Gwnyneth Paltrow on How She Got in the Shape of Her Life

Just recently, actress Gwyneth Paltrow revealed that she had gained no less than ten pounds of muscle for her part in “Iron Man 2.” Though she plays personal assistant Pepper Potts in the film, the star said she believed she had to be in better shape for it than she was in the first installment, so she hit the gym and she hit it hard, with the help of personal trainer Tracy Anderson. In a newsletter on her GOOP page, Gwyneth also explains the kind of diet she had to undertake.

Fans know that, unlike many other stars, Paltrow is very honest about the lengths she goes to in order to look a certain way. The second installment of “Iron Man,” now playing in theaters all over the world, meant she had to push herself even harder because she had to look her best. This is not something that she’d do on a regular basis, Gwyneth says, but only when she needs to be thinner and more toned.

“I have just traversed the globe doing promotion for Ironman 2, getting asked the same question repeatedly: how did I get in shape for the movie? Well, I am not going to lie, the process was an arduous one. I asked my business partner and trainer Tracy Anderson if she would share with us the terrifically difficult leg series she made for me to do during the filming of the movie. This 26 minute long video was an amazing start for getting the butt and legs I had always hoped for,” Paltrow writes in a post called “The Making of Pepper Potts.”

“I did this leg series after doing 45 minutes of Tracy’s dance cardio and her arm series (these can be found on her DVDs). Also, to really get in line, I followed her strict diet for 5 days to lose my extra winter weight. Now, I am not a good dieter and I cannot ever do it for long, only when there is a goal in sight, which there was in this case. This regime got me into the shape of my life and I continue to return to it when I have a specific event so that I can do ridiculous things like be a 37 year old mother of two and wear shorts!” the star adds.

In an earlier interview we were also telling you a few days back, Gwyneth was saying Anderson “pummeled” her into submission, forcing her to push her limits farther and farther until she completely changed her body for the part.