LIMITLESS

Jennifer Lopez is an icon. The multi-hyphenate has spent over 20 years singing, dancing and starring in movies like Maid in Manhattan, The Wedding Planner and Second Act amongst many others, and she’s not about to stop. In fact, she calls where she’s at her “second act”, and with a new world tour and movie on the way, as well as her current engagement to boyfriend-of-two-years, former professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer couldn’t be more on top of her game.

The well-loved star shares, “I just feel fortunate and so blessed to have been in this business as long as I have. I feel like every day of my life is a dream. To feel this kind of love at this point, after so many years, is honestly mind-blowing for me.”

A Fine Balance

“I have been in the public eye for a long time so I know the pitfalls of being too public in a relationship and not being public at all. You have to find a nice balance of living your life, being happy but also keeping certain things to yourself as sacred. I don’t mind being out there but I also don’t want to be too out there. It’s a balance,” says the star who turns 50 and fabulous in July.

Jennifer has been pretty vocal about the status of her current relationship, saying she “doesn’t need” to marry Alex, but has never ruled out getting hitched again despite having divorced her previous husbands: Ojani Nao in 1993, Cris Judd in 2003, and Marc Anthony, with whom she has twins Max and Emme, 10, in 2014. 

“I’ve been married three times but I still believe in marriage and the idea of two people, committed to each other and growing old together. I think Alex and I are at a good place in our lives. I think maybe if we had met in our 20s, not so much, because we were both too crazy,” she confesses. “At this point in our lives, having kids and with what we have both accomplished in our careers, we are kind of in that second act of our lives. We really complement each other. Where I need help, he is really strong. Where he needs help, I’m really strong. You know when two people just fit together really well? He and I are really like that.”

You will only make good choices for yourself when you love yourself 

Keeping It Tight

Between accepting a marriage proposal, getting set to go on her “It’s My Party” tour this month (June 7), and headlining the movie Hustlers alongside Constance Wu and Cardi B in September, Jennifer is soaring higher than ever in 2019, and she’s not about to let anything slow her down. And it looks like her metabolism hasn’t either. Famed for her firm, toned curves, the actress-singer reveals there is no secret to keeping her figure fab and fit: She simply abides by the rules of self-discipline. “I think it’s just healthy living. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, and I don’t even go out in the sun. There are things that I have done over the years that I think have helped me now. I don’t do any potions and I don’t take any growth hormones. I don’t do a bunch of stuff to my face either. I honestly believe that who you are on the inside is what you look like on the outside, so I try my best to be healthy,” says Jennifer.

“It’s hard because nobody likes to work out and eat all of the right foods all of the time but those simple things are really the secret to my body. It’s about things like portion control and being consistent. All of it is a mind-set to being consistent and doing the right things to stay fit and healthy.” 

Reaching New Highs

The former American Idol judge also reveals that motherhood changed her perception of what it means to take care of oneself, physically and emotionally. She had to take some time to reflect on herself and her life after she split from fellow celebrity, Marc Anthony, and dig deep into the reasons why she was unhappy at the time.

Five years on, and life couldn’t be more different for the mum-of-two and soon-to-be-married star. She still has lofty dreams that she wants to achieve despite how far she’s come since her childhood days in the then rougher Bronx neighbourhood in New York.

“I think I am going to direct a film. That’s something I have always dreamt of but have always been a little afraid of. That’s definitely a goal still. Professionally, I think success comes to people who put in the extra work. It gets tiring and it’s not the easiest thing but I always notice that the ones who work harder, who stay later to get the job done, are the ones who wind up going far,” she says.

Another area she’s continuing to work on is being a parent. Jennifer admits, “I know they have tons of books about parenting but, honestly, it’s just coping day to day. You have so much love for a child when they are born and you just figure it out as you go. Every child is different and you just have to do the best you can.”

“As far as personal success, I think it’s about being happy and being a whole person on your own first, so you can share that happiness with other people in your life. That takes work too. Exercising, eating right, doing your affirmations, that’s all about loving yourself so you can be happy and complete on your own. You will only make good choices for yourself when you love yourself. I learnt the hard way!”