She’s been voted the “Sexiest Woman Alive”,
and we can see why. Here’s how the Hollywood actress stays in stunning shape
We can’t help put salute Halle Berry. She’s
played every type from a dowdy young woman in Monster’s Ball to a sexy feline
in Catwoman. Yet, whatever her role, her gorgeous figure, glowing skin and
sparkling eyes still shine through.
Having just finished filming her most
recent movie, Cloud Atlas, with Hugh Grant (due for release in October), the
Hollywood hottie is back home in LA and, according to her personal trainer Nat
Bardonnet (natbardonnet.blogspot.com), happily back in the gym – even after an
injury.
“Halle was in Europe filming for four
months, but sadly broke her foot. Despite the setback, we’re back in the gym
now,” says Bardonnet. “Halle’s transformation has been amazing. We saw results
within a month, I remember her texting me when we first started training to let
me know how great she felt and, to this day, she’s feeling happier than ever.”
In the beginning…
Halle went to Bardonnet a year ago, knowing
she wanted to remain feminine and keep her curves. “I always listen to my
clients” requests, and Halle didn’t want to look bulky and masculine,” says
Bardonnet. “I specialize in women’s training, and helped Halle achieve thinner
and longer thigh muscles. We also worked on changing her shoulders, lengthening
her triceps and firming her butt, while still keeping it round. Every area we
wanted to change, we did, and if you watch the 2011 Oscars, where she wore that
beautiful Marchesa dress, you can tell. It’s daring to show your body at 45,
but Halle can get away with it now. She looks 10 years younger.”
The workout
Bardonnet’s workouts are designed to sculpt
the body, and last anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes. “We train three or four
times a week, and I’ll use as many muscles as I can in one exercise. I also
work the same muscle with different exercises, which keeps the heart rate up,”
says Bardonnet. “For example, I might do squats, then go straight into lunges.
Generally, we work the muscle and then right away, we lengthen it with a
stretch. I use light weight to create burn, but we rarely go above three
pounds!”
The abs challenge
To tone and tighten Halle’s stomach,
Bardonnet focuses on her obliques. “I might have Halle holding a light dumbbell
above her head and standing feet hip-width apart. Then I’ll have her bend to
the left and then the right, which works the internal obliques (deep muscles
that wrap around the waist). I’m always changing things around though, because
I love coming up with new stuff and stocking the body. Mental and visual
concentration is also important. Sometimes if Halle is doing leg swings, I’ll
sit underneath her just to keep her focused. She has to concentrate not to hit
me and also keep her legs up. I also change exercises every 30 to 60 seconds,
so there is always something different coming up,”
The diet
So what does Halle eat to maintain her
great shape? “Halle is diabetic,” says Bardonnet. The Hollywood star was
diagnosed in 2005, after she fell into a diabetic coma while filming, and now
eats five healthy snacks a day to keep her blood sugar stable. “Nutrition is a big
part of training,” says Bardonnet, “and with Halle I don’t need to change
anything. She has breakfast before our morning workout and I advise her not to
eat protein afterwards, because we don’t want to build muscle. I also recommend
she gets lots of vitamins by eating plenty of fresh food, and for a treat or
snack she usually has a protein bar.”
Finally, Halle balances her fitness regime
with relaxation and leisure, says Bardonnet. “Laughter and love work for Halle
– she’s energetic and smiles a lot. She’s found a great balance – which can be
hard – and has an amazing body to show for it!”
