Emma Willis’ diet, fitness and skincare secrets revealed on her 50th birthday after saying she feels more powerful than ever

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She became well-known in the early 2000s after starting her career as a model and then becoming a presenter on MTV’s Total Request Live.

Even after almost thirty years in the spotlight, Emma Willis still looks remarkably young, celebrating her 50th birthday on Tuesday.

She confidently displays her fit physique, frequently sharing glamorous photos of herself on social media.

But how has she managed to pull this off? 

Even with a busy schedule – including appearances on BBC Radio 2 and raising her three daughters – Emma still prioritizes taking care of herself.

Here are the diet, fitness and skincare steps Emma takes to look her best.

Before having her third child, Trixie, in 2016, Emma confessed she hadn’t consistently exercised.

She noticed more cellulite during her pregnancy, which motivated her to work with renowned trainer Rob Solly to address it.

Rob’s program doesn’t just create a workout plan; it also looks at your diet, stress, and sleep to help you get the best possible results.

She explained to Woman magazine that staying in shape during pregnancy is key. As a 40-year-old expecting her third child, she admitted her leg cellulite became more noticeable.

‘I do all over body workouts, HIIT classes, boxing and lots of leg and back work.’

The presenter is now adding two or three hour-long workouts to her weekly routine, in addition to her usual pilates classes.

Her reason for this? Emma felt a new responsibility to look after herself after her third child.

In 2019, she told the Daily Mail that her biggest wish was to live a long life, driven by her love for her husband and three children, whom she didn’t want to leave behind.

Watching my parents age makes me think about my own future and how I can stay healthy. It seems smart to prioritize wellness now, so I don’t look back with regrets later, like wishing I’d tried new things or taken better care of myself.

In 2021, she shared that she owns an £1,195 smart mirror for her home gym. It offers customized workout and wellness programs, covering fitness, mental wellbeing, and nutrition.

Get fit with our personal trainers and choose from over 300 workouts you can take live or anytime, including popular options like pilates, barre, and HIIT.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always looking for ways to make fitness more effective, and this is a game-changer! It’s not just another at-home workout video – this system actually watches what you’re doing. Sensors track your movements, and then clever AI gives you personalized feedback in real-time, helping you improve your form and get a better workout.

The next year, Emma continued to focus on her health and tried cryotherapy – a treatment believed to boost metabolism and help muscles recover after exercise.

She shared on social media that after getting used to the sensation, she found the experience surprisingly energizing and even pleasurable.

Making time for herself is something which Emma has learned to prioritise with age. 

In a 2022 interview with Women’s Health, she explained that she used to prioritize everyone else’s needs over her own. However, turning 40 helped her understand she needed to make self-care a priority to ensure she could be there for her children for years to come.

I now make time each day to focus on my physical and mental well-being through boxing and reformer Pilates.

Finding things that work for you and making time for yourself is so important.’ 

She started taking ice baths after her husband, Matt, bought one for their garden.

‘I always procrastinate getting in, but I always feel so bloody good after,’ she added.

Emma mainly eats gluten-free and limits her sugar intake to help maintain consistent energy and avoid bloating.

Getting rid of sugar in her diet has made a big difference by making her ‘less puffy’. 

The star told the Mirror in 2024: ‘I’ve been quite enjoying going sugar-free. 

I tried it for around eight weeks at the start of the year, and I saw a huge improvement in all areas of my life.

‘My sleep patterns were better, I was less bloated all over, less puffy.’

To start her day, she usually opts for a protein-rich meal. 

She recently shared her typical morning routine with The Sunday Times, explaining that she always starts her day with eggs. After breakfast, she tackles emails, texts, phone calls, and Zoom meetings.

Emma also enjoys a healthy lunch, and often brings a homemade soup she’s made in large quantities to eat throughout the week.

For dinner, the star enjoys a varied diet when it comes to her last main meal of the day.

She recently shared with her followers that she loves curry, and even considers herself an expert. This month, she’s especially enjoying the Hot Madras Paste from Marks & Spencer, calling it her favorite.

Another of Emma’s top meals is roast lamb with lashings of gravy.

As for skincare, Emma always looks youthful and radiant when she’s in front of our screens. 

Oh my gosh, last year I found out EVERYTHING! Amanda Bowen, the absolute queen of makeup, finally shared all her secrets – she told us exactly what products she uses, step-by-step, in her own beauty routine! I’ve been obsessed ever since, trying to recreate her magic!

Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE what Amanda did! She started Emma’s whole skincare routine with that amazing ZIIP Halo device – you know, the one all the celebrities swear by! She told Hello! magazine all about it, and honestly, I’m already adding it to my wishlist. It’s like, if Emma uses it, I need it!

Amanda shared that Emma prefers a simple skincare routine, focusing on keeping her skin healthy and glowing with just a few essential products.

The makeup artist shared her current skincare favorites, saying she’s been loving Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream, products from Weleda and ADC Beauty, and Merit’s Great Skin Serum to prepare skin before makeup application.

Emma also uses Deep Lift Eye Cream from Absolute Collagen, a brand she swears by.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always looking for ways to help people feel their best, and this product really delivers! It’s specifically formulated to tackle those common concerns around the eyes – things like dark circles, puffiness, and those little lines that start to appear. What I love is that it’s not just a claim – it’s actually been clinically proven to visibly reduce dark circles, which is fantastic!

Emma shared with the Mirror that using products from the Deep Lift line keeps her skin hydrated and feeling firm, giving her a nice confidence boost, particularly when she’s not wearing makeup.

‘It’s become a staple in my skincare routine, leaving my skin feeling pampered and healthy.’

She also takes Absolute Collagen sachets, Heights Omega 3 supplements and a probiotic.

Emma shared that taking collagen has helped her feel positive about getting older and embrace the natural process of ageing.

She recently shared online that she’s excited to turn 50 next year and isn’t going to try and pretend she’s younger. She believes getting older is something to be celebrated, not feared.

I want to grow older with strength and vitality, not fade away. That means nourishing my body with healthy choices so I can feel amazing and be my most confident, vibrant self, both physically and mentally.

That’s why I make sure to take Absolute Collagen daily. It helps replenish the collagen our bodies lose with age, and it’s now a really important part of my self-care routine.

‘Getting older isn’t a problem – it’s power. It’s confidence. It’s being unapologetically you ✨’.

Emma’s health and wellbeing hasn’t always been smooth sailing. 

Last April, the TV presenter shared that she was born with a hole in her heart and recently underwent surgery to fix it at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London.

Keyhole heart surgery uses small cuts in the chest, unlike traditional open-heart surgery which requires opening the breastbone. Because of this, her recovery was much easier and faster than it would have been with open-heart surgery, though she is still adjusting to life after the procedure.

 Emma Willis has told of her shock at being diagnosed with a hole in her heart.

‘I was floored as I had gone 48 years oblivious, not knowing anything was wrong.

The hardest part was definitely accepting the news – hearing those words was frightening. I’m sharing my experience in hopes that it will offer support to anyone facing a similar situation.

Emma is working with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to help people learn more about living with heart conditions.

Oh my gosh, you guys, the British Heart Foundation is doing the sweetest thing! They’re putting up 65 red benches all over the UK – one for every year they’ve been helping people with heart disease! It’s like, a tribute to everyone affected, and it’s just… so meaningful. I’m seriously obsessed and need to find all of them!

Last summer, Emma shared how a heart surgery she had earlier in life continued to affect her, during an interview on the ITV show, Lorraine.

Oh my gosh, when Lorraine Kelly said that on TV, I nearly cried! It was just… seeing her talk about how worried everyone was for her, and then how amazing it was that she’d shared the video of her heart operation… it was so brave! And the best part? She was okay! She didn’t even realize how serious it had been, which is just… incredible. I’ve watched that clip like a million times, honestly.

Emma said: ‘I found out in January – I’ve had it my whole life. Thank you for the kindness online.

I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude to the hospital and all the wonderful staff who took such good care of me.

‘The amount of people since said that happened to me, and I found out after having a stroke.

It really hits you then, and you think, “That’s the struggle I could have faced.” I feel so fortunate.

Lorraine asked: ‘It was kind of a routine check-up thing wasn’t it?’

Emma explained: ‘I had um… my doctor… I’ve got really high cholesterol.’

She giggled: ‘It’s getting very into my medical history. They said “Go see a cardiologist”. 

I told him I’d had a heart MRI the previous year, and he said one side of my heart was enlarged, which isn’t normal.

‘And he from there went on… I’ve got a metal plug in it and its ticking still which is great.’ 

This news follows Emma’s recent disclosure that she’s been struggling with severe anxiety as she continues to heal emotionally after her surgery.

Emma explained to The Sun that it was shocking to discover something she’d unknowingly had her entire life. It was a real mental jolt to realize she’d lived with it without ever knowing.

I tend to overthink things, and my mind races through every possibility. So, facing something like surgery really made me anxious and nervous because I was caught up in my own thoughts.

Honestly, getting back to normal hasn’t been about physical stuff, it’s been way more about what’s going on in my head. It’s weird, because there’s no visible injury, no bandage to show progress. It’s all happening inside, and it’s frustrating because you can’t feel yourself getting better in the same way. It’s like… a silent recovery, and it’s tough to gauge how I’m really doing.

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2026-03-18 04:25