meditation is just peace. You’re sitting with your thoughts and letting them play out in your mind until there’s total quiet.”
For Henson, Sundays are self-care days. “For me, much of my self-care starts in the bathroom and Sunday is my self-care day—it’s my wash day and my me day,” she told Marie Claire. “I don’t take calls or texts on Sunday. I firmly believe in practicing the act of self-care anytime, anywhere. My rituals range in simplicity: from enjoying a cup of tea and a few minutes of solitude to creating a full at-home spa moment on a Sunday to pamper myself from scalp to toe.”
Henson prioritizes sleep for health and wellness. “I always take off my makeup, cleanse, and moisturize before bed,” she told Marie Claire. “I also like to brew loose-leaf tea and light a candle. By the time it steeps I’m ready to wind down, and I’ll sip it to help me fall asleep. I try to get plenty of sleep—it’s so important for your wellbeing.”
Henson isn’t always motivated to go to the gym, but she is disciplined. “I have to get my mind right to work out,” she told The Cut. “I don’t wake up like: ‘Come on, let’s go to the gym, yaaaas!’ No. I have a window, where if I don’t go by a certain time, it’s not happening. It’s from 10 to 12, maybe 1. If I don’t go by then, my mind will shut down and I won’t be able to push myself to go. I know that about me, so I make sure to schedule my training session during that time.”
Henson works out with a personal trainer. “I’m not a fitness guru,” she told The Cut. “I like to work out, but I won’t push myself, so I need a trainer to do that. A great week is when I work out four days a week, but I usually keep it at three days a week, minimum. I’m big on weight-training because I’m so small – I need to build up. I love squats. My trainer has me do planks with weights on my back, which strengthens my core. I used to do boxing. It uses every muscle in your body and snatches you like that.”