Carrie Underwood’s Real Life Diet & Fitness Advice

American Idol winner Carrie Underwood underwent a fitness makeover during her transformation to big-time music star. The newly-engaged Carrie worked hard to maintain her fitness level over the years and this month she shares her diet and fitness routine with Self magazine.

On Fitness:

“I have Exercise TV on cable. Jillian Michaels’ videos will kick your butt. She’s my trainer, and she doesn’t even know it!”

“When I gain weight, it’s in the spare-tire area. I’ve told trainers abs are a physical impossibility for me. And every single time, they’re like, ‘Well, we’ll get you abs!’ So do I have them? No! But they’re as flat as they’re probably going to get. Push-ups work out everything. If you do them right, you’ll feel it in your abs. I do four sets of 10 to 20.”

On Diet:

“If I eat too much before a show, I just want to sit down. Too little, and I’m starving. So I eat something small, like Quorn, a tasty meat-free protein, and green beans.”

Carrie also keeps a food diary to count calories. “Once you realize, it’s like, ‘No wonder I’ve plateaued! No wonder I’ve been gaining weight!…Little things really do add up.“

What we love about Carrie’s advice is that it’s real: she’s honest about trouble areas and admits that there are certain foods (like cheese) that she craves. But she takes fitness one day at a time, working up to a big event or sticking to exercise even if she’s already reached her goal. Great advice!