Funk's Celebfit Watch - Kelly Ripa

Kelly Ripa: Workout and Diet

I must say that reading about celebrities intrigues me. I mean think about it, what industry gives you weekly break ups/hook ups, scandals, meltdowns, train wrecks and some kind of controversy…and I know I’m not alone.

But it’s not all gossip and rumours in Celebtopia. Now and again you do hear and see positive coming out of the Wood. When I hear stories or see Celebs staying fit or shaping up, it hits Funk’s soft spot. I have been known to tune into Celebrity Fit Club now and then.

So when I saw Kelly Ripa, of Regis and Kelly, on the cover of Shape I had to check this out. I have watched Regis on those sick days off “ahem” and I like Ripa’s character on Hope and Faith, so I wanted to see how this morning talk show host keeps fit. She does have some great arms.

Check out how Ripa rips it up and stay tuned for Funk’s Weekly Celebfit Watch.

In the past year, Kelly Ripa stuck to a serious exercise program. She’s also learning to cook, but the thing she’s most proud of — besides getting in her best shape ever — is snuffing out her hidden unhealthy habit: smoking.
What was her trick? She started exercising five times a week. “It wasn’t easy. In fact, I almost gave up in the beginning.

But after a couple of weeks someone told me how great my arms looked! I’m so vain, that’s all it took. I was hooked,” she explains.

As for getting her diet together, most credit goes to the family chef. The chef not only got the entire family eating healthy, home-cooked meals, but she also taught Kelly about nutrition and portion control. “Now my family tries to eat smaller amounts more often. I’m big on grazing,” says Kelly. She is not big, however, on breakfast. Instead, she always begins her day with coffee at home and then a cup of Starbucks regular coffee with half and half during the show.

Her first meal of the day is at 10 a.m. — usually a salad and a small turkey sandwich or a BLT (with turkey bacon) on whole-wheat bread. Her afternoon snack is a handful of almonds and a pear. For dinner she eats salads and fresh veggies with smaller servings of fish or steak.

Personal Trainer, Keith Byard was charged with getting Kelly fit and toned. “Because she’s so busy, she needed a plan that would quickly work all of her muscles from head to toe,” he explains. His program takes about 45 minutes and includes both cardio and strength training.

Kelly Ripa’s Workout: She uses a resistance tube with handles, a medicine ball, a pair of 3- to 5-pound dumbbells, a stability ball, and a jump rope. The first exercise of her workout is described below; you can see the rest here.

Squat and rotation row – works butt, legs, back, and biceps. Anchor a handled resistance tube to a sturdy object close to the ground and grasp one handle with left hand, arm straight, and rotate arm clockwise until palm faces out.

Lower into a deep squat, feet shoulder-width apart, knees aligned over toes, right hand resting on hip. Rise up and rotate arm inward until palm faces up, as you pull handle toward ribs. Return to starting position and repeat Do 2 sets of 12 to 15 reps on each side.

Kelly Ripa’s 20-minute cardio Rx Alternate jumping rope with 30 seconds of jumping jacks. Start with 20 jump rope revolutions and increase by 20 after each round of jacks until you reach 100. Then reduce by 20 until you’re back down to 20. Repeat twice. Shape.com

Funk Roberts