Gwyneth Paltrow Changed Her Diet After Her Father Got Cancer, Health Tips That Help The Famous Mom Stay Fit

Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle empire, GOOP has become the destination for healthy living suggestions— for both frugal and extravagant lifestyles. However, Gwyneth revealed that she didn’t always live a healthy lifestyle. It wasn’t until her father, director/producer; Bruce Paltrow had been diagnosed with throat cancer almost 15 years ago that she took a long hard look at her own heath.

“When my father was diagnosed, I started frantically throwing things out. I went through a really fanatical phase of being macrobiotic, and obviously, it was motivated by pain,” Paltrow revealed to People.

Before her father’s scary diagnosis, Gwyneth admits her attitude toward her health was not good. Like most Americans, she ate junk foods and had periods of extreme dieting. That all changed when she learned her father was sick.

“I think that was the hardest and most misguided part … was the idea that I had to go all or nothing. But it’s not about that,” Paltrow explained.

Gwyneth eventually learned how to live a balanced lifestyle. She added that people think to be healthy that you have to give up certain foods or do certain things. She wants people to know that you don’t have to have an “all or nothing” attitude about dieting.

“People think, ‘Ugh, if I do this, I have to throw everything away,’ but it’s really just about saying, ‘I am willing to experiment in this area’ and going easy on yourself. I drink alcohol and eat french fries. But I’m also motivated to make good changes that are sustainable, even if they’re small, like remembering to drink more water.”

Paltrow says healthy living starts with being aware of all the toxins around us and removing them from your diet and environment whenever possible. She goes on to say that it can be one thing at a time to reduce the chance of feeling overwhelmed by the change.

“It can be one thing at a time. I just ordered a new standing desk like a complete nerd because there’s so much research now about how carcinogenic sitting is,” Gwyneth explained.

“But, there are so many chemicals in mascara, so maybe it’s buying a clean [formula]. Or, maybe it’s removing fragrant laundry products that are full of chemicals.”

Paltrow didn’t create the concept of clean eating but has spent many years promoting it. According to Self Magazine, Clean eating is consuming natural and unprocessed foods 80 percent of the time. Gwyneth claims that the secret to her fit lifestyle is a concept known as clean sleeping.

“The lifestyle I lead is based not just on clean eating, but also on clean sleeping: at least seven or eight hours of good, quality sleep—and ideally even 10.”

She believes that sleep is almost more important to your health than diet, and makes sure to snooze at least eight hours every night. Paltrow claims that when she gets the necessary rest her energy levels are higher and she has a better attitude in general.

“Sleep is absolutely essential to our health and well-being,” Gwyneth explained. “Sleep allows our bodies and minds to recharge and repair.”

Paltrow says that her two biggest heath secrets are to aim for eight hours of sleep every night and to be conscious of the toxins she puts in her body and how they affect her health. Her real motivation to continue with the clean lifestyle is how great she feels when she pays attention to how she treats her body.

The more true you are to yourself, the more beautiful you are. And I think that goes hand in hand with making small choices. And after [doing that] you start to feel a little bit better and you get more motivated to keep going.”

Do you get regularly sleep eight-plus hours a night? Have you tried clean eating before? If so, what was your experience?

[Featured Image by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for East Hampton Library]