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Viola Davis embodies strength, power, and beauty, and at 57, she has never looked better. Davis has always been in great form, but when she agreed to star in The Woman King, which was released in theaters on September 16, 2022, she pushed her fitness to a whole new level.
Davis talked about how the film altered her life, during a recent interview with People Magazine. She said:
"I was always more muscular and bulkier, and I felt that this canvas couldn't hold my femininity. And then, with this character, my muscles, arms, huge legs, and heavy voice were all ideal."
She continued:
"I felt no remorse about it. I physically celebrated it in every way ... sometimes you do a movie and then it's over. And every now and again, you make a film that has an effect on you. You're a little better as a result. And that has been my experience with the training."
So what did Viola Davis have to go through to prepare for a part like this at the age of 57? Read on to read about some of her healthy habits that help her maintain an amazing body at her age.
Viola Davis' Healthy Habits
Here are five of her healthy habits:
1) Davis' trainer Gabriela McLain urged her client and the other ladies on set to acquire muscle while training for The Woman King. She also advised to consume extra meals during the day to accomplish that.
McLain's aim was to ensure that the women did not lose weight but instead gained muscle. She urged Davis to have five meals every day every three hours. Viola also had to drink almost one gallon of water every day and follow a separate food regimen devised for her.
It's unclear whether Davis has continued to have five meals a day after filming wrapped up. However, based on what she has said about how training for the film 'changed her a bit', she may very well be following this nutritional advice.
2) Viola Davis was nominated for an Oscar in 2021 for her work as Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
Davis gained some weight in preparation for the role of the legendary blues singer. When she began training for The Woman King, her focus turned from developing muscle to pushing herself to new levels of strength and health. McLain made Davis eat a healthier diet to help her accomplish that.
McLain revealed to Hollywood Life at the start of 2021 that when The Woman King training began,
"She is currently in typical Viola shape because she trains three times every week. ... She also follows a strict diet and is disciplined."
3) Davis began her objective of losing weight and growing muscle for The Woman King as soon as she finished Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.
"She guided Viola Davis through high-intensity interval workouts and put her on a high-protein, plant-centric diet," McLain told the New York Post.
Researchers continue to discover new information regarding the impact of a high-protein diet on weight loss.
According to a clinical study published in the 'Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome', boosting your protein intake regularly will help you lose weight and prevent obesity-related disorders.
4) Functional movements (also known as functional fitness) are exercises that simulate real-life strength circumstances the body may require. These exercises also incorporate numerous muscle groups at the same time, as opposed to focusing on only one muscle at a time.
According to McLain, she had Viola Davis and the other actors in The Woman King execute functional exercises daily "because the actresses had days 'full of activity' on set". As a result, they engaged in activities such as weight lifting, high-intensity workouts, and strength training.
5) McLain had Viola Davis work out multiple times each week, with an emphasis on practicing a variety of activities.
According to McLain:
"On Mondays, we typically conduct a cardio kickboxing session focusing on her jabs and kicks... On Wednesdays, we focus on strength, using heavy weights, medicine balls, and a lot of legs, upper body, and core."
She also mentions that on Fridays, the emphasis shifted to attempting to "develop powerful and swift legs" by kicking with resistance bands and ankle weights.
