In the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010, researchers found that Australia is among the top ten healthiest countries in the world. When comparing life expectancy, Australia ranks at number six for men and number nine for women.
Not only do statistics show that Australia is generally a healthy nation, but popular perception also sees Australia as a very fit nation. Thus, we found it only fitting that HFR team together with its founder Samir Becic should put together a list that celebrates Fit Australian celebrities who are a great example to their fellow countrymen and international fans!
The HarperCollins author of the fitness book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic believes that 60-70% of chronic conditions can be managed with a healthy lifestyle- a combination of physical fitness, healthy nutrition, mental balance, social and spiritual balance. The celebrities embody this definition and serve as great examples to aspire to:
Naomi Watts, Actress
“If I try to put myself on diets – which I did a lot in my 20s – I end up breaking them and craving foods that I wouldn’t normally eat, but I like to cook. As a mum, you end up cooking at least three or four times a week.”
- On film sets, she keeps her energy levels up by snacking on nuts, fruit and green tea.
- Likes to mix up her exercise routine.
- Jogs
- Enjoys cardio dance classes
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Surfs
Hayden Quinn, Celebrity Chef
“This whole thing is a culmination of a few of my loves – a combination of food, health and fitness,” Quinn said. “We’re not aiming to be the biggest or the best but we hope to bring a real sense of community and engage like-minded people through exercise.”
- Beleives in ‘functional health fitness’
- Recently opened a gym with his best friends called The Cube. According to The Cube’s Facebook Page, the six faces of The Cube include health and wellbeing, fitness, strength, flexibility, progression and success.
- Combines his love of food with his love of healthy lifestyle and frequently gives healthy tips to his fans on his website.
Nicole Kidman, Actress
“Over the years I’ve realized that if you don’t have your health, you’ve got nothing. So that comes first. And how do you get that when you have two little kids, and a husband, and a lot of work? I work for balance now. I do yoga, and I run, and I meditate. I take really good care of myself and I eat well.”
- enjoys fitness centered on family
- swims
- run 7 miles during the week and 10-12 miles during the weekend
- yoga and meditates
- likes to go to yoga classes
- loves to spin
Simon Baker, Actor
- Surfs
- skateboards
- plays water polo
- goes to the beach with family
CODY SIMPSON, SINGER
“I think it is important to come to the gym every day”
- does impromptu workouts wherever he is
- likes to work on core and lifting
- gets cardio from his performance on stage
- swims
- surfs in free time
- works out with his security guard/personal trainer Jeffrey Traynor
Iggy Azalea, Rapper
I am very competitive, which is why I have had success in music; and if I play a sport, I want to kick someone’s butt. That’s why I LOVE to play tennis–which is my favorite sport–and it includes a lot of running.”
- Squats and sit-ups every day
- Runs
- Dances
- Lunges
- Took the “30-day squat challenge”
- Enjoys tennis
- Drinks smoothie for breakfast made of almonds, fruits, kale, and berries
Cate Blanchett, Actress
“I’ve done a lymphatic cleanse a few times for liver, kidneys and gallbladder – there’s a guy in Los Angles called Dr. Bo Wagner. It’s not to lose weight, it’s more of a detox but I felt fabulous after it. It’s hardcore; it’s a month long and all herbal and you detox, cleanse and then renew everything.”
- drinks a lot of lemon juice and hot water in the morning
- try to stay away from wheat
- avoid additives
- does lymphatic cleanse for liver, kidneys, and gallbladder every now and then
Chris Hemsworth, Actor
“It was certainly exhausting at times, but I prefer to be training than not. It gives me more energy and I just generally feel better about myself. I feel like I’ve earned that beer at the end of the week.”
- likes to go to the farmer market for food
- recruited Michael Knight to help train him
- did kettlebell routine
- lots of cardio with boxing and muay thai
- worked 12 hours a day while on the set of red dawn and still worked out 5 days a week between 60 and 90 minutes
- protein-heavy diet to gain muscle
- eat a lot of chicken breast, steak, fish, vegetables, and brown rice.
- did a total body circuit based on classic strongman moves to lose fat
- drank 4 to 5 liters of water a day
Liam Hemsworth, Actor
“I love going to the gym, sweating, running around, feeling like I’m having a heart attack. I like the physical side of boxing—it’s fun to punch a bag for 20 minutes—but I also feel mentally strong when I box”
- surf competitively from age 13 to 18
- workout with a trainer 5 to 6 times a week
- workout include: throwing around tires and rope
- limit diet to lean protein, vegetables, and fruit
- boxes, runs, and surf
- daily diet: oatmeal, fish, asparagus, and homemade chicken stir-fry loaded with chopped vegetables
Rose Byrne, Actress
- works out at the YMCA
- loves to swim
- bikes
- yoga
Jesse Spencer, Actor and Musician
- train at the fire academy for the role he is currently playing in Chicago Fire.
- Keeps up with the vigorous workouts from the training
- Surfs
Portia De Rossi- Actress
“If you can accept your natural body-weight – the weight that is easy for you to maintain, or your “set point” – and not force it to beneath your body’s natural, healthy weight, then you can live your life free of dieting, of retriction, of feeling guilty every time you eat a slice of your kid’s birthday cake. But the key is to accept your body just as it is”
- prefer to workout outside, taking walks, hikes on trails or morning runs
- like to stay fit with activities that teach her skills, like horse riding or tennis
- swim to clear head
- use to battle with anorexia and bulimia but overcame it
- love taking her dogs on walks
- married to and works out with Fittest Comedian lister Ellen Degeneres
Miranda Kerr- Model
‘”like to exercise every day but I mix it up. I may even just put some music on and let Flynn dance around while I hold the plank position for 10 minutes to strengthen my core.'”
- works out 3 to 4 times a week for an hour and 15 minutes
- target all aspect of the body during a workout
- runs 2 to 3 miles
- enjoys Kundalini a form of yoga designed to balance and energize the body and hatha
- keeps to a fairly strict diet
- likes to involve her young son in the fitness routine
- drinks a lot of different teas, green juices, and protein shakes
- take supplements daily to keep her healthy
- loves Pilates
Keith Urban, Singer
“I’m driven to a point, but I also feel like I’ve achieved something, and that calms me. I find myself slowing down a bit to actually enjoy my life as well. Now I enjoy going on vacation and getting away from my guitar,” he says, walking into the studio. “A big part of it is recognizing that time is ticking away and that life is right now. And I don’t want to miss anything or take it for granted.”
- use to have a cocaine addiction
- uses a trainer
- works out four days a week doing a cardio workout on the elliptical machine and light weight training
Teresa Palmer, Actress and Model
“It’s never too late to make a healthy beginning”
- works out regularly
- hired Jason Walsh to learn martial arts
- does various lunges, squats, and workout to tone her lower body parts
- eats healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, proteins, nuts, and fish
- likes vegan food
Phoebe Tonkin, Actress and Model
“Incorporate healthy eating with regular exercises in their routine life”
- doesn’t like refined sugar, dairy products, high carb and junk food.
- relies on green and leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, salmon, lean chicken
- takes food supplements, probiotics, natural digestive enzymes
- makes mostly vegan choices
- works out with Tracy Anderson
- prefers working out in comfortable and amicable places like home
- boxing
- interval training
- pilates
- swims
- run
- hikes
Margot Robbie- Actress
“I don’t have a very good diet. I love beer, fries, burgers, but if I have to get in a bikini then I’ll eat carrot sticks for three days. I’m one extreme or the other. I’m not good at doing moderation. I get miserable if I don’t eat. I can’t just have a salad every day and a half a glass of wine every second day. Can’t do it.”
- Plays ice hockey
- Runs
- Cycles
- Crunches
- Yoga and stretching
- Surfs
Eric Bana, Actor
“My chosen exercise is cycling. I just love it.”
- Training for roles is, he says, ’30 percent exercise and 70 percent diet.
- Does not like the gym but loves cycling- it’s his exercise of choice
- Does weights to maintain his back health
- Loves Italian food but has never had a sweet tooth
- Men’s Health calls him a “skilled athlete”
Tahyna Tozzi, Actress
- black belt in the Japanese Karate style of “Shotokan”
- Teaches xtend barre in LA, a combination of pilates and barre
- Eats a very nutritionally sound diet including smoothies, lots of veggies, fish, and snacks on nuts
Olivia Newton-John – Actress
“I believe first and foremost that simplicity is the key to healthy eating. My food philosophy is that what you eat goes in, and if it doesn’t come out it has to go somewhere else – like on your hips!It starts with a combination of controlling portion size, ensuring the food is of the best quality you can find (organic is preferable), exercising regularly, drinking lots of water and eating enough fibre to keep your internal wheels turning so you can expel waste and any toxins efficiently.A basic diet should consist mostly of plants, vegetables and fruit, some whole grains, nuts and seeds. It should include some protein-rich foods and a small amount of healthy fats. I call it the common sense diet!”
- has a wellness center in Melbourne that helps support cancer research and offer cutting-edge treatments
Jonathan LaPaglia, Actor
- runs
- was a doctor before becoming an actor
- frequently seen working out in LA
Hugh Jackman, Actor
“I don’t set goals in life. In this country, people are all about goal setting. And I concede, to a point, how it can help you get going. But we limit ourselves with goals. We have far more ability than we give ourselves credit for. You see that in people under pressure. How does someone run a 100-meter race at the Olympics? When it’s once every 4 years, with everything they’ve done leading to that? It can’t just be adrenaline.” Then he nods and smiles. “Maybe it’s just the mind getting out of the way.”
- Frequently posts his workout on his social media pages to motivate fans
- Does most of his own stunts in movies
- He benched 315 pounds and leg-pressed 1,000 prepping for X-Men: The Last Stand.
- He perfected key tai chi forms and did yoga daily for 9 months to learn the positions for The Fountain.
- Does hour and a half sessions in the gym to prep for certain roles
- Changes up his workouts every 3 weeks
- Sees physical changes as opportunities to push himself past his limits
Dan Ewing, Actor
- Other than acting, his passion in life is basketball
- Often seen working up a sweat on the court
- Has youtube videos of his workouts with his trainer
- Worked with Connor Conditioning, which is a holistic approach to health- mind, body, and nutrition
Peta Murgatroyd, Dancer
“I truly believe that dancing s the best form of fitness and exercise, it makes you feel good. It makes you feel happy, especially if you can do it with a loved one.”
- Has been dancing for over 23 years
- When not filming Dancing with the Stars, she goes to the gym 6 days a week
- Does Hot Yoga to elongate muscles
- Cycles
- Hikes
- Loves running sprints
- Says he body craves cardio
Elle MacPherson, Model
“My approach doesn’t involve calorie-counting or spending hours in the gym. Rather, it’s creating a way of life,” Duigan says. “Exercise is there to make you feel better, but to be constantly exhausted and tired is not what it’s about.”
- Was Fitness magazine’s 20th Anniversary CoverGirl
- At 50, looks and feels better than ever
- Has graced the cover of many fitness and health magazines
- Follows an 80/20 ratio of alkaline to acid foods to create the optimal pH balance for good health
- Loves outdoor activities like hiking, biking, swimming, skiing, paddleboarding
- Meditates 20 minutes daily
- Drinks 2 liters of water a day to hydrate from the inside out
- Surfs
- Even has a workout video from the 90s online http://youtu.be/5l8b0Y-p_t8
Rachael Finch, TV Reporter and Beauty Queen
“No matter what it is I try to be physically active every day. I think it’s important to keep the body moving and to alter the intensity so we benefit from the varied heart rate. I love stretching before bed each night and when it comes to diet I follow the 90/10 rule – 90 percent health and 10 percent indulgence.”
- Says clean eating is key- that she tries to eat foods in as close to their natural state as possible
- She avoids heavy sauces, excess salt, sugar, and uses avocado and hummus to add flavor to her food instead
- Believes being active regularly is important, and counts mopping her house as a workout!
- Does yoga
- Pilates
- Swims
- Runs with daughter in stroller
- Meditates
- Takes a holistic approach to health
Sophie Falkiner, TV Host
“I try to be as healthy as I can possibly be 80 percent of the time. If I go into a fine-dining restaurant for a special occasion, I’m not going to ask for the dressing on the side. I’ll want the hot chips with the aioli – you’ve got to live! It’s about treating yourself, but not all of the time. If I treated my body badly 80 percent of the time, it probably wouldn’t work as well, but if I treat it well most of the time, then I’m going to be good health-wise – that’s how I like to look at it.”
- Says she used to not focus on health, but once she hit her 30s she began realizing it’s value
- Has a holistic approach to health
- Pilates
- Meditation
- Mixes it up to keep it fun
- Manages stress levels
- Eats Balanced
- Exercises regularly and consistently
Rebecca Hewitt, Actress and Singer
- Has 3 young children and exercises daily to maintain her figure
- Works out with a personal trainer regularly
- Eats a healthy diet
- Married to professional tennis player who also makes fitness a priority
Lara Bingle, Actress and Model
“My ideal way to exercise is outdoors. Anything by the water makes exercise so much more pleasurable.”
- Dislikes gyms but exercises by the ocean
- Works out with a personal trainer regularly
- Eats a healthy diet
- Loves green juices
- Reformer Pilated
- Gained 12kgs and lost it through healthy lifestyle changes
Kylie Minogue, Singer
- The Aussie beauty religiously follows a healthy diet program. She mostly swears by low GI diet plans, and she incorporates optimal amounts of complex carbs, proteins, fats and fiber. She consumes six small meals in a day, which are composed of three normal meals and three snacks.
- One of her favorite workouts is Pilates.
- Enjoys running and cardio workouts
- Also does Power Plate workouts to stay toned
Toni Collette, Actress
“I always make sure I drink lots of water, exercise and eat well. I do cardio most days and I am a big fan of Pilates and yoga, so I do a combination of both.”
- Toni Collette’s diet adheres to the famous macrobiotic diet, which is based on selecting foods that are organically grown and unprocessed.
- Toni does yoga and Pilates to keep her body well-toned without developing bulky muscles. Cardio is 45 minutes every morning. She also does light weight lifting using 2 to 5 pounds weight.
Jennifer Hawkins, Actress, Model, and TV Host
“Just imagine your goal. Imagine what you want to be, your best version of yourself and just feel like you need to make that happen. Thinking positive thoughts is very powerful; if you’re sitting there feeling sorry for yourself, you’re not going to get up and move. Just keep moving forward.”
- Does Pilates twice a week and spends around 20-30 minutes running on a treadmill at least 4 times a week.
- Does around 30-40 sit-ups per night and would recommend these to all women ‘because they really pull in your waist.’
- A few weeks before a fashion show, she cuts out all processed carbs replacing it with brown rice. Daily juices, chicken, protein and lots of water are also part of her pre-show culinary mantra.
Dr. Chris Brown, Veterinarian and TV Host
- Spends lots of time surfing at the beach
- Enjoys paddleboarding
- Swims
- Dives
Tom Williams, TV Host
“Surfing is something I do with my friends and we do overseas trips.”
- Has been surfing since he was young.
- “I ocean kayak. It takes up a lot of my time. Early starts three mornings a week and on the weekends I race competitively.”
- “I’ve just started doing Bikram yoga again. I use it for the stretching. It’s very intense but I like the mind effect in yoga.”
