"She continues to slay it on the red carpet and top best-dressed lists while starring on the big and small screens. We all know her as the Type Four Rue in Euphoria (for which she nabbed an Emmy Award) and ruthless tennis superstar Tashi Duncan in her latest role in Challengers. Of course, I’m referring to Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman (best known as Zendaya), a self-proclaimed workaholic and (Virgo) perfectionist.
Between balancing her many jobs, appearances, and cinematic roles, how does someone so busy seem to so effortlessly take care of herself? While I’m not juggling stardom or world press tours, I feel overwhelmed with balancing a hectic schedule and prioritizing my well-being, so I looked to Zendaya for some inspo. I did some deep research to find Zendaya’s wellness practices that I could apply to my life. And shockingly, it was one of the most attainable celebrity wellness routines I’ve ever seen. Read on for seven (very attainable) wellness habits Zendaya considers non-negotiables and my experience trying them firsthand.
Katherine Chang, Wellness Staff Writer
Katherine Chang is The Everygirl’s Wellness Staff Writer with over five years of experience in the health and wellness space. Determined to help other women live their healthiest, best lives, Katherine is dedicated to interviewing experts in order to give the best advice to Everygirl readers. She navigates the latest wellness topics and trends through studies, articles, and is always first in line to try them firsthand.
1. She prioritizes fun over anything else for her workout routine
We know all too well that if a workout doesn’t bring the fun factor, we’re not sticking with it, and Zendaya lives by the same MO. In a YouTube interview with Justine Magazine, Zendaya confessed to being gym-averse, so she gets her workouts in by doing activities she loves: dancing and choreography. In her April 2024 cover interview with Vogue, she shared that she struggled to keep up with the rigorous tennis training for Challengers, so she started treating it “like dance… copying mannerisms, copying footwork… So everything then became shadowing.” When she does hit the gym, she’s making it entertaining by bringing joy (case in point: this video of Zendaya giggling through a Pilates class) or incorporating more dynamic unique movements (like this plank on a medicine ball instead of a regular plank).
My experience: Until a few months ago, you could say I was a gym rat; lifting heavy weights was my go-to, and I felt that any workout less than an hour “didn’t count.” But I had to continue digging really deep to keep it up, and the motivation waned—it just wasn’t fun anymore. Taking a cue from Zendaya, I switched it up with some at-home dance cardio workouts that deliver the perfect combo of sweat and joy (hi, Sculpt Society) and found my second wind. And since adding in a “quickie” 10-minute dance cardio class on some days and 30-minute sessions on others, I look forward to my dance breaks and found that even 10 minutes improved my mood and relieved stress.
2. She taps into gym personas for motivation
Stars—they’re just like us; celebrities need incentives to work out, too. Zendaya shared her unconventional way of keeping herself accountable on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2021: wearing various wigs she had collected from her red carpet appearances and showing up to her gym as a different character. Most of us don’t have wigs lying around, but you get the idea: Identify what helps you stay consistent with your workouts and use it to your advantage, and tap into different personas for extra motivation in your workouts.
My experience: This was a no-brainer for me; there’s nothing like a new, flattering workout set to get me pumped for a Pilates class or rally on the court. Depending on my workout and mood, you can find me in either a matching set or a Zendaya-as-Tashi-worthy tennis dress. While I can’t get a fresh ‘fit for every workout, I use the next must-have waiting in my shopping cart as an incentive and reward myself every now and then (and trust me, there are enough to keep me going for months). If you’re not looking to spend money on new athleticwear, try creating different playlists or setting different affirmations to tap into various “personas” for extra motivation. For example, are you a powerful badass on the pickleball court or a sexy pop princess while you do a dance cardio video in your bedroom? Playlists and affirmations have a lot of power in changing our moods.
“Whether it’s posting photos without filters or quietly learning to celebrate ourselves in private, we can practice what Zendaya preaches, too.”
3. She embraces the unfiltered version of herself
A body positivity advocate through and through, Zendaya leans into self-love and authenticity. “There is no such thing as ugly—that’s a word that doesn’t really enter my vocabulary,” she said in an interview with New You. “It’s important to find out who you are and love exactly who you are…” And unlike many celebrities, she practices what she preaches. In 2015, Zendaya called out Modeliste Magazine for retouching her photos to make her hips and torso appear slimmer. The magazine later released the issue with the original, unedited images from her cover shoot.
My experience: I have a lot to learn from Zendaya. I’m still working on loving myself as I am and not chasing an idea of perfection I have lingering in my head every day, especially after having a baby. My go-to practice? Catching myself when I’m nit-picking my body and flipping the script with being grateful for what my body provides: the gift of carrying and birthing my daughter and the ability to enjoy movement and (mostly) all the delicious foods. When scrolling through my iPhone photos 10 years from now, I’ll be focusing on the memories, not picking out my flaws. Whether it’s posting photos without filters or quietly learning to celebrate ourselves in private, we can practice what Zendaya preaches, too.
4. She values convenience over the “perfect” diet
As for nutrition, Zendaya has been a vegetarian since she was 9 years old, so she gets creative about fitting veggies into her diet, like this summer rice salad recipe she shared with Seventeen. But don’t be fooled by the recipe—you won’t typically find Zendaya in the kitchen. She’s VIP status with Postmates (I’m not exaggerating, read Postmates’ blog). In 2017, she expressed her love (and habit) of ordering food to Harper’s Bazaar: “I can have anything I want; that’s the beauty of ordering food.” In a world where A-listers have superfood chefs and nutritionists on speed dial, it’s refreshing that Zendaya isn’t striving for the “perfect” diet like we’re taught we’re supposed to. While most of us don’t have the Blockbuster money to spend on food delivery, I love the lesson that it’s OK to value convenience. We don’t always have to feel like our diets aren’t good enough as they are.
My experience: I tend to fall into the all-or-nothing trap, so I channeled my inner Zendaya, and—alongside the rice salads I made (BTW, I’d rate it a 7/10 for flavor and ease)—I told myself that it was OK to prioritize convenience. When I was really busy in the past, I would exhaust myself trying to do enough meal prepping, grocery shopping, and cooking to keep up with a “perfect” diet. When I inevitably failed, I would feel so guilty for succumbing to takeout or frozen food. Now going into a busy week, I asked myself what if I prioritized convenience first? I preemptively stocked up on healthier frozen food options (like cauliflower crust pizza) that didn’t require time to cook or prep and planned in my budget to Postmates a salad for lunch or sushi for dinner when my schedule got overwhelming. It felt insanely freeing to know that convenience wasn’t a failure; it was actually a priority. Of course, we need to get in all the nutrients the body requires, but it’s also OK to prioritize reducing stress over having a perfect diet.
5. She chooses matcha over coffee
Like the rest of the world, we’re addicted to Starbucks at The Everygirl, and it turns out Zendaya is, too. Her go-to order? A Venti iced matcha green tea latte with coconut milk. But beyond matcha, you won’t find Zendaya staying energized on any other form of caffeine. In 2017, she told Harper’s Bazaar that she passes on coffee, soda, and energy drinks. Matcha is a powerful superfood. It contains a high amount of antioxidants (one study found the number of antioxidants in matcha is up to 137 times greater than in other types of green tea), can help boost brain health, and gives a calmer, more sustainable energy than coffee’s caffeine.
My experience: Because I have Crohn’s and skip other forms of caffeine, too, matcha was already part of my repertoire. I’m a bit of a matcha snob, so I was hesitant to give what’s been dubbed “The Zendaya” a go at Starbucks (Starbucks matcha is also high in sugar and not ceremonial-grade BTW, so you’re not getting as many benefits as with other matcha). While it was too sweet for my liking, and I usually take my matcha with oat milk, I like the coconut twist and would order it again to appease a post-meal sugar craving. But if there’s one main takeaway from Zendaya and her workout and diet tried-and-trues, it’s do what works for you.
“It felt insanely freeing to know that convenience isn’t a failure; it’s actually a priority.”
6. She sets challenges when she needs a mental health boost
Blame it on hustle culture or betterment burnout, but the fundamental idea of self-care often gets lost in the shuffle. And celebrities, including Zendaya, are not immune to it. “I’m learning to be more responsible for myself and for my own body and looking after it all,” she told Vogue in her 2024 interview. While walking her dog gets her out of the house (she shared that she tends to isolate herself when she’s not working), she’s not afraid to admit that tending to her mental health in general is a work in progress: “Sometimes it’s just getting out of bed, telling myself, ‘We’re facing the day: we’re taking a shower, we’re putting on real clothes, we’re seeing some sunshine.’ I try to set little challenges for myself.”
My experience: Adding “new mom” to my resume (a role I’m still figuring out day by day) means my needs and wants tend to come last. And because I work fully remote, it’s easy to stay within the confines of my home because there’s always something that needs to get done (whether it’s a deadline to meet or the laundry that never seems to end). But, like Zendaya, I challenge myself to leave the house once a day, especially on really tough days—even if it’s just to take a walk or grab a matcha. I have to remind myself that wellness doesn’t have to look like a 10-step morning routine like I followed pre-baby; it can be the smallest things that make me feel better, like getting sunlight or walking my dog around the block.
7. She leans on her support system
Wellness isn’t limited to diets, exercise, supplements, and routines—your inner circle and connections play an essential part in your health and well-being. While some celebrities bask in the limelight and prioritize the latest A-lister event, Zendaya tells Vogue she would rather be at home with her dog Noon (and we presume her BF and housemate Tom Holland) and her family who she counts among her biggest supporters and influencers. “It can look different for different people, but everybody needs to have people to reach out to and talk to and feel supported by,” she said in the 2024 interview.
My experience: Like Zendaya, I’m fortunate to depend on my family for help—be it to provide a safe space for me to vent or guide me in making difficult decisions—and I’m not ashamed or too proud to ask for and accept it. A Harvard study showed that people who have social support from family, friends, and their community are happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer. So I choose to only spend time with family members and friends who fill my cup, and I schedule matcha dates, girls’ nights, and FaceTime calls to ensure I’m prioritizing my strongest relationships over everything else.
