Celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson is thrilled to be teaching classes again after taking time off—and she’s learned a whole new appreciation for movement. Anderson, 49, shared a video of herself at a Tracy Anderson Method studio, wearing a black workout onesie. “I taught the TA LIVE version of this class last weekend and cherish that movement after a week of not being able to get it in😅. Both classes are up and I’m excited for the new content drop later this week 🌟,” she captioned the post. Anderson is known for training celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Madonna—here are the fitness rules she lives by.
Anderson doesn’t watch portion sizes, but eats until she feels nourished. “I start my morning with lemon water mixed with a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt,” she told Tracy Anderson Magazine. “I always have a coffee, and I take it black with a thin layer of oat milk foam, only ever on top. For breakfast, I opt for an apple blueberry purée. It has a wholesome sweetness to it, which gives me energy throughout the start of the day. A hot broccoli and cauliflower salad, and a parsnip, carrot, peas, and herb purée for lunch. It leaves me satisfied, but never sluggish. For dinner, I would pair a fennel and pea soup with an herb-roasted black cod. The soup is super flavorful and light, and the cod is protein-packed and surprisingly hearty.”
Anderson compared daily exercise to teeth brushing, in that it should be considered a non-negotiable. “If you don’t work out one day, you’re going to stay the same or gain weight,” she told PEOPLE. “It’s fine if you want to give yourself a day to rest, but know that as long as you’re not exercising in a way that’s invasive to your body, you can exercise seven days a week. It cracks me up when people say, ‘How long do I have to commit to this exercise program?’ or ‘How long until I can just do this two to three days a week?’ That’s not reality. We need to get used to taking care of our bodies.”
Anderson believes in making sustainable changes and healthy choices—not dramatic restrictions. “If you have weight to lose, you have to train yourself to be good at exercise,” she told PEOPLE. “And diet is definitely important, but it’s not about calorie restriction — it’s more about eating whole and organic foods. You should enjoy foods that are life-giving instead of damaging to your body. Avoid processed foods, and include foods that are as close to nature as possible, as well as greens and superfoods like mulberries. I eat organic chocolate every single day.”
Anderson says that while fasted cardio isn’t for everyone, what you eat before a workout is important. “You should still be smart about what you put into your body before training,” she told Goop. “If you eat a bagel or spaghetti before working out, you will not burn as much fat. Substitute something like 2 scoops of protein powder with half water and half coconut water for that bagel, and you’ve got a win-win: Fat is broken down faster, and you can still go the distance to create real and lasting results.”
Anderson is a big believer in the right type of cardio. “Getting the right balance of cardio is sometimes tricky, as too much, or the wrong flow can increase cortisol levels, which burns muscle tissue,” she told Goop. “I’m always thrilled when I get a client to accomplish a good cardio routine, since the body reacts really well to it. When performed consistently, it becomes a wonderful compliment to all of my muscular design work instead of a confusing variable. In an ideal world, I like 30 minutes of cardio with 30 minutes of muscular structure work; if you don’t have a full hour, choose 30 focused minutes of one or the other.”