
Cynthia Erivo Workout and Diet
Actress
Cynthia Erivo was born in London, England. Her parents are Nigerian. She got into acting as a child and earned a degree in music psychology before training as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Early TV roles include Chewing Gum and The Tunnel. Stage roles include Sister Act, The Color Purple, and I Can’t Sing! Erivo came to Broadway in 2015 and reprised her role in The Color Purple, winning a 2016 Tony for Best Actress in a Musical. Film roles include Bad Times at the El Royale, Harriet and the lead in Wicked. In 2021, she released an album called Ch1 Vs1. She has millions of followers on social media. Erivo is 5 feet tall and weighs about 120 lbs.
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Cynthia Erivo’s Diet
Diet Summary
Erivo takes her diet seriously. She first learned the importance of proper eating while on tour. The grueling schedule meant she had to do everything she could to stay healthy and be able to sing. To that end, she always eats organic, whole, fresh foods, and has been eating a plant-based diet for about 5 years. Even her treats are healthy. Staples include green juice, organic fruit and veg, and vegan ‘bone’ broth made from mushrooms and bok choy. She stops eating by 8 or 9 in the evening so she has time to digest before going to bed. She takes several supplements including probiotics, spirulina and turmeric. She drinks alkaline water.
Estimated Macros
Low-Medium Fat
Medium Carb
Medium-High Protein
Diet Details
Eat Clean
Erivo says that since staying healthy and strong are essential for her career, she always eats clean.
Stay Fueled
Another thing Erivo is very conscious of is having enough in the tank to have consistent energy. She cannot eat much while she’s performing, so cashews are a go-to if she needs quick energy.
Alkaline Water
Erivo is very careful not to eat or drink anything that is too acidic as it is hard on her vocal cords and her stomach. She drinks Essentia alkaline water.
Favorite Treat
Erivo loves potato chips, and says she eats clean otherwise so she can indulge without guilt.
What to Eat
- Organic foods
- Natural foods
- Green juice
- Organic fruit
- Avocados
- Oatmeal
- Peanut butter
- Wraps
- Plant-based bone broth
- Nuts
- Herbal tea
- Lemon
- Seaweed chips
- Edamame chips
- Potato chips
- Supplements
- Alkaline water
What to Avoid
- Going hungry
- Dairy
- Empty-calorie foods
- Junk food
- Fast food
- Chemical ingredients
- Artificial additives
Erivo on her eating healthy
‘I started getting really health-conscious completely when I was on tour and I was 24.’
Erivo on why a healthy diet is essential
‘Because you want everything to be working the way it needs to.’
Erivo on nuts
‘Cashews…are a really good source of energy if you’re hungry, and I can’t have very much while I’m doing a show!’
Erivo on eating a plant-based diet
‘It ended up that being vegan was the most correct way for me to treat my body.’
Erivo on her guilty pleasure
‘I am a fiend for potato chips.’
Cynthia Erivo’s Workout Routine
Workout Routine
Run Baby Run
Erivo is an avid runner, runs at least 5K every day, and participates in marathons.
Serotonin Addict
Erivo loves to sweat. She works out hard because it makes her feel good.
Personal Escape
Erivo considers working out to be her escape from work, and a way to get a little time to herself.
Daily Dose
Erivo runs at least 9 miles every other day. She’ll also hit the gym for a traditional weight workout, or perhaps go to the Dogpound to sweat it out with a boxing session.
Core Focus
Erivo does core work to reduce pressure on the back and legs so her running is more efficient.
Don’t Neglect the Arms
Although Erivo is a runner, she does lots of push-ups and pull-ups as well as other exercises to tone and strengthen her arms.
Exercise Style
A Cynthia Erivo Routine
- Run: at least 5K/day
- Core work
- Headstand push-ups
- Regular push-ups
- Pull-ups
- Weight training
- Boxing
Erivo on running
‘I don’t know why I fell into running. I just decided one day I wanted to.’
Erivo on upping her distances
‘I wanted to explore how far I could go with it.’
Erivo on other fitness training
‘Anything that helps us with balance and redistributing the weight on my feet.’
Cynthia Erivo’s Supplements
Spirulina & Chlorella
If Erivo is running short of greens for the day, she’ll take a supplement of spirulina and chlorella to fill in the gaps.
Essential Oils
When Erivo has to fly, she takes a few drops of an essential oil blend called OnGuard to prevent illness.
B Complex
Erivo also takes a B-complex supplement to keep her healthy and strong, and lessen the effects of constant travel.
Flaxseed Oil
To keep her joints supple and strong, Erivo supplements with flaxseed oil which is high in vegan-friendly omega-3s.
Probiotics
Erivo takes probiotics for gut health. She says all women need them.
Adaptogens
To help manage stress and to stay energized and resilient, Erivo takes an adaptogen.
Vitamin D
Erivo supplements with vitamin D because she can’t always get outside to get some of the sunshine vitamin.
Digestive Enzymes
Erivo is serious about gut health. She takes a digestive enzyme to keep everything moving smoothly.
Turmeric
Erivo makes a morning tonic with the anti-inflammatory spice turmeric. If you don’t care for the taste, it can also be taken in supplement form.
Biotin
Erivo takes biotin to keep her hair and nails strong.
Cynthia Erivo’s Lifestyle
Natural Stress Busters
Erivo lives a clean lifestyle. Besides working out, she listens to music, reads, or just lights a candle to create a quiet space to relax.
Bring Home With You
Erivo travels with a Google Home smart speaker. She uses it to work out and to listen to news wherever in the world she finds herself.
Mom Is #1
Erivo names her mom as her inspiration and her foundation for everything she has already achieved. Her mom returns the fangirling and is thrilled with her daughter’s success.
PosterGate
After a fan edited a Wicked poster to resemble the theater version, Erivo responded by calling the edit ‘offensive,’ ‘hurtful,’ and ‘degrading.’ She later admitted that she should have kept her thoughts private.
Great Chemistry
Erivo’s costar in Wicked is Ariana Grande, and the two really hit it off as friends. They even coordinated outfits for the movie premiere.
Nice Bling
For the Wicked premiere, Erivo got to wear an emerald and diamond collar valued at $750K to coordinate with her green vinyl Louis Vuitton dress.
Erivo on her stress-busting activities
‘I don’t drink, I don’t smoke…There are times when I just read or listen to music and…burn a candle.’
Erivo on her mom
‘Everything I am, do, feel, and love is based on the foundation my mum laid for me.’
Erivo on career & personal milestones
‘To be able to say I ran the marathon the year I won a Tony, it’s awesome.’
Erivo on setting goals
‘I tend to say them [goals] out loud because I think that’s important.’
Erivo on social media
‘The problem with social media is that people forget that anyone typing is human.’
Erivo on lashing out on social media
‘I probably should have called my friends.’
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Essentia Alkaline Water
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Google Home
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