Inside Shirley Ballas’ incredible transformation: From aging look to fitness regime as Strictly star, 64, reveals five-month weight loss ahead of new series return

Shirley Ballas never fails to deliver a glamorous look for Saturday night’s Strictly live show.

However, there is a lot of work behind the scenes that goes into her amazing transformation.

The head judge, 64, undergoes a strict dieting regime every year to ensure she is in tip-top shape for the BBC dance show.

For this year’s 20th anniversary series, Shirley said she could even fit into the same jeans she wore in her 20s when she showed off her impressive weight loss.

MailOnline takes a look at how the queen of Latina achieves her incredible transformation, from a high juice diet, controversial plant-based diet and endless yoga classes.

Weight loss

Shirley has revealed that every year she goes on a weight loss diet in the run up to Strictly.

Shirley set a goal back on April 14 this year, taking to Instagram to try on a pair of pants she’s had for over forty years.

In a video taken five months earlier, she told followers: “These are trousers I’ve had since I was 20, as you can see they’re not quite zipped up, but they’ll be from Strictly I can assure you.” .

“It’s Thursday the 19th just before Strictly and I said I wanted to wear these little pants I had. And here they are zipped up, but it’s been a lot of work but I’m thrilled with the results.

“So yes in these pants I promised myself I would be”.

Diet

Shirley is also an advocate of a juice-only diet and attends an annual juice holiday to prepare her for Strictly.

At the retreat, called Juicy Oasis Portugal, guests will only drink juice for seven days. According to the website, there is no food at all – bar an optional salad on arrival and departure.

Guests can stay for weeks, but Jason Vale, known as the Juice Master, recommends a maximum of four consecutive stays.

Prices start at £1600 and anyone from the age of 14 is welcome to join.

Showing off the results of her comeback this year, Shirley looked amazing in the polka dot bikini.

She captioned the photo: “By day 6 of @juicemasterretreats feeling so much better, cleaner & lighter headspace clearer.

“It’s a must for me every year to get me in a good place.” @jasonvale simply the best place. Thank you Jason for all you do for so many people here in Portugal.’

Back in 2023 Chief Justice revealed that she lost 9 pounds in just seven days at the juice shop.

Shirley has also tried the controversial ‘plant paradox’ diet which restricts the types of vegetables you can eat.

The plant-based diet argues that while consumption of some types of fruit and vegetables should be encouraged, other plant-based foods are not as healthy as they seem.

Followers of the diet try to avoid lectins – carbohydrate-binding proteins found in legumes such as beans, lentils or chickpeas, grains and “nightshade” vegetables – some of which prefer to grow in shady areas – such as tomatoes and peppers.

The theory, first proposed by American physician Steven Gundry, is that these lectins can lead to weight gain and chronic disease – but there is little evidence to support this theory.

She told Closer magazine: “I’m also doing a plant-based diet. It consists mostly of plant foods such as nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. It’s all about healthy eating, not dieting. Diets don’t work. I’ve yo-yoed all my life.’

Shirley also practices intermittent fasting, meaning she only eats in a six-hour window each day.

She told Weekend Magazine back in January: “I broke it today because I had a slice of Parma ham. I avoid anything white. If it’s not green and grown in the ground, I try not to put it in my mouth.

There is one daily treat though. “One cup of coffee a day, in a China cup. A teaspoon of brandy in it, Coffee-Mate and two brown sugars. It’s the highlight of my day.’

Physical Education Board

As well as a strict diet, Shirley is put through her paces at the juice retreat which also includes various exercises and activities.

The star attended many spin and yoga classes, as well as starting each morning with a two-hour walk.

She told MailOnline after her retreat in 2023: ‘I lost 9lbs. Yoga is definitely something I plan to keep up throughout the Strictly series. I have also cleansed my system, I do a colonic, I wake up at 5 in the morning.

“I wasn’t there to sunbathe, I was there to take every lap, a two-hour hike up hills that would get my heart rate close to 179, that’s how high we were going.

“It was a tough, tough week of work but I came back really refreshed.”

After attending the retreat in 2021, she wrote on Instagram: “I did it all today and I’m exhausted but proud of myself.

“The walk was just beautiful, the view magnificent. All classes informative and so expertly put on all levels, so impressive.

“I even tried volleyball today lol the trampoline was an experience in itself.”

In addition to yoga, the star is also a fan of working out on her Peleton bike as she makes sure to stay in shape.

Cold water treatment

There seems to be no shortage of celebrities competing to take a dip in a freezing ice bath, and Shirley showed off her incredible figure when she took a quick plunge earlier this month.

The TV judge, 64, looks stunning in a yellow swimsuit. took a deep breath as she mustered up the courage to slowly lower herself into the plunge pool.

Shirley has gradually reduced the temperature of her pool after revealing she can now plunge into water that is just three degrees, having originally started at six.

She told her Instagram followers: “So this morning, today is the first day of Strictly. I’m done working out and I’m about to go to my plunge pool.

‘Always in the deep. Freeze. Inhale so the arms go in. Oh that’s a lot of breath.’

Once settled in the pool, Shirley revealed her progress: “I started at six degrees, I went to four degrees and today I’m at three degrees so I’m getting colder and colder and colder.

She jokingly added: “Power in the mind” before taking a deep breath as she plucked up the courage to go completely underwater in the freezing ice bath.

Face lift

Shirley credited her non-surgical facelift with giving her a glowing smile back after admitting the visible signs of aging affected her confidence and left her feeling depressed.

Last September, the star signed up for a year-long series of NeoGen nitrogen plasma treatments with renowned esthetician Dr. Judy Todd.

The non-invasive procedure relies on superheated nitrogen gas to increase collagen and elastin in the skin, thus renewing the skin from the inside for a natural look.

Shirley decided to rejuvenate her face and neck after becoming increasingly concerned about some of the more noticeable signs of aging, including loss of skin elasticity.

She said: “Contrary to what people think, I’m not the most confident person in the world. A little over a year ago I was actually starting to lean on myself about the look of my face, I’m serious.

“My chin and jaw were sagging, my skin was dull, I was highly pigmented with sun spots and I had small spider veins on my nose. My face just didn’t glow and it really took a toll on my confidence.’

She added: “I wanted to continue with the treatments because I just don’t want my skin to fade, I want it to be glowing and bright so I’ve continued to have treatments about every six weeks and I’m very happy with the results.

“Recently I’ve had so many comments from friends, colleagues and family saying my skin looks amazing and it’s been a huge boost. I’ve just turned 63 and I’m really, really happy with the way my skin looks.’

After the first operations at the beginning of 2023, she was so satisfied with the response that she decided to have further treatments with Dr. Todd.

She said: “Afterwards I just felt like a diamond, everything was just where it needed to be, it’s really helped me.

“When I look at the photos from day one and compare to how I look now, I can see that my skin has improved dramatically and since January the improvement has continued to improve.”