What's the secret to looking fabulous at 45?
According to Jennifer Lopez, who graces the cover of Us Weekly's annual Hot Bodies issue, it's all about balance. "You hit a stride where your spirit, mind and body all come together. I work out, but I'm not as much of a fanatic as I used to be," she admits. "And, funnily enough, I feel like I'm in better shape now."
That being said, Lopez is famous for doing five-a-week, hour-long dance sessions with celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, in addition to watching what she eats. "Very rarely will I skip my workout. Sometimes I work too late the night before and I'm like, 'Ugh, I can't do this.' But I tell myself, 'Just do it. It's only an hour,'" the "I Luh Ya Papi" singer says. "It's just talking yourself off the ledge of being a lazy bum."
Lopez's healthy lifestyle extends to her 7-year-old twins, too. "With my son and daughter, I try to teach them the right things to eat: a lot of greens, fruits and grains. They're starting to learn that's a way of life," she says. "When they ask me why I exercise, I say, 'So I can maintain a good weight and run around with you.'"
Does she ever cheat on her diet?
"When I haven't done it in a while, I'll indulge in dessert. I'll eat cookies, but I'll have one or two and I'm fine. I don't go crazy," the American Idol judge says. "You don't want to be the person who eats a doughnut and then has a whole box."
Lopez doesn't just maintain a healthy diet—she has a healthy attitude, too. "From the time I was very young, I was told there was nothing wrong with my body type. Some people are told they're too heavy or too thin or too tall or short, but at the end of the day you have to appreciate who you are. I'm not a 6-foot-tall model. I'm not size 2. And when I came to Hollywood, that's what the world was filled with," she recalls. "I was fine being me and I think that changed a lot of people's thinking."
The singer doesn't "have a favorite feature," despite being famous for her derrière.
"When you do a song like 'Booty,' you'd better own it," Lopez explains.
"There's been a movement this year about being womanly—not having to be skinny or starve yourself. I don't fan-out over people's body parts. I mean, I've admired a man's abs once or twice, but I'm not checking out girls' butts. Still, it's become such a phenomenon," the pop icon tells the magazine. "You see these girls who just make me look small. I never thought I would say that in my lifetime!"
Us Weekly's Hot Bodies issue is on newsstands Friday.