Superstar trainer Valerie Waters has designed one of Hollywood’s healthiest exercise and nutrition plans for Jennifer Garner. The good news: You can follow it, too!

THE GOAL

Waters has worked with stars like Cindy Crawford, Julia Roberts and Jim Carrey for 18 years, earning her the reputation as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after celebrity trainers. For the past five years, she’s trained Golden Globe Award-winning actress Jennifer Garner, transforming her body for various roles from überfit, butt-kicking spy Sydney Bristow in Alias and a superhero in the film Elektra to a plucky physical comedienne in 13 Going on 30. After the birth of daughter Violet to Garner and husband Ben Affleck in December 2005, Garner worked with Waters to reclaim her pre-first-baby body. Now, Garner’s fitness focus has shifted from high-intensity to feeling good.

THE RESULTS
Garner is happy with the outcome of her new regimen, which allows her to maintain her toned body year round. Waters explains, “this workout keeps Jen in great shape and full of energy, but we don’t have to spend as much time as we did when it was about being a buff babe. Now that she’s a mom, she wants to exercise so she looks and feels good, but then get out of the gym and be with her baby.”

WATERS’ TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
“Eat consistently and healthfully, and exercise regularly, but not obsessively,” Waters advises. “Working out should not just be about vanity, but about gaining confidence and esteem. I also believe you’re only one workout away from a good mood. Many times we don’t feel like doing it, but every person feels better when they are done.

“I tell people to move away from the expectation of losing ‘x’ amount of pounds per week, and focus on the short-term results — how working out makes you feel energized and motivated to eat well. If you start to exercise regularly, the rest falls into place. You’ll sleep better and won’t need false energy fixes like sugar and caffeine.”

WORKOUT TIMING TIP
“Everyone has to find the perfect time of day to fit exercise into his/her schedule, but I believe doing it first thing in the morning gives you a psychological lift,” Waters says. “A sense of virtuousness follows from ‘I have already done my workout,’ and you carry it throughout the day. You’ll be more likely to skip the morning doughnuts and eat yogurt and granola. Also, your workout will not be hanging over your head with a million possible excuses lurking to undermine your plan. You should try to exercise at the same time each day to form a habit.”

HEALTHY EATING PLAN
“Eating five to six times a day really does work,” Waters says. “Jen has been following this diet plan for five years so it’s now second nature to her. When you eat consistently and well, you can still have ‘treats’ without the guilt and it’s a more balanced way to live.” On average, it’s a 1,600-calorie-a-day menu.

SAMPLE DAY’S MENU

• Breakfast: oatmeal or an egg-white omelet with a side of fresh fruit

• Snack 1: apple slices with almond butter
• Lunch: Chicken with mango chutney, steamed veggies and green salad
• Snack 2: Whole-wheat Wasa crackers with lowfat cheese
• Dinner: Grilled salmon in a citrus-ginger sauce with asparagus and red-leaf lettuce salad
• Beverages: Water, water and water, along with the very occasional beer or glass of wine

TRAINING PLAN
Garner works out five times a week for about 50 minutes, but the circuits and intervals are a little less intense than when she’s preparing for an action role. She also uses slightly lighter weights. Each session begins with a five- to 10-minute warm-up of walking briskly on the treadmill. This gets Garner’s muscles ready but, more important, prepares her psychologically to shift gears and focus exclusively on training.

SAMPLE WEEK’S ROUTINE

DAY 1 Circuit training concentrating on back, chest, glutes, quads, hamstrings and abs using moves such as step-ups, pull-downs, chest presses on a stability ball, reverse lunges (Garner’s favorite move) and other exercises

DAY 2 Mat Pilates exercises for core strengthening

DAY 3 Cardio-intensive day with intervals on treadmill, stationary bike and elliptical trainer (40 minutes), ending with abdominal exercises (5 minutes). Some days all 40 minutes of cardio are spent on a single machine; other days Garner divides her time among all three.

DAY 4 Circuit training, a variation of day 1 as Waters switches out the exercises, with a focus on biceps, triceps, hips and shoulders

DAY 5 Repeat Day 2

DAYS 6 & 7 Rest and recovery
LIVE VIV!

• Go to valslide.com to learn more about the Valslide and get your glutes and quads into killer shape!

• If you live in Los Angeles or Phoenix/ Scottsdale, AZ, and want the same home-delivered gourmet meals that Garner eats when she isn’t cooking for herself (a favorite activity), check out sunfare.com.

• Garner and Waters both love to work out to upbeat ’80s and ’90s, “feel-good,” dance-oriented pop. To get their playlist, log on to vivmag.com/playlist/jennifer-garner.

Tags: actress, Ben Affleck, Cindy Crawford, Circuit training, Elektra, Elliptical trainer, energy, Exercise, false energy fixes, Golden Globe Award, Health, Human behavior, Human Interest, Jennifer Garner, Jim Carrey, Julia Roberts, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Phoenix/ Scottsdale, Physical exercise, Recreation, Resistance training, spy, Sydney Bristow, Treadmill, Valerie Waters, Violet, Weight training