Demi Lovato is one of the most honest celebs around. The singer, who has opened up about her issues with eating disorders, self-harm, and body hate, is now making her health a top priority using jiu jitsu as a way to feel strong and stay on track with her sobriety. Another remarkable way she’s putting fitness first? Working out six days a week at her favorite gym.
“This is her safe haven,” Jay Glazer, her trainer, and owner of L.A.’s Unbreakable Performance Center said in an interview with People. “Demi will be here for four hours a day. It’s her one place where she doesn’t have to be a pop star. She’s talked a lot about her addictions, and this has become her healthy addiction. She lights up when she comes in here.” (Related: 5 Times Demi Lovato’s Workouts Inspired Us to Hit the Gym)
The videos on Instagram of Demi Lovato’s workouts—martial arts or otherwise—are serious #goals. But is training four hours a day necessary for good health? And isn’t there a point when even an addiction to something healthy, like fitness, can take a harmful turn?
A Deep Dive on Demi Lovato’s Workout Habits
“It really depends on the person,” says Brian Schulz, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon, and sports medicine specialist at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. “Obviously athletes work out for hours a day because it’s their job, and that’s fine.”
But, he adds, athletes differ from most of us in two important ways: First, they are already highly conditioned, meaning that their bodies can handle more exercise. And second, they have coaches and plans to ensure they’re not overtraining and hurting themselves. And it should be noted that it doesn’t seem like Lovato is going full-bore that entire time; she breaks up the four hours with different types of movement (including recovery), a key to managing long workouts, says Dr. Schulz. (Learn how to use active recovery days to get the most out of your workouts.)
You can tell if you’ve crossed the line by paying attention to your body, Dr. Schulz says. “You’re probably okay if you’re not in pain, aren’t getting nagging injuries, and are able to maintain good form throughout the whole workout,” he explains. One sign you’ve pushed too hard? If you get seriously painful DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness) a couple of days after your workout-you shouldn’t be so sore that you’re in a lot of pain. (Extreme soreness is just one sign of overtraining, check out these nine symptoms to make sure you’re not overdoing it in the gym.)
But there’s a darker side to over-exercising: addiction. (See our complete list of signs and symptoms.) “The main difference between simply loving exercise and being addicted to exercise is your motivation,” Dr. Schulz explains. “If you’re primarily working out as a way to control your body weight, size, or appearance, you may have a problem.”
He adds that if you feel like you “need to” exercise even when you don’t feel well, get panicky at the thought of missing a workout, or restrict your food intake significantly at the same time, you should see a mental health professional.
Demi Lovato Workout Moves to Try At Home
During her 2015 year tour, Lovato’s trainer at the time, Pam Christian, revealed that she did 3 sets of these moves to stay strong all tour long. If Demi Lovato’s workout routine of 4+ hours sounds too intense (all our hands are raised!), this is a more reasonable celebrity fitness option to try.
How it works: After warming up, perform one set of each of the Demi Lovato workout moves below with little rest between each. Take a 60-second breather and repeat twice more for a total of 3 sets.
What you’ll need: A pair of 10-pound dumbbells and a resistance band or tube.
Lunge-Kick Combo
Targets: abs, butt, and legs
- Stand with feet hip-width apart holding a 10-pound dumbbell in each hand, arms by sides.
- Lunge back with right leg, bending both knees 90 degrees. (Follow these bonus form pointers.) Pressing through left heel, stand up on left leg as you bring right knee up and kick right leg forward.
- Return to rear lunge and repeat.
Do 10 reps per side.
Curtsy with Side Kick
Targets: abs, butt, and legs
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms bent by sides. Lunge right leg diagonally back, crossing it behind left leg, and lower into a curtsy.
- Stand up on left leg as you swing right leg directly out to right side. Return to curtsy position and repeat. (Related: How to Master the 4 Fundamental Kicks)
Do 10 reps per side.
Wood Chop Squat
Targets: shoulders, abs, obliques, butt, and legs
- Securely attach one end of a resistance band to a sofa leg or a sturdy post. Stand, feet hip-width apart, with your left side to sofa and grasp other end of band in both hands, fists by left hip (choke up on band to take up slack).
- Squat, then stand up as you pull band diagonally upward toward the right, rotating torso toward right. Return to squat.
Do 10 reps per side.
Plank Walk Push-Up
Targets abs and chest
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, then hinge forward from hips and place palms on floor in front of feet.
- Walk hands forward until body is in plank position, then do a push-up. Walk hands back toward feet to return to start.
Do 10 reps.
Burpee
Targets shoulders, chest, back, abs, butt, and legs
- Stand with feet hip-width apart. Then crouch and place palms on floor in front of feet.
- Jump feet back into plank position. Then jump feet toward hands again and stand up. Jump high, reaching arms overhead. Land with knees slightly bent and repeat. (Related: How to Make a Burpee Harder—or Easier)
Do 10 reps.
Crunch
Targets abs
- Lie face-up on floor, knees bent, feet flat, and touch hands lightly to ears, elbows out to sides.
- Crunch up then lower.
Do 20 reps.
