We've watched Jennifer Hudson soar to stardom as her powerhouse pipes have taken her from American Idol back in 2004 to coveted roles in film, theater and TV, including as a judge on The Voice. Throughout that journey, the singer has also had another major life change: She went from a size 16 to a size 6.
During an interview on the British daytime talk show Lorraine in 2017, Hudson opened up about how she has maintained her 80-pound weight loss.
"I don't really have time to do much [working out], so I really just watch what I eat," she said. "I'm very careful and cautious of what I'm eating, so I just try to pace those meals throughout the day. Like, okay, eat here, don't eat here. When it's early in the morning, I say, okay, I would've been asleep ... so I'm not going to eat. I'm very conscious of what I put in my body."
To avoid over-snacking and bingeing, Hudson has an unconventional-but-effective technique for overcoming any food temptation: "I throw the pancakes across the room! I don't let the food intimidate me," she told Yahoo Style. "If it's too much, I just get rid of it ... And I make sure I know what it is. It's all about portions for the most part. I don't work out a lot, but I do like to be active."
After giving birth to her son David in 2009, Hudson joined Weight Watchers to set a good example. That's when she learned the effective weight-loss and maintenance tools she uses today. But her shift to truly healthy habits wasn't an easy one at first.
"I had to break my diet mentality. I used to deprive myself, thinking that was healthy. I didn't eat pasta, fried food, red meat. I hadn't had pizza in 10 years," she told Self in 2011. "If you're on a strict diet that says you shouldn't have any carbs or this or that, your body won't function the way it should. I know now that I can eat anything I want and still lose or maintain my weight. It's about portions and balance."
Here's exactly what the vocal powerhouse eats in a day to maintain her dramatic weight loss:
Breakfast
To jump-start her busy days, Hudson eats a fruit-and-yogurt combo, an egg white scramble, or a breakfast burrito, according a 2011 interview from Self.
Lunch
Despite her busy work days on set and in the recording studio, Hudson still finds time to eat a healthy lunch every day. Typically, she goes for a turkey sandwich, grilled chicken salad, or shrimp and broccoli stir-fry, she told Self.
Snacks
Hudson makes sure to keep it healthy when satisfying her midday cravings. She enjoys celery sticks, some light microwavable popcorn, one square of chocolate, an apple, a spoonful of peanut butter, Greek yogurt, granola, low-fat tortilla chips with a little light ranch dressing, or a chai tea latte. However, she doesn't deprive herself of delicious treats (a.k.a. dessert), so long as she sticks to reasonable portions.
Dinner
For dinner, Hudson sticks to sushi, shrimp stir-fry, turkey and sautéed collard greens, or tacos.
Dessert
Her ultimate indulgence? Chocolate. The star says she has at least one piece of chocolate every day. (Same.)
