14 DAY TRIAL // Melanie Brown, aka Mel B, aka Scary Spice, has always been in top shape, even back in the heyday of the Spice Girls when the weight of the other four girls was constantly going up and down. With her recent stint in Peepshow, the burlesque number in Vegas, over and many recent appearances in which her swimsuits have revealed a killer six-pack and thighs that could reportedly strangle a man to death, News of the World took it upon itself to find Mel B’s secret. And find it, it did.
The British tab got not only to speak openly with Melanie on her workout routine and diet, but it also managed to convince her to pose for a spread that would make most women turn green with envy. Hearing the star speak of her workout routine and how she simply cannot live without hitting the gym to break a sweat, women should take notice, News of the World says, because this is one lady who has dedicated her everything to staying healthy. Because, Mel B says, she’s far from body-obsessed since she finds her motivation in staying healthy. Whatever people think of her and her body is entirely their business, the singer and dancer explains.
To look as tight as she does now, Mel B has had to learn that age does slow the metabolism, a thing she also came to experience firsthand when she crossed the 30 threshold. Because of this, she trains intensely every day, making sure she works every muscle group at regular intervals for a full-body workout. In time, she has come to have the most extraordinary results, the kind that would make even a rookie bodybuilder perhaps cower in shame.
“I do 600 sit-ups four or five times a week. I do them in sets of 10, changing position after each set. I can do 100 crunches in less than two minutes. I also hold the plank [a raised press-up position, where you support yourself on your forearms and toes and hold your body in a straight line] for 100 breaths.” Mel B says for News of the World. And that’s not all. “Before, I did overall training, but a few months ago I got more specific about my routine. I’m on the treadmill for 30 minutes. I walk for two minutes, then sprint for three minutes, walk for two minutes and so on. Then for the other 30 minutes I’ll work on my legs one day and then for the next session I’ll use weights for my arms.” the star adds.
Mel B is admittedly a woman who cannot live without working out. Therefore, she can do crunches as she’s watching TV or even talking with friends on the phone because she simply loves to sweat. Still, she also knows that no workout routine is good if it’s not accompanied by a proper diet. She says she came to understand that when she was still young and she saw her mom constantly trying to lose weight by dieting. As such, she now believes that it’s best to allow herself one day a week in which she can eat whatever she wants, and just eat healthy, filling meals for the rest of the time and work out accordingly.
“I got it into my head from a young age that dieting like that is self-torture. It’s not at all healthy. How about you just eat well, have one day a week when you eat what you want, and train your body regularly? Isn’t that all you need? You can’t exercise and not eat healthily – it’s pointless.” Mel B explains. At the same time, developing a healthy, realistic body image is also extremely important. “You have to embrace your body. This is mine and I’m not going to get a different one, so I work with what I’ve got and enjoy it.” she adds, saying she hopes her kids “inherit” her healthy body-image.