Zendaya Swears by 5 Wellness Hacks—And We Tried Them All

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She continues to slay it on the red carpet and on top best-dressed lists while starring on the big and small screens. We all know her as the wild child aka Rue, who marches to the beat of her drum in Euphoria, for which she nabbed an Emmy Award, might we add. Of course, we are referring to none other than Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman (AKA Zendaya).

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Courtesy of Vogue, we took a deep dive into Zendaya’s life: a Disney star turned full-fledged celeb, singer, self-proclaimed workaholic, and (Virgo) perfectionist, Auntie Daya to her nieces, painter, homebody, and true-crime podcast junkie. Between her many talents and interests, leading role in Euphoria, and starring in cinematic roles, it left us wondering how she finds the time to stay healthy. Thanks to an interview with Cosmopolitan and various other sources, we got the inside scoop. Read on for five healthy habits Zendaya swears by and our experience taking a stab at them. 

1. Find a workout that’s fun for you

Let’s be real: We know all too well that if a workout doesn’t bring the fun factor, we’re not sticking with it, and Zendaya agrees (we knew we loved her!). In a YouTube interview with Justine Magazine, Zendaya confessed to being gym-averse, so she gets her workouts in by doing activities she loves dancing and choreography. When she does hit the gym, you better believe she’s making it entertaining. Case in point: Zendaya doing plank variations on a medicine ball and killer Pilates movements.

Our experience: Until a few months ago, you could say we were gym rats, and lifting heavy weights was not our happy place. But we found that we had to continue digging deep to keep it up, and the motivation waned—it just wasn’t fun anymore. Taking a cue from Zendaya, we switched it up with some at-home workouts that deliver the perfect combo of sweat and joy (cycling and yoga classes FTW) and found our second wind. 

2. Discover what motivates you to exercise 

Believe it or not, celebrities sometimes need a little push to work out too. Zendaya shared her unconventional way of keeping herself accountable on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: wearing various wigs she had collected from her red-carpet appearances and showing up to her gym as a different character. OK, so most of us don’t have wigs lying around, but you get the idea. Identify what helps you stay consistent with your workouts and get to it. Whether it’s a ride-or-die sweat buddy, your satisfying post-workout smoothie, or booking a non-refundable fitness class, use it to your advantage to work out on the reg.

Our experience: This was a no-brainer for us—there’s nothing like a new, flattering workout set to pull us away from a binge-watching marathon and get the body moving. While we can’t get a fresh ‘fit for every workout, we use the next must-have waiting in our shopping cart as an incentive (and, trust us, there are enough to keep me going for months). 

3. Practice body positivity 

A body positivity advocate through and through, Zendaya is all about self-love and being authentic. “There is no such thing as ugly—that’s a word that doesn’t enter my vocabulary,” she said in an interview with New You. “It’s important to find out who you are and love who you are … It’s very freeing when you’re just like, ‘Yo, I’m just going to do me!’” And she does just that—and with style, no less! Zendaya called out Modeliste Magazine for retouching her photos to make her hips and torso appear slimmer than IRL. The magazine later released the issue with the original, unedited images from her cover shoot (now that’s a happy ending if there ever was one). 

Our experience: TBH, we have a lot to learn from Zendaya. We still working on loving ourselves as we are and not chasing an idea of perfection, we have lingering in our heads every day. Our go-to practice? Catching ourselves when we are nit-picking our body and flipping the script by being grateful for what our body provides: the gift to exercise, a canvas for our latest fashion finds, and the ability to enjoy (mostly) all the delicious foods. 

4. Make your meals balanced and eat what you’re craving

Zendaya has been a vegetarian since she was 9 years old, and she gets creative about fitting veggies into her diet. Enter: the summer rice salad recipe she shared with Seventeen that is built around a healthy mix of fats, protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates. But don’t be fooled by the rice salad recipe—she’s also VIP status with Postmates (I am not exaggerating, just read Postmates’ blog). She admitted to Harper’s Bazaar that she doesn’t cook out of laziness and dislike for following directions (that’s the kind of relatable celeb we love!). “I can have anything I want; that’s the beauty of ordering food,” she said.

Our experience: Zendaya’s diet reminded us that it is all about balance. We tend to fall into the all-or-nothing trap, so we channeled our inner Zendaya, alongside the rice salads we made. We would rate it an 8/10 for flavor and ease and finish off our lunches with DEUX Cookie Dough (the latest obsession) or a couple of chocolate peanut butter cups. We are keeping Zendaya’s rice salad in our summer meal rotation, but when laziness strikes and the chopping of vegetables is just too much to wrap our head around, door dash it is—no guilt or shame here.   

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5. Opt for matcha over other caffeinated beverages

It’s no secret that The BeautyLeeBar beauties are obsessed with Starbucks, and it turns out Zendaya is too. Her go-to Starbucks order? A Venti iced matcha green tea latte with coconut milk. And that’s her only source of caffeine—she told Harper’s Bazaar that she goes sans coffee, soda, and energy drinks. Zendaya may be onto something: Matcha boosts your energy at a slower pace than coffee and contains L-theanine, an amino acid found in the green tea plant that can reduce stress.

Our experience: We will admit that we are a bit of a matcha snob, so we were hesitant to give what’s been dubbed “The Zendaya” a go. While it was too sweet for some of us and we usually take our matcha with Oat milk, we like the coconut twist and would order it again to appease a post-meal sugar craving. But if there’s one main takeaway from Zendaya and her workout and diet tried-and-true, it is to do what works for you.  

4 Ways to GENTLY WAKE UP

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Waking up in the morning is rarely pleasant. (Unless you’re one of those weird morning people, —how??) The transition from sleep to awake is often jarring a brief moment of confusion before the realization hits: it is time, yet again, to cosplay as an adult human who has their sh*t together. Studies have shown that stress anticipation first thing in the morning can negatively affect our entire day. So, to help make mornings (and the other hours we are awake) a little easier, we have rounded up our favorite tips for waking up gently.

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TRY A SLEEP-TRACKING APP

We like ShutEye, an app that tracks sleep quality, record sounds such as snoring, talking, walking, and time spent in each phase of sleep, and wakes us up in our lightest sleep phase. It also has a mix of sleep sounds and stories for the ones who have trouble falling asleep. Another good similar sleep tracking apps are Sleep Tracker (there are 2 Sleep Tracker apps with that same name, and both are amazing)

USE A SUNRISE ALARM

These alarms mimic the sunrise to help us wake up naturally, without a noisy alarm sound. Brookstone is one such alarm. It has many cool features that help improve sleep, including gentle white noise/radio stations, customizable light colors, and a wind-down routine. Since we can’t figure out where we got the Brookstone sunrise alarm, below are four similar ones:

CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE

Getting out of bed feels even more challenging when it’s too hot or too cold. A smart thermostat can automatically change the temperature at a set time to help us fall asleep and wake up better. Or try the Eight Sleep Pod Pro Cover, a smart device that goes over your mattress and automatically adjusts the bed’s temperature.

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Do a quick yoga flow

Take a moment to go through a few yoga poses that can be done without getting out of bed, like happy baby, pigeon pose, and butterfly, to help calm anxiety and practice mindfulness.

The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that BeautyLeeBar, LLC (“BLB”) is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. You understand and agree that BeautyLeeBar shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.

Sydney Sweeney Swears by These 5 Wellness Habits

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To say Sydney Sweeney is a rising star is an understatement. Her on-screen resume reads like a must-watch TV ad: Euphoria, The White Lotus, The Handmaid’s Tale, Everything Sucks! Clementine, The Voyeurs, and Sharp Objects—to name a few. And she made her first debut at fashion’s biggest night out (AKA the Met Gala) this year, proving she can add fashion “It Girl” to her experience. It’s not all fame and fashion for the Idaho native—she restores cars, sweats it out in the MMA cage, spoils her rescue pup, and prioritizes her mental health (a far cry from her Cassie and Olivia characters). We turned to our trusted celebrity sources to get the details on how Sydney finds balance. Read on for five ways Sydney looks after her mental well-being. Celeb or not, we can learn a thing or two from her. 

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Make time for self-care

Carving out me-time has never been more embraced than it is now, but I’d argue that we could all still use a little nudge now and then. Sydney backs me up on that. She reminds us that self-care is individualized and can shift depending on the day or season in your life. “You can be OK one day and it’s OK if you’re not the next because I think you have to start every day new, and you have to start every day trying to appreciate and love yourself, which can be difficult sometimes,” she said. Sydney’s form of self-care? Uses her nifty ice roller, getting lost in HGTV, setting relaxing vibes with candles, and chills with her dog.

Deciding what you need to take care of yourself can be a challenge (let alone finding the time to squeeze it in). But self-care can make a world of difference between feeling burned out and empowered. So, whether it’s building your sense of self-worth, working on catching more Zzzs, or moving your body, prioritize your mental wellness. 

Stretch your budget

You probably don’t think of your finances when it comes to boosting your mental health, but Sydney encourages thinking twice about how you spend your hard-earned cash. “My family has always ingrained value in stretching a budget and the importance of money to my mind,” she told Yahoo Life. “When you don’t save correctly and don’t spend your money on important things where it’s supposed to be spent, [I saw] what the damage can be.” Sydney was taught the value of a dollar at a young age, and that has translated into her spending habits to this day. 

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Start by creating a budget and start tracking your expenses to see where you can save (yes, there are apps for that.) If you’re ahead of the game (kudos to you!). There are other simple money-saving tricks of the trade: Give yourself 24 hours before checking out for any impulse and got to-have-it-now buys. Use coupon sites like RetailMeNot and Honey for necessary purchases, and unplug any unused electronics (looking at you, TV). The silver lining? Save a la Sydney, and you won’t cramp your hot girl summer style. 

Practice self-love and body acceptance

I know, easier said than done, but take comfort in knowing this: Even celebs get self-conscious and need to be reminded to practice self-love. Sydney told Glamour that she gets nervous before every red-carpet appearance because she has to put her IRL self out there, instead of a character she’s playing. In her interview with Yahoo Life, she said self-confidence is a daily process. “Some days I will feel great and some days I don’t want to get out of bed, and I think that it’s OK if you feel both ways… And sometimes I’m not happy with myself or something just doesn’t feel right. I think it’s important for everyone to know that everyone has feelings, and it’s OK if you don’t feel confident one day, but just know that you’re beautiful, no matter what.” Our bodies do so much for us, and we only have one for the rest of our lives. Bottom line: Do yourself a favor and take care of your body. 

If “I love my body,” feels out of reach, that’s OK. Take a page out of Sydney’s book and start with honing in on all that your body is capable of doing, rather than what it looks like. There’s so much more to us than physical bodies after all. Try to take judgment out of the equation, and accept that self-love is a journey (with twists and turns, U-turns, and detours), not a race.  

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Sweat it out

Sydney isn’t just a badass on screen: BTS, she is killing it in her workouts. From practicing mixed martial arts (AKA MMA) to two-a-day walks with her dog, Tank, it’s no wonder she has rock-hard abs to go with her crop top and red carpet looks. Admitting she’s not a fan of the treadmill, she takes to her neighborhood or the beach for quick runs to clear her mind. And if she has more time for a workout, she gets her heart pumping with a workout video. (Is anyone else wondering if she needs a workout buddy? Same.) To make the most of your exercise routine, mix it up like Sydney. Try a new workout you may be intimidated by, or head outdoors for a stroll, hike, or run. It’s the perfect way to switch up your current routine if you find yourself in a fitness rut. 

Learn a new skill

As if her acting resume isn’t impressive enough, Sydney channeled her love of academia into business school classes while filming The Handmaid’s Tale. “I want to be able to read my contracts and know what the hell they say, so I’m not getting f*ed over,” she told Cosmopolitan. In 2020, she even launched her own production company, Fifty-Fifty Films, to support first-time female authors, nascent directors, and promising screenwriters. Could she be any more lovable?

If you’re having car troubles or find yourself stranded on the side of the road, Sydney is your girl. Taking ride-or-die to another level, she told Pure Wow that she has always been interested in cars. And that’s no joke—she took apart and rebuilt a Ford Bronco. Whether it’s the Virgo in her or not, she’s doing her mental health a lot of good by continuously cultivating new experiences. Research shows that learning new skills improves your mental well-being by helping you raise self-esteem and build a sense of purpose. So, if you’ve been contemplating picking up a new hobby (think: journaling, reading, cooking), take this as a sign to get at it. 

Poems & Illustrations:

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chapped lips stained shut

Sucking on gemstones,

sipping on rose quartz to make 

them love me. 

It’s like when Dorothy 

gets to Oz. New year, same thing. 

I feel sepia most days, and I choke on crystals now. 

Could she always speak in rainbows

or is that just what I wanted to be loud. 

Soft whispers of jazz club 

gracing my nostrils rubbed off

on borrowed satin that once 

caught dreams or thoughts 

when they couldn’t sleep. 

Interrupting rest for a Girl,

never interrupted. 

If I play the villain 

you’ll be the sweet pea.

Melting rocket pops, freezer burnt veggies, 

to keep company.

if lust were long walks on the beach 

We took breaths of 

sunsets and choked

on butterflies to feel 

alive. Neon gushed through 

our insides, inflaming 

ultraviolets. A forest fire.

But only the flowers burn. 

Sweet desire, I’m tired.

no audio 

Sometimes silence sounds like children playing on a playground. The sweet laughter and creaky swing sets, the sand in your shoes and your hair. You fell a lot. But who the hell cares.

Sometimes silence sounds like the ocean. The Atlantic at 6 a.m. in the month of June. Right at the edge of the water where the waves kiss your toes and you inhale the burst of first light orange. 

Sometimes silence sounds like a heartbeat. But not your own. The one that made a tune with you. The bump electrifies your skin and deepens your lungs. But no more heavy breathing, only waiting, wanting, and leaving. back then it was self-loved someone symphony. 

Sometimes silence sounds like you. How you talk behind your back. How you speak you’re not hungry but you say you want to spend your last $10 for the week on a burger. You say sweet nothings, you shout slurs about you, you whisper, “you look good today” faintly so that God can’t even hear you.

Sometimes silence sounds like everything all at once. Can you have that by tonight? When can you hang out? Have you paid for this? Did you schedule that? Cars, planes, people in the street existing and functioning, fulfilling their economic corporate needs.  

Sometimes silence sounds like an old phone the one that hangs on the wall. Like getting a call from someone you weren’t expecting. You answer because you think it’s them but it’s not. You’re not rude so you stay and chat. 

Sometimes silence is the wind whispering through your hair. The holes in your sleeves snagged from the fences. Walls you put up painted pink with each stained sheet. Strangled from cotton each thread sinks deep.

Sometimes silence is the buzzing of the lights on the walls, tucked on shelves and behind the window. It creeps in from the street. Comes in the door without invitation. It’s a pleasant unwelcome guest. 

Sometimes silence is vacant. Rooms filled with dust. Neighbors to welcome you home. Old lovers with not much love at all. you put up your sign no vacancy no more. 

Sometimes silence is a sunset. so bright and blissful you close your eyes and breathe in the now, push over the later and breathe out the before.

*Artwork by Kally Compton

What was your favorite poem? Leave a comment below!