How Pop Star JoJo Finds Time for Exercise
By Sarah Schmidt,SELF magazine
Pop star JoJo is one busy lady. She hit the road earlier this year with Joe Jonas and Jay Sean, is prepping to drop her third album, Jumping Trains, in April and even managed to carve out some serious time in her schedule to give back.
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This year, that meant taking part in the Hard Rock Cafe Pinktober Tour in support of breast cancer research. The opportunity had special significance for JoJo, who has been personally affected by breast cancer. "My Nana was just recently diagnosed, and my family and I are learning all we can so we can support her in the best way possible," she says. "I was honored to be a part of this concert series with Hard Rock...it's such an important cause."
With so much on her plate, we had to know how this young star (she turns 21 this month!) stays balanced. We were lucky enough to catch up with JoJo to chat about her secrets to staying healthy on the go, what keeps her happy despite her hectic schedule and her biggest inspiration.
What's your normal exercise routine?
Typically, I do cardio five times a week and strength training three times. I also like to switch things up by doing hot yoga, Pilates on the reformer and boxing when I get the chance. If I'm on the road, we make it a point to stay at hotels with 24-hour gyms. I just fit it in where I can. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the middle of the day, after a show or in the wee hours of the morning if I can't sleep!
What song gets you most fired up at the gym?
Madonna's Hard Candy album is the music perfect for working out. And the fact that she is so super-fit is inspiration in itself!
If you feel like you are gaining weight, what do you do to stay on track?
Good question! I just try to eat better when I feel I'm gaining weight. [I'll have] fruit, oatmeal, vegetables and salads with chicken or tuna. I love having dessert, so I'll do fruit and coffee instead of a sundae or something.
Best workout class you've ever taken?
Core-power hot yoga. It's a total mind/body experience.
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Biggest fitness challenge?
Consistency.
What's in your fridge?
Fruit, coconut water, almond milk, leftover Indian food, kale salad, cereal, cookies and lots of popsicles and frozen treats in the freezer. I have a good mix of both healthy and not-so-healthy foods.
What's your go-to breakfast?
Oatmeal with Splenda, raisins and a coffee.
What do you typically have for lunch and dinner?
Lately I've been liking something heavier for lunch and lighter later in the night. I love flavor and spice, so I'll have Mexican or Indian food for lunch and then soup and a salad with chicken for dinner.
If you have to eat fast food, what do you get?
I like grilled chicken sandwiches, so I take one piece of bread off and eat it open-faced. If I'm really craving a fry, I order a small size and go for it!
Do you have a favorite healthy snack?
Dried fruit and nuts, popcorn, whole-grain goldfish.
What's your favorite indulgence?
Right now it's ice cream sandwiches!
Do you have a favorite gadget?
A single cup coffee maker with all different kinds of flavors!
What do you do to relax?
Lay in bed with candles lit and music playing.
What's your idea of a perfect night out?
My closest girlfriends and I would go out to a great restaurant and catch up over delicious food and drinks and laugh and smile and share stories! That's one of my favorite things to do.
What are you reading?
Sex and the Soul of a Woman by Paula Rinehart.
What is your most urgent goal right now?
To finish unpacking and decorating my new place in L.A.
What accessory will you NEVER get rid of?
My favorite pair of distressed combat boots.
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What cause or charity are you most passionate about?
She's the First! It's an amazing organization that empowers young women around the world to be the the first in their town, family or circumstance to do something awesome. The focus is on education and bringing girls from different cultures, financial backgrounds and walks of life together to help one another.
What's the best happiness advice you've ever gotten?
A friend who has faced great challenges in his life told me that he chooses to be happy every day. Even if he doesn't necessarily feel it, he flips a switch in his mind and intentionally acts in accordance with being happy.
What's your biggest source of inspiration?
My friends, my family, my team and artists like Beyonce, Jill Scott, Justin Timberlake, Pink and Joni Mitchell really inspire me. I'm not just inspired by beautiful things, but by difficult times, adversity and pain. I like to turn something that most would view as negative into a positive.
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• 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
• Yoga Moves for Flat Abs
• 38 Antiaging Foods
• Gwyneth Paltrow's Arm and Ab Workout
Photo Credit: Condé Nast Digital Studio
