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Scarlett Johansson, aka Black Widow, star of the latest Marvel blockbuster, has been playing a superhero in the franchise for over a decade—and looking like one, too. Prior to her 2010 role in Iron Man 2, the actress had surprisingly never cared much about the gym: “I am stronger and more capable now than I was 10 years ago, which is so awesome to be able to say,” she said in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. However, in the years since, she has learned a thing or two about staying in shape. Read on for Scarlett Johansson’s best health and fitness tips—and to get beach-ready yourself, don’t miss these essential Best Celebrity Bikini Photos Ever!
If You Are Going to Workout, Do It Hard
The star started training with Eric Johnson in 2009, and has been giving it her all ever since. He told the outlet that his goal was to transform the actress into the superhero she played onscreen. “What is the Black Widow able to do? Lift 500 pounds,” he explained. Every 12 weeks, the actress worked toward specific goals, and eventually was able to execute a 245-pound deadlift, amongst other hardcore movies like pull-ups, single-leg pistol squats and push-up reps with a 45-pound plate on her back.
Exercise Almost Every Day
While Johansson juggles a lot between her career in Hollywood and life as a wife and mother, she manages to squeeze in her workouts first thing in the morning. “It’s hard to fit everything in when you try to balance motherhood, training and work. That balance is a myth!,” she told the Hollywood Reporter. She works out four to five times a week, completing 45-minute to hour-long sessions at 6 am before her daughter is awake, “clearing me so that after work, I can make dinner and do bath and nighttime with her before preparing my lines for the next day.”
Focus On Performance, Not Weight Loss
Johansson’s fitness goals have more to do with performance and fitting into her costumes than weight loss or body fat percentage. “Scarlett always wants to be within three weeks out of her peak condition,” Johnson told the Hollywood Reporter.
Find Cardio You Actually Like
Johansson told the Hollywood Reporter that “Scarlett hates traditional cardio.” Instead of putting her on a treadmill for long periods of time, she does sprint work, battle ropes and kettlebells, a favorite tool because “it teaches her to be powerful and strong while making [the exercise] look elegant and pretty.”
Be Disciplined About Your Diet…Most of the Time
One of Scarlett’s trainers, Bobby Strom, told Well + Good that the star maintains a “mostly vegan” diet, eating several small meals a day with food like oatmeal, fruit and veggies, salad, and lean protein. However, she earns her favorite treats. “When you’re that disciplined, the ‘cheat meal’ doesn’t really exist. You’re sort of like, ‘I earned this piece of chocolate cake—I’m going to go for it.’ You don’t even think about it,” she told E! News.
