How Rebel Wilson lost 18kgs with five simple changes

Rebel Wilson before and after weight loss. (Photos/Courtesy)

When Rebel Wilson declared 2020 'The Year of Health', she wasn't kidding. In just eight months she's lost almost three stone and is well on her way to hitting her target of reaching 11-and-a-half stone by the end of the year. The Pitch Perfect actress launched her lifestyle overhaul on January 2, declaring that it was in with activewear and out with snacks. "Okay so for me 2020 is going to be called 'The Year of Health,'' told her Instagram followers. “So I put on the athleisure and went out for a walk, deliberately hydrating on the couch right now and trying to avoid the sugar and junk food, which is going to be hard after the holidays I’ve just had but I’m going to do it!”

But what sparked the star's quest?

Rebel has previously said she was paid by Hollywood film bosses to stay a certain size, but told The Mirror she wanted to 'transform' her body to transform her career. "I literally feel as if I have to physically transform because it’s very difficult for people to imagine [me in serious roles] for some reason – even though we’re in a very imaginative industry," Rebel, 40, said.

"I feel that I physically have to show you that I am different and I am transformed in order to help transform my career." She continued: "I still love comedy, but I did train originally as a dramatic actress which people forget."

Having admitted that being 'paid a lot of money to be bigger can mess with your head', the Australian actress adopted a five-prong approach to her health and wellness drive. She first got a taste for fitness after dropping eight pounds in a matter of days last year due to the gruelling dance routines in the film, Cats. Not only that, but the set was deliberately kept hot so people didn't have time to cool off and injure themselves when they started moving again.

Rebel told Entertainment Tonight: "I lost eight pounds, shooting my number, in four days. One, because there’s a lot of physicalities… but also, they heated up the set very high, to almost 100 [degrees] Fahrenheit, so that we could never cool down."

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And earlier this year, Rebel went to a luxury weight loss, wellness, and fitness retreat in Malibu called The Ranch. The four-day break taught her how to transform her lifestyle and Rebel managed to shed another eight pounds, which she described as "so challenging but very rewarding".

So what changes has she made since then?

1. Fiber

Rebel has overhauled her diet, ditching junk food and sugar for healthier meals and snacks and upping her protein. But she has also stopped counting calories and instead focuses on her fibre intake. It has been claimed by some experts that eating 35 grams of fibre is vital to weight loss as it can prevent cravings and control your blood sugar, meaning you feel full for longer.

2. Cardio, cardio, cardio

Determined to succeed, Rebel reportedly works out with a personal trainer up to six times a week and has enlisted trainer to the stars, Jono Castano Acero, to keep her on track. She has just one day off her intense training programme every week and manages high-intensity interval training (HIIT), mobility, weights and resistance. And Rebel is clearly a fan of circuit training and has been sharing her workouts with fans. She uses weight exercises, squats and lunges and then finishes off with ab exercises.

3. Love the great outdoors

Lockdown made it impossible for Rebel to get to the gym, so she turned the great outdoors into her own fitness centre. From hiking the hills and running on the beach to lying "in the dirt doing my sit-ups and push-ups," the star didn't let a pandemic stand in her way. She said: “Obviously a lot of the TV shows and movies got shut down, so what I was going to do has been delayed so I’m just getting ripped. I’m exercising every day. You’ve gotta get on the bandwagon of getting ripped. I was actually doing all this outdoor stuff like running up and down the Sydney Opera House stairs."

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4. Count those steps

Even on her rest days, Rebel is still focusing on her fitness by making sure she manages 10,000 steps every day. Her personal trainer Jono explained: "I encourage all my clients to do an extra bit of cardio during the day to keep moving "A little tip is get a watch or use your phone to count steps and aim for 10,000 steps a day. If you’re on 9,000 steps at 10pm you have to get it done."

5. Look after your gut

According to People, Rebel's become a devotee of the Mayr Method diet plan which tackles gut health rather than focusing on weight loss. Caffeine and sugar are out from the get-go, snacking is banned and gluten and dairy are limited. A source said: 'It's an approach that eliminates food intolerances, reduces sugar, encourages eating whole foods slowly, boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation."