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Photo: Getty Images / Kristy Sparow
Zendaya is a 25-year-old singer and actress who’s starred in major movies and shows likeSpider-Man,The Greatest ShowmanandEuphoria. With how busy she is and how many projects she’s working on, she still makes an effort to stay fit. However, eating a healthy diet proves challenging for her at times. Here’s what Zendaya eats in a day—plus, what a dietitian thinks about her diet.
What Zendaya Eats in a Day
Zendaya became a vegetarian at age 11 when she passed a slaughterhouse on a road trip with her father. She tellsPEOPLE, “I thought it was awful, all those animals getting packed up in there waiting to be killed. I couldn’t believe that’s how I’d been getting my meat!”
Since then, she’s stuck to a plant-based diet. Ironically, though, Zendaya is a vegetarian who doesn’t love vegetables, so she has to get creative with her meals. She admits toCosmopolitan, “I’m a vegetarian who doesn’t like vegetables too much—makes it challenging!”
Even though she’s not the biggest fan of veggies, she manages to score some produce through hertrademark rice salads. In this easy lunch recipe, she combines instant brown rice with vegetable broth, olive oil, sautéed veggies (onion, zucchini, mushrooms and carrots), lemon juice, salt and pepper. We’d love to see her add some plant-based protein like lentils, beans or tofu for staying power (like we do in thisVegetarian Taco Salador thisRice and Lentil Salad).
Zendaya tellsHarper’s Bazaarthat she doesn’t really cook and relies heavily on delivery and takeout. “I just a) don’t like following directions, and I’m b) too lazy,” she says. “I use Postmates to order food. I can have anything I want; that’s the beauty of ordering food. If I’m having my favorite meal, I’ll just skip right to ice cream. In fact, I get in trouble with my assistant a lot. He says I shouldn’t do that.”
And her sweet tooth doesn’t stop at ice cream. Though she says she’s not a big breakfast eater, Zendaya tellsHarper’s Bazaar, “I’ll eat breakfast food, but it must have some Nutella on it: pancakes, berries and Nutella.” (We have a feeling she’d love this healthyChocolate Banana Oatmealthat’s made with hazelnut spread!)
Zendaya also admits that sometimes she’s so busy at work, her diet has to take a back seat. “It’s bad, but because I work so much, sometimes I forget to eat,“she tellsHarper’s Bazaar. “I snack throughout the day, though, especially if I’m on set where there is craft service. My go-to is a cup of noodles with hot sauce. I know it’s bad for me. People are like, ‘Zendaya, it’s high in sodium!’ but it’s what I want to eat,” she says.
And unlike some other celebs, you probably won’t find Zendaya drinking hot water with lemon or a green juice first thing in the morning. She tellsHarper’s Bazaar, “I don’t drink coffee; it doesn’t do anything for me. I don’t drink energy drinks or soda, either. And I hate water. I’m a juice drinker, but not fancy-people juice. Like Tropicana or lemonade—not fancy.”
Zendaya’s Workout Routine
In a YouTube video fromJustine Magazine, Zendaya reveals that she’s not a huge fan of working out. She says, “I enjoy dancing and doing choreography, stuff like that. So, that’s how I get my exercise.” She adds, “Find something that’s really fun for you. Whether that’s Jazzercise or whatever.”
For her role inThe Greatest Showman, Zendaya had to build up her upper body and core strength to perform stunts on the trapeze. She worked with a personal trainer in order to gain muscle and fly through the air with grace. Talk about a fun workout!
What a Dietitian Thinks About Zendaya’s Diet and Workout Routine
EatingWell’s associate nutrition editor, Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, says, “Even though Zendaya states she isn’t a big fan of vegetables, it’s nice to see that she includes some variety of vegetables in her rice bowl lunches.”
However, Ball says that a cup of noodles with hot sauce probably doesn’t provide enough nutrition or staying power to get her through her long days. Ball adds, “There are severaleasy ways to turn instant noodles into a healthy dinner, like adding eggs, beans and greens. Sometimes we can’t control much about our busy schedules, but skipping meals can lead to getting so hungry that we overeat. Over time, this can cause sharp spikes and steep plummets in blood sugar that can harm your health.”
At the end of the day, Zendaya is a celebrity with access to high-quality food and likely has several personal trainers at her disposal. It’s important to remember that everyone is different and there’s no one-size-fits-all diet or exercise routine. However, if you’re curious about trying out a vegetarian diet like Zendaya, start with ourVegetarian Diet for Beginnersguide to learn how to go plant-based in a healthy way.
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