There is no secret that Scarlett Johansson’s too-die-for Black Widow figure is the dream of many fans, but the process of achieving such a fit physique is no joke at all. The Marvel star had to follow an intense diet and workout regimen to prepare for the role of Natasha Romanoff.

Scarlett Johansson
Nothing is more painful than giving up your guilty pleasure food, and Johansson had to switch her favorite buffalo chicken wings with a vegetarian food plan.

Scarlett Johansson Followed A Vegetarian Meal Diet For Black Widow Role

Although Scarlett Johansson worked with a body double, she still needed to train for strength and stamina as she performed some stunts and fight scenes on her own. Esquire Magazine hailed her as “The Sexiest Woman Alive” in 2006 and 2013, making her a fitspiration for many fans.

While the Black Widow star mainly consumed vegetables and fruits, her diet was actually flexitarian, meaning she consumed a small amount of fish and meat. Her meal was usually light just to fill up her stomach and help maintain her weight at 125 lbs.

Johansson’s breakfast consisted mostly of oatmeal, two egg omelets, and fresh berries. Her plate at lunchtime usually contained quinoa and turkey salad, sprinkled with lemon juice, olive oil, and spring onions. Midday snacks were apples and almonds, which she ate in-between filming. For dinner, the actress only consumed fish and steamed vegetables, preferably broccoli, cabbage, or red onions.

Scarlett Johansson in The Avengers
The Lucy star admitted she could not resist cheese, although she tried to balance her diet through a strict regimen. Her trainer, Eric Johnson, who is also the co-founder of the elite fitness company Homage, revealed the secret to Harper Bazaar:
“She cycled through days of high carbohydrates and low-fat consumption, versus low carbohydrates and higher fat while maintaining protein intake.”
The coach also shared that Johansson followed a strict schedule for meal time and observed a minimum of 12-hour fasting every day. Sometimes they pushed it to 14 or 15 hours, depending on her filming schedule. This nutrition program lasted for more than a year.

Black Widow Training Required Scarlett Johansson Intense Gymnastics Skills

A meal diet won’t work wonders without proper physical training. Scarlett Johansson achieved the perfect Black Widow physique through rigorous and disciplined workouts. She mostly enjoyed deadlifts, pull-ups, pistol squats, military presses, and kettlebell swings. Her workout began with mobility exercises followed by circuit training.

Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow
Her mentor explained the specific measures they followed to achieve Johansson’s desired frame:
“Our inspiration for this iteration of Black Widow was Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 without the cigarette smoking, pounding the pavement for miles, and sleeping more than four hours a night. We treated the process like an athlete preparing for competition by placing more emphasis on her performance, her physique just followed.”
The Avengers star practiced an “integrated foundational strength training” which consists of movements from “plyometrics, yoga, Olympic weight lifting, kettlebells, and gymnastics.”

He said that the workout was not only meant for the body but also to stimulate the mind. In order to bring Black Widow to life, Johansson had to commit herself to intense training and maintain unwavering discipline.

Source: Harper Bazaar