What does Blake Lively eat every day? An inside look at her balanced nutrition plan

Celebrity trainer Don Saladino has publicly discussed Blake Lively's food philosophy, which emphasizes balance and quality over restriction. So, what does Blake Lively eat every day? Her approach to nutrition centers on whole, nutrient-dense foods combined with a mindful 80/20 rule.

Quick Summary

Blake Lively's diet focuses on wholesome, organic foods and a balance of lean protein, vegetables, and slow-burning carbohydrates, supported by an 80/20 approach to indulging.

Key Points

• Embraces Balance: Blake Lively follows an 80/20 rule, prioritizing clean eating most of the time but allowing for guilt-free indulgences.

• Focuses on Whole Foods: Her diet centers on organic, unprocessed, and nutrient-dense foods, avoiding sugars and processed ingredients.

• Doesn't Count Calories: Instead of tracking calories, she listens to her body's hunger cues and fuels it with balanced meals to prevent overeating.

• Prioritizes Home Cooking: An avid cook, Lively prepares many of her own meals, giving her control over ingredients and ensuring freshness.

• Includes Healthy Fats: Her daily meals incorporate healthy fats from sources like avocado and grass-fed butter to maintain stable blood sugar levels.

• Supplements Her Diet: Lively takes supplements such as omega-3, probiotics, and magnesium to support her overall health.

Blake Lively's Overall Nutrition Philosophy

Blake Lively's approach to eating is often described by her trainer, Don Saladino, as balanced and sustainable, rather than restrictive. Instead of counting calories, she focuses on quality ingredients and listening to her body's needs. The core of her dietary success is a combination of clean eating, conscious choices, and allowing for mindful indulgences.

The 80/20 Rule

Lively follows an "80/20 rule" for her diet: she eats clean and healthy 80% of the time, and dedicates the remaining 20% to enjoying her favorite comfort foods without guilt. This strategy helps prevent stress and hormonal imbalances associated with overly rigid diets, making healthy eating a sustainable lifestyle rather than a temporary program. The 80/20 approach ensures she can enjoy treats like pizza, pasta, and baked goods, which she loves, while maintaining her overall health.

Prioritizing Quality and Organic Foods

Lively prioritizes high-quality, organic foods to maximize nutrient intake and minimize exposure to artificial ingredients. She and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, reportedly enjoy visiting farmers' markets to source fresh produce. This commitment to quality ingredients ensures her meals are packed with maximum nutritional value.

Listening to Her Body, Not Counting Calories

Rather than obsessing over calorie counts, Lively focuses on fueling her body properly throughout the day. According to Saladino, this constant refueling prevents intense hunger and overeating. Her diet includes a healthy balance of protein, slow-burning carbs, and fats to keep her blood sugar stable and energy levels consistent.

A Typical Day of Eating for Blake Lively

Based on information shared by her trainers and in interviews, a typical day for Lively involves wholesome and well-rounded meals. The specifics can vary, but the general structure remains consistent:

Morning Hydration and Breakfast

• Hydration: She starts her day with a big glass of water to kickstart her metabolism and stay hydrated.
• Breakfast: A nutrient-rich meal like eggs cooked in coconut oil with fresh vegetables and fruit. This combination of protein, healthy fat, and fiber helps to stabilize blood sugar and provide sustained energy. For extra energy, she sometimes adds gluten-free oatmeal.

Fueling Up at Lunch

• Lively's lunch often consists of a lean protein, healthy carbs, and a generous portion of vegetables. Examples include wild-caught fish or pasture-raised chicken with a salad and a side of sweet potatoes or rice. She may also add healthy fats like avocado or nuts to her salads.

Dinner and Nutrient-Dense Meals

• Her dinner is similar to lunch, maintaining a balance of lean protein and vegetables. Her focus is on nutrient-dense foods to fuel her body for the next day, though specific dinner examples are less publicized. She often cooks her own meals, such as a homemade rotisserie chicken with a vegetable medley.

Snacking and Staying Energized

• When hunger strikes between meals, she reaches for healthy options like vegetables, hummus, quinoa, or Greek yogurt with fresh fruit. These snacks are nutritious and help maintain her energy levels without resorting to processed foods.

Diet Comparison: Normal vs. The Shallows

For her role as a surfer in the movie The Shallows, filmed months after giving birth, Lively followed a stricter diet plan. Here is a comparison of her general eating habits versus her preparation for the film:

Category	General Diet	The Shallows Prep Diet
Processed Foods	Avoids most processed foods but allows for exceptions as part of her 80/20 rule.	Eliminates all processed foods to maximize results.
Gluten	Allows gluten as part of her 20% indulgences, such as pizza and pasta.	Completely eliminates gluten from her diet.
Soy	Doesn't specifically avoid soy in her general routine.	Completely eliminates soy, a difficult task due to its presence in many products.
Meal Frequency	Generally follows a three-meal-per-day structure with snacks as needed.	Ate four smaller, balanced meals a day to keep her energy up and metabolism efficient.
Carbohydrates	Includes slow-burning carbs like sweet potatoes and some rice.	Limited to slow-burning carbs, often gluten-free options like sweet potatoes and rice.

The Role of Indulgence and Home Cooking

Mindful Cheating

Lively's 80/20 rule is a crucial component of her long-term success. By not completely depriving herself, she avoids the stress and potential binges that can come from highly restrictive plans. The strategy allows her to satisfy her sweet tooth with treats like chocolate soufflé or homemade hot fudge. Since she mostly eats clean, her body can handle these occasional deviations without causing significant setbacks.

Cooking at Home

An avid and skilled cook, Lively often prepares her own meals. Cooking at home gives her full control over ingredients and preparation methods, allowing her to ensure her food is both healthy and delicious. This hands-on approach is a cornerstone of her nutritious lifestyle. Her love for cooking even led to a collaboration with renowned chef Daniel Boulud.

Staying Fueled with Supplements and Hydration

Proper hydration and supplementation are also part of Lively's regimen. In addition to starting her day with water, she stays hydrated throughout. Her trainers have mentioned that she uses supplements to support her body's functions. These include:

• Magnesium
• Omega-3
• A multivitamin
• Probiotics

A Balanced and Sustainable Approach to Eating

Ultimately, Blake Lively's diet is a masterclass in balance and sustainability. Instead of a fad diet, she follows a commonsense approach that emphasizes whole, organic, nutrient-dense foods while leaving room for life's little pleasures. Her commitment to quality ingredients, home cooking, and listening to her body is a far more effective and healthy strategy than extreme calorie restriction. For anyone looking to improve their own eating habits, the principles of Lively's nutrition—prioritizing whole foods, cooking more at home, and adopting a balanced mindset—offer a proven and healthy path forward. The success of this approach is evident in her long-term wellness, allowing her to stay energized and healthy as a busy actress and mother of four.

For more insight into her fitness and diet, you can read articles like the one from Harper's Bazaar on her preparation for The Shallows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Blake Lively's breakfast typically consist of?

Blake Lively usually starts her day with a glass of water, followed by a breakfast of eggs cooked in coconut oil, served with fresh vegetables and fruit.

Does Blake Lively avoid gluten and soy?

While she cut out gluten and soy for a short period while training for The Shallows, her normal, long-term diet allows for these ingredients as part of her 20% of indulgences.

What kind of carbs does Blake Lively eat?

Lively prefers slow-burning carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and rice, which provide sustained energy throughout the day.

What are some of Blake Lively's go-to snacks?

Her favorite snacks include hummus, fresh veggies, quinoa, and Greek yogurt with fruit. These healthy options help keep her energy levels up between meals.

How does Blake Lively incorporate treats into her diet?

Blake Lively follows an 80/20 rule, where she eats healthy 80% of the time and enjoys treats like pizza, pasta, and chocolate during the remaining 20%.

Who is Blake Lively's personal trainer and what is his philosophy?

Her personal trainer is Don Saladino, who emphasizes a balanced, non-restrictive approach to eating. He focuses on fueling the body with high-quality nutrients rather than putting clients in a severe caloric deficit.

How did Blake Lively's diet change for her role in *The Shallows*?

To prepare for her role in The Shallows, Lively followed a much stricter plan, eliminating gluten, soy, and all processed foods. She ate four smaller, balanced meals daily to stay fueled for the physically demanding shoot.