Jessica Alba, considered among the most gorgeous women in showbiz, is more than a pretty face, for she also has a body to kill for. The stunning mother of one admits she’s been careful about what she eats ever since she was 12 because of weight issues running in the family, but that’s not to say that she starves herself or denies herself a craving. On the contrary, How Celebrities Lose Weight informs, with Alba, it’s all about balance.

Reports of a year ago were saying that, in a bid to fight the extra pounds she’d gained while pregnant with daughter Honor, Alba had banished all white foods from her diet, meaning flour, white rice and sugar. While this was never verified.

The star admits she likes to keep close tabs on her diet: and the best way to do so is by cooking her own meals. Alba does not overindulge or go crazy around food, but she’s not denying herself the small pleasures in life either and, from what we can see, this works out just perfectly for her.

“Everyone in my family is heavily overweight. I wanted to be healthier, so I started cooking for myself when I was 12 years old. When I eat breakfast, I’ll have an egg-white omelette and fruit, or cottage cheese and a peach. For lunch, I’ll have a salad.

Dinner is usually vegetables and chicken or fish. During the day I’ll have some dried fruit, or I’ll have a chocolate or strawberry frozen yogurt. I don’t really eat desserts or bread. You need to indulge and have that chocolate cake whenever you feel the need,” Jessica says of her healthy eating plan.

While this diet would be more than enough to keep her in top shape, Alba also works out for 45 minutes up to an hour every day, doing mostly cardio exercises. To make sure everything goes well and she’s never in a situation in which she has to lose a lot of weight fast.

She chooses to exercise portion control and prevent the pounds from piling on in the first place. According to HCLW, the stunner also enlists the help of Nutrifit founder Jackie Keller, who had drawn up a balanced eating plan for her. A sample of it is below, courtesy of the same e-zine:

Breakfast:
- 1 cup oatmeal with berries with 3-4 scrambled egg whites when working on the film set.
Lunch:
- Salad with 170 gms (6 ounces) of chicken breast or fish (salmon, tuna).
Dinner:
- Sashimi or 170 gms (6 ounces) of petit filet of beef or other lean protein with unlimited veggies and 3 small red potatoes.
Snacks:
- Handful of almonds or hot air popped popcorn.