VIDEO Beyonce admits she’s “not naturally thin”

Beyonce Shape Cover April 2013

It’s easy to forget that Beyonce isn’t a supernatural being. The girl truly seems like she can do it all: kill it at the Super Bowl, casually chat with the president and lose her baby weight in three months. But, in a recent interview with Shape, Queen Bey admits she works hard to keep her figure.

“I am not a person who is naturally very thin. I have to work to keep my body in shape,” she said in a behind-the-scenes video.

Beyonce also reveals she didn’t have much of a choice in the matter of losing the 57 pounds she gained while pregnant. With concerts scheduled three short months after she gave birth to Blue Ivy in January 2012, Beyonce didn’t have much time to rest. In addition to an intense cardio regimen, the superstar also kept a strict diet.

“I ate a very low-calorie diet. I stayed away from red meat and ate a lot of fish, replaced pasta and rice with quinoa,” Beyonce told Shape. “I always have breakfast, say, scrambled egg whites, a vegetable smoothie, or whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk. For lunch and dinner, I eat a lot of fish and vegetables. And throughout the day, I try to stay hydrated.

Beyonce Shape April 2013

Beyonce allows herself once-a-week splurge, which makes the strict diet easier to maintain in the long run.

“I always treat myself to one meal on Sundays when I can have whatever I want. Usually it’s pizza, which is my favorite indulgence.”

Looking at the Shape pictures, it’s hard to think anyone could criticize Beyonce’s body. However, she has dealt with her fair share of criticism in the past. In truly admirable style, she has consistently responded not with harsh words for her critics, but with chart-topping songs to empower other women. One of her most memorable songs is “Bootylicious,” which she wrote in response to critics of her curves:

I’d gained some weight and the pressure that people put you under, the pressure to be thin, is unbelievable. I was just 18 and you shouldn’t be thinking about that. You should be thinking about building up your character and having fun, and the song was just telling everyone to just forget what people are saying, you’re bootylicious. That’s all. It’s a celebration of curves and a celebration of women’s bodies.

Twelve years later, Beyonce is still turning negativity into positivity.

“Be healthy and take care of yourself,” she told Shape. “But, be happy with the things that make you you.”


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