I’m excited to share these exclusive details about how I helped actress Halle Berry prep for her latest role in Never Let Go, out in theaters September 20th.
At 58 years young, Halle is nothing short of a wellness powerhouse - and no stranger to tough film prep. Halle brought the same energy she once brought to iconic roles like Catwoman to her daily routine for this film!
My nutrition clients mean so much to me. When prepping for a film role, the stakes couldn’t be higher as my clients prepare to feel their best on an often grueling film set and be seen at nearly 30 feet tall in theaters around the world.
Sharing what these impressive professionals do when they're performing at their very best gives me an opportunity to share what an optimized plate really looks like and inspire those of you who want to know what it really takes to develop stamina on this level!
Over the past several months, it’s been my pleasure to guide Halle—an actress, mom, wellness advocate and friend—through a dedicated nutrition regimen to get her big-screen ready.
Ready to learn how I created Halle Berry's nutrition plan? Let’s dive in…
How I Designed Halle's Nutrition Regimen
As Halle’s nutritionist, my role is to develop a personalized meal plan that aligns with her unique needs and goals, ensuring she’s not only big-screen ready but also feeling her best throughout the process.
This journey starts with a thorough understanding of her current eating habits, food preferences, and lifestyle. By diving into these details, I can craft a plan that supports her performance and well-being, balancing nutritional needs with her personal taste and daily routine. This tailored approach ensures that Halle not only meets her professional targets but also maintains optimal energy and health along the way.
The First Step: Gaining a Baseline
Working with a Functional MD to gain a baseline of markers is crucial when creating a personalized nutrition plan because it provides a comprehensive understanding of an individual's unique health status and metabolic needs.
By assessing various biomarkers—such as blood sugar levels, hormone balances, and nutrient deficiencies—before implementing dietary changes, you ensure that the nutrition plan is tailored to address specific health concerns and optimize overall well-being. This personalized approach not only enhances the effectiveness of the nutrition strategy but also helps in tracking progress and making informed adjustments based on measurable data, leading to more sustainable and targeted health improvements.
Understanding Dietary Preferences: Creating a Food Log
To design an effective nutrition plan, I have Halle maintain a detailed food log over several weeks. This log includes information about her food preferences, eating windows, water intake, and overall dietary habits. By analyzing this data, I can assess her current intake and customize a meal plan based on her dietary preferences.
Based on her food log, I can also identify areas for improvement. This might involve adjusting the timing of her meals, increasing protein intake, or incorporating more fiber-rich foods to enhance digestion and energy levels.
Eating On A Schedule: Implementing Intermittent Fasting
Halle follows a circadian-synced intermittent fasting routine, aligning her eating patterns with natural light. She eats between noon and 6 PM, ensuring her last meal is finished before sunset. This approach supports her body's natural rhythms and enhances overall well-being by syncing her meals with her circadian rhythm.
Carb Cycling Throughout The Day
Throughout Halle’s prep, we are incorporating carb cycling throughout her day in accordance to activity levels. This involves going back and forth between high-carb meals and low-carb meals. We strategically incorporate high-carb meals pre or post workout. For example, to replenish glycogen stores post-workout, she’ll eat starchy vegetables like squash and sweet potatoes while in the evenings we focus on low-starchy veggies.
When you can, opt for whole foods, like squashes, potatoes, and fruits to support blood sugar balance better than acellular carbohydrates like flour, liquid sugar, and processed carbohydrates.
Putting the Fab Four Formula To Work!
A crucial aspect of my approach is ensuring that Halle not only enjoys her meals but also maintains consistent energy levels, feels satisfied, and receives the essential nutrients her body needs. To achieve this, we utilize the Fab Four Formula, which emphasizes balancing four key components in every meal:
- Clean Protein: 6 oz of high-quality protein (e.g. grass-fed steak, salmon, shrimp). Essential for muscle repair and satiety.
- Healthy Fats: 1-2 tablespoons of healthy fats (e.g. avocados, nuts, and olive oil). Important for overall health and sustained energy.
- Fiber: 1-2 tbsp of fiber (e.g. flax seed meal, chia seeds, and psyllium husk powder - code KELLY for 20% off Now Foods products). Helps with digestion and appetite regulation.
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Greens/ Low-Glycemic Carbohydrates: 2-4 cups of colorful, non-starchy vegetables (e.g. dark leafy greens, squash, berries, and sweet potatoes). Provides steady energy without causing blood sugar spikes.
You can learn all about the Fab Four and how to make it work in my book, Body Love.
A Note On Personalized Plans: This nutrition plan is tailored specifically for Halle! It’s important to remember that individual needs vary. Everyone has different body compositions, food preferences, dietary restrictions, and specific goals. What works for one person might not work for another, so it's always best to seek personalized advice for your unique situation.
Inside Halle Berry’s Nutrition Plan
Here’s a glimpse into a day on Halle Berry’s plate, showcasing how she fuels her body from morning to night. Her nutrition plan is crafted to align with her circadian rhythm and support her overall health and vitality. From the first meal to the last bite, each meal is thoughtfully designed to maintain energy levels, ensure satiety, and provide essential nutrients while aligning with her intermittent fasting schedule.
Morning Routine: Start With The Essentials
Halle incorporates Be Well Essential Amino Acids into her morning regimen. Essential amino acids are crucial for muscle protein synthesis and overall muscle health, particularly for those engaged in regular physical activity. By taking EAAs before her workout, Halle ensures that her body receives the necessary building blocks for muscle repair and growth without interrupting her fasting state.*
This approach allows Halle to maximize her physical performance and maintain muscle mass, all while adhering to her fasting schedule. The essential amino acids are absorbed efficiently, supporting her energy levels and optimizing her workout, ultimately contributing to her overall wellness and fitness goals.
Midday Nourishment: Breaking Her Fast
Around noon, Halle will have her first meal. Regardless of when your first meal is, I always coach my clients to prioritize a protein-rich meal that contains a minimum of 30 grams of protein. Her plate often features grilled chicken or salmon, both excellent sources of lean protein that are vital for muscle repair and maintenance.
Alongside her protein source, Halle includes a generous serving of starchy vegetables, such as sweet potatoes or butternut squash. These vegetables provide essential carbohydrates, offering sustained energy and helping to replenish glycogen stores depleted during her fasting period. She also loves incorporating fresh herbs and spices to keep things flavorful and exciting.
Afternoon Snack: Avoiding the Snack Trap
To sustain her energy levels and meet her daily protein needs, Halle turns to a delicious and nutritious midday pick-me-up: the Fab Four Smoothie, crafted with Be Well by Kelly Protein Powders. By choosing the Fab Four Smoothie, Halle not only meets her protein requirements but also benefits from a well-rounded source of macronutrients and micronutrients to keep her sustained until her final meal.
This mid-afternoon treat helps to curb hunger, stabilize blood sugar levels, and keep her feeling focused throughout the day. It’s a convenient and tasty way to stay on track with her health goals while enjoying a delightful and nourishing beverage either at home or on the go.
Evening Eats: Fueling Up on the Fab Four
Her evening meal is carefully crafted to nourish her body and keep her satisfied throughout the night, aiding in restful sleep and recovery. To ensure her meal is as nutrient-dense as possible, Halle focuses on creating a plate full of vibrant colors.
This approach isn’t just visually appealing; it also reflects a diverse range of nutrients. Each color in her meal typically represents different vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, contributing to a well-balanced diet. For instance, the deep orange of sweet potatoes signals a high beta-carotene content, while the green of broccoli indicates abundant vitamins and minerals.
Final Thoughts - Building Healthy Habits and Creating your Own Fab Four Meal Plan!
If you are starting out on your own wellness journey, I always emphasize the importance of starting with one manageable habit at a time.
For many, the first step may be incorporating a Fab Four smoothie into their morning routine. This simple, convenient, and delicious option not only provides 30 grams of protein but also helps stabilize blood sugar levels, setting a positive tone for the rest of the day.
If you’re new to the Fab Four Formula and want to try my best-selling Protein Powders or the new Essential Amino Acids in your routine, I’m extending a sale just for new readers. Use code HALLE to try all Be Well By Kelly products for yourself. First time orders only.
Honor Your Hunger Cues and Time Your Meals
For Halle, one of the key considerations was aligning her eating habits with her body's natural hunger cues. With the rise in popularity of intermittent fasting, it's common for people to delay breakfast until the afternoon. However, this might not work for you! It's crucial to listen to your body's signals and not push meals too late into the day and align your eating window to your own schedule.
Create Habits You Can Truly Sustain
It’s important to recognize that everyone’s goals and needs are unique. What works for one person may not work for another. The key is to find what suits your individual lifestyle and health objectives to build sustainable, long-term habits.
By starting with a simple yet impactful habit like the Fab Four Smoothie and adjusting meal timing to align with your body’s needs, you can create a foundation for continued success. Ultimately, finding a routine that fits your lifestyle are essential for achieving your health goals and maintaining a balanced approach to eating.
Be sure to catch Halle on the big screen in her new movie, Never Let Go, out in theaters now! For more on Halle's journey, follow along at rē•spin! Here’s a story I did with Halle’s team on rē•spin earlier this year.
New readers: use code HALLE to try all Be Well By Kelly products for yourself! First time orders only.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
