From basil baths to face yoga and dancing on the treadmill, we reveal Madonna’s healthy living secrets
Check out the pop icon's Body Bible — it's key to how she looks so good at 60
NOTORIOUSLY ripped arms, a bum so good she regularly Instagrams it in fishnets, and the ability to do the splits – Madonna has a body we’d kill for at 20, let alone as a soon-to-be-60-year-old mum of six.
As you’d expect, considering she owns her own chain of gyms and released a series of Addicted To Sweat workout DVDs, Madonna is no slouch when it comes to fitness.
2 — The immaculate complexion
And that’s not Madonna’s only kitchen-based beauty staple – she’s also big on honey.
“You put it on your face and let it get really sticky,” she explained.
“Then, with your fingertips, you pull the skin up [towards your forehead], which [temporarily] plumps the skin.”
3 — Arm candy
The star’s toned guns look scarily unachievable, but according to Craig it’s all about light weights on repeat.
“We use 1-2kg weights and do 20 to 30 reps of each exercise,” he says.
FYI, a full litre bottle of water weighs around 1kg if you don’t have dumb-bells at home.
“We focus on elongating the muscles and maintaining a svelte, lean dancer’s physique,” Craig explains.
Tracy Anderson, who sculpted Madonna’s body in the Noughties, says the star also swore by “pinkie lifts” to get her sculpted arms.
“Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms out to the sides at shoulder height and slightly bent, with your inner elbows pointing up. Keep your hands relaxed,” she says.
“As you straighten your arms, flip your little fingers to the ceiling, extend your fingers out, and lift your arms slightly above shoulders.
"Do 20 reps at a time, increasing to 50 as you gain more strength.”
4 — Madge-ic Meal Plan
She was once a big fan of the macrobiotic diet (where you basically eat nothing but vegetables and wholegrains), but now eats little and often.
“Madonna will have six meals a day – three main courses and three lighter snacks, every two to four hours,” says Craig.
“Her diet consists of cold-pressed juices – her favourite is watermelon – protein bars, fruits, vegetables and grains like quinoa. By eating smaller portions more regularly, Madonna boosts her metabolism and maintains her energy throughout the day.”
She has described her typical dinner as “fish, some kind of grains, some kind of cooked vegetable, [and] salad. Simple, but tasty.”
And for dessert? “When I’m having a moment of decadence, I eat toast with strawberry jam.”
Yep, what for most of us is breakfast is decadent for Madonna. We never told you this would be easy.
5 — Yoga mat-erial girl
A famous yoga junkie, Madonna can get her leg behind her head and once even did some sun salutations in an aeroplane aisle.
She started practising ashtanga yoga after giving birth to Lourdes in 1996. “You have to take it really slowly. You find yourself in very humiliating situations, but you can’t judge yourself. You just have to breathe, and let go,” the pop queen has said.
Short on time? Download the app YogaGlo (free, iTunes). It has thousands of classes, some as short as five minutes. Eddie Stern, Madonna’s yoga teacher, says she’s into daily meditation, and facial relaxation is a great place to start: “Sit up straight and close your eyes.
Mentally feel each part of your face and say to yourself: ‘Jaw, nose, cheekbones, eyes, temples, forehead, scalp, ears.’ Your tension releases just by bringing attention to your present state.”
6 — Cherish variety
Stuck doing Pilates on repeat? Madge wouldn’t be impressed.
“Madonna does five to six workouts a week for a minimum of 30 minutes per session that vary on a daily basis,” says Craig.
“So as well as dance we do resistance training, interval training, yoga, barre workouts, Pilates, aerobics, athletic conditioning and circuit training.
"Changing it up not only stops you getting bored and prevents injury, but it also keeps challenging your muscles in new ways.”
The app Fiit (free, iTunes) is like a pocket PT, with new classes every day, from HIIT to hatha yoga, led by top trainers.
7 — Crazy for glutes
Nicole Winhoffer, who got Madonna’s butt Met-Gala-ready in 2016, recommends a glute-specific exercise called the V.
“This gets into the crease under your cheek. You don’t want your butt to droop, you want a smiley face under your cheeks,” she says.
“Start on all fours and lift your right leg up off the floor, flexing your foot and keeping your back flat.
"This starting position should look like you are going to make an imprint of the bottom of your foot on the ceiling.
"Cross your right leg diagonally to the left and extend it straight out. Return to neutral. Extend the right leg to the opposite diagonal, ultimately forming the letter V with your foot.
"The motion should be very strong, as if you are kicking someone, like your ex-boyfriend!” she says.
“Then switch legs and repeat the movement. Build up to 50 reps per side.”
- Stockist: Jo Malone ().