Usher on Staying in Peak Physical Shape, Not Eating on Wednesdays
The 45-year-old admitted that he doesn't do much weightlifting.
It's been a big year for Usher. In addition to headlining the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show in Las Vegas, the 45-year-old singer released his ninth studio album, Coming Home, which he's getting ready to support with an international tour with 80 dates across six countries. He also stripped down for a partnership with Kim Kardashian's SKIMS mens underwear line, showing off his ripped physique.
Now, in a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, Usher has revealed how he stays in peak physical shape, as well as how he prepared for the Super Bowl show. And contrary to what many people might expect, his workouts regime involves more yoga and less lifting.
"That was one of the hardest 15 minutes that I’ll ever have in my life," Usher explained of the halftime performance. "Being able to go after it the way that I needed to do—vocally, energetically, spiritually and physically—it did call for me to consistently work out every day. I didn’t really have the time to do a lot of other things. I was remedying my body the night before and waking up the next day and eating a very regimented, low-carb diet."
"Normally, my workout regimen starts either walking or with certain knee activations and reverse walking that I do to really engage my quads, my knees and glutes," he continued. "I’ve had minor surgeries on my knee, I had a torn meniscus. Other than that, swimming is a really good thing to get me going, and bike riding. Weightlifting, don’t do a lot of that."
Usher also shared some insights about his diet, and the elixir he drinks every morning instead of coffee. "Typically I wake up and drink celery juice," he revealed. "I’ve been doing this concoction of lemon, ginger, water and cayenne pepper. I drink it hot."
When it comes to breakfast, the "U Got It Bad" singer says that he often eats eggs, sometimes scrambled with cheese but for the most part, poached or over easy.
"But I don’t like to eat breakfast before I’ve worked out or done something physical," he continued. "Taking a walk, stretching or doing yoga, sitting in the sun, and raising my body’s natural heat levels. Then I eat."
While Usher says that his morning routine doesn't have anything to do with intermittent fasting, he does generally practice the diet plan—but only on Wednesdays.
"I fast, not for religious purposes, but it’s something my grandmother practiced," he added. "I fast on Wednesdays. I typically try to start around 11 p.m. the previous day, then go the entire day on Wednesday just drinking water."
Intermittent fasting has become all the rage in recent years, with celebrities from Jimmy Kimmel to Jesse Plemons swearing by the diet method for helping them drop the pounds and keep it off. However, studies have found that it's the total calories consumed, not the timeframe in which they are consumed, that ultimately leads to results. That said, it can still help people ingest overall fewer calories in the window of time allotted for meals.
And clearly whatever Usher is doing, he's doing something right.