I think it’s safe to say we’ve probably all had a crush on Blake Lively at some point. From her Gossip Girl days to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (my personal favorite) or slaying red carpet looks and being adorably funny with husband Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively seems to epitomize a happy and healthy life. Blake looks like the confident and cool girl we all want to be. So how does she do it? Upon further research (AKA looking through all of her interviews I could find online), it turns out, Blake has eight healthy habits she always sticks to, and since I aspire to be just as happy and healthy as her, I tried them all. This is what happened.
1. Limit alcohol
Blake likes a party just as much as the rest of us, but she chooses to enjoy them without alcohol. “I don’t like the effects of alcohol, but I like being a part of it,” she said in a recent interview with People Magazine. “I like being social. I like people coming together.” This is perhaps what led her to create her new line of non-alcoholic mixers, Betty Buzz. I usually like to end my Fridays with a glass of wine and dinner with friends, but I also spend some Fridays in bed with Netflix and tea, so I get where she’s coming from.
My takeaway from Blake’s rule was that no matter the activity, you can still have fun whether alcohol is a part of it or not. I spent this Friday at a friend’s birthday drinking kombucha. I had so much fun and woke up feeling refreshed and great (which wouldn’t have happened had I opted for a glass of wine instead). Let’s be real: Alcohol can lead to some not-so-great mornings (hangxiety anyone?). Blake’s way of life has made me rethink alcohol and consider opting for a Betty Buzz once in a while. If you’re interested in limiting alcohol or just more mindful drinking, click here.
2. Never skip breakfast
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and Blake agrees. Her trainer Don Saladino told Cosmo that her usual breakfast is a couple of eggs cooked in coconut oil with maybe some vegetables. He also emphasized the importance of starting the day with protein and balancing sugar levels. I have always loved breakfast and can’t start my day without it (Blake and I are so similar!), but I am also guilty of opting for sugary cereal or a bagel instead of healthy protein. This week, I tried to incorporate some protein into every breakfast, whether it was eggs, a protein shake, or almond butter on my toast. I found that just by adding some form of protein, I felt fuller for longer and didn’t have the crash that usually comes with a sugary morning start. Safe to say, I’ll be sticking to this rule for a while.
3. Always start the day with hydration
In an interview with Cosmo, Saladino revealed that Blake starts every day with a large glass of water. It may seem like an easy habit, but most of us don’t drink enough water throughout the day. After dehydrating our bodies while sleeping, a glass of water is a great way to get things moving. Staying hydrated has always been something I struggled with, especially first thing in the morning; adding another thing to my morning to-do list just seemed overwhelming. But while channeling my inner Blake, I added a few hacks to make it easier: I filled up my water bottle the night before and left it on my bedside table (to make it as easy as possible in the morning) and opted for a water bottle instead of a glass (so I could take it with me if I was running out the door). Starting the day with hydration was a struggle for me, but by the end of the week, I did see the difference. The occasional caffeine headaches were gone, and I was also less tired.
4. Prioritize exercise
There’s a reason Blake is such good friends with her trainer instead of just a client: She spends four to five days a week in the gym! While her workout regimen has changed over the years, she has always kept it consistent. Saladino told E! News that some days, Blake trains for an hour, and other days, just for 20 to 30 minutes (celebrities—their schedules are all over the place!). But my biggest takeaway was that Blake maintained consistency: No matter how much time she had, she always fit in movement.
I value incorporating some movement into my daily routine, but unfortunately, hitting the gym four to five times a week was unrealistic for me. Instead, I developed a consistent schedule that worked for my life, which meant a spin class every Tuesday, an at-home workout twice a week, and maybe another spin class on the weekend. But being Blake for a week taught me that it didn’t matter if I had an hour for a spin class or 15 minutes for a walk: The goal is just to move consistently.
5. Eat a balanced diet (and never count calories!)
According to Saladino, Blake’s diet is a healthy balance of proteins, vegetables, fruits, slow-burning starches like sweet potato, and healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, and grass-fed butter. And the best part: She’s not tracking her calories or in a strict calorie deficit like you might hear from other celebs. “I don’t think putting someone into a caloric deficit is the right thing to do,” Saladino told Cosmo. “This is why a lot of coaches and people are unsuccessful.” A well-balanced diet is also something I try to incorporate into my weekly routine, so this rule was already practiced. While not every day is the same, planning out my Sunday grocery shopping in advance is always helpful. Trying out new recipes and incorporating the same ingredients into multiple meals also adds variety and reduces the cost I’m spending on food too. This is one healthy habit I will be sticking to.
6. Make room for fun
If you browse through Blake’s Instagram, it’s a combination of gorgeous fashion looks, her family and friends, and, of course, delicious baked goods. Blake has a passion for baking and a strong sweet tooth (I can relate), and so while she sticks to a healthy routine, she still makes time for “fun.” Blake follows an 80/20 rule. This means she eats clean 80% of the time, leaving 20% for indulgences. While it seems tangible, keeping my indulgences to 20% was tough for me. While I try to save indulgences for the weekend, I’m a big snacker (and love a mid-week ice cream here and there because sometimes, you need to!).
Instead of sticking to a strict 80/20 rule for the sake of becoming Blake Lively, I decided to look into each time I was craving sweets during the week and assess why. Was I bored, stressed, or needing comfort? Or does my body need this right now? If the answer was yes to the latter question, then I indulged. But I noticed that most of the time, I was just bored, and it wouldn’t actually satisfy me. By the end of the week, I discovered it was easier to limit the indulgences because I was more conscious about why I craved them in the first place. But maybe it was more 75/25 than 80/20—I am only human, after all.
7. Keep skincare simple
Long before it became a TikTok sensation, Blake was using the affordable skincare brand CeraVe because she also understands the value of good drugstore buys, just like the rest of us. In an interview with People magazine, the star shared a list of her makeup and skincare go-tos, which included many affordable options, including a Burt’s Bees chapstick. While she may choose to splurge on a serum, Blake also realizes that not every item in your bathroom cabinet has to be expensive to be effective.
As someone who has extremely oily skin and rosacea, it took a while to find the right products for my skin. I was definitely guilty of splurging on expensive creams and toners, only to realize less is always more. Now, I opt for an all-natural cleanser, a prescription cream for my rosacea, and a lightweight sunscreen. Blake’s skincare mindset is one I already live by, and while it took many years of experimentation before I got there, I realized everyone’s skin is different, and what works for you may not work for someone else.
8. There’s no such thing as “perfection” in your exercise routine
As a mom of three who travels often and always seems to be on the go, it’s impressive how Blake fits in a sweat almost every day. But sometimes, she isn’t able to stick to her schedule, and she knows that’s OK. “This isn’t about coming in and stepping on the gas and going as hard as you can every workout. That’s the biggest mistake that people make,” Saladino told E! News. “The reality is, it’s never gonna be a perfect scenario, right? There’s always going to be things getting in your way. That’s just life. Just get in there and move.”
This rule was one of my favorites. Sometimes, there can be a lot of pressure on working out—like you need to be doing an hour, burning a certain number of calories, or going at a certain intensity for it to be effective, but that’s not true. This “rule” took all the pressure off of me on the days when I didn’t have a workout planned. One time, I walked to the grocery store instead of driving. At work, my team and I decided to start doing 30 squats every day. On my lunch breaks, I would opt for a 10-minute yoga stretch. Simply adding a little bit of movement into the days when I wasn’t feeling up to a 60-minute workout gave me more energy and took all the pressure and guilt away.
