Bootylicious pop star Beyonce Knowles has one of the most coveted bodies in Hollywood, so just how does she do it? Beyonce, 28, dances her butt off -- literally. When she's not performing her high-intensity shows, Beyonce is rehearsing for hours at a time. In fact, prior to touring, rehearsals will regularly last for 12-hours, and she spends the entire time dancing in high heels to prepare for the concerts. But that's not all -- Beyonce also admits to doing "regular" workout things like running on the treadmill and doing squats. She reportedly keeps her abs in shape with numerous crunches, bicycle crunches and planks.

But perhaps Beyonce's best workout secret is that she fits exercise into whatever she does. She admits that she tones her butt and glutes by taking the stairs whenever she can, and she spent a recent vacation with her husband Jay-Z jumping on trampolines and jet-skiing in the tropics. But she's not afraid to take some downtime when necessary too. "Either I'm doing absolutely nothing and relaxing -- reading a book, sitting by the ocean and not answering any questions -- or else I'm hands-on and giving 100 percent, working really hard," she says.

And, of course, Beyonce watches what she eats, even trying controversial juice fasts (for which she apologized later) when she needs to slim down in a hurry.

Photo: Getty Images

She has one of showbiz's most famous backsides -- so how does Beyoncé Knowles do it? If you ask her, it's a combination of a couple of things: Good genes, and lots of stairs. The 27-year-old singer recently told FemaleFirst that climbing her way up (literally) is how she tones her tush -- "After New Year I do stairs - they are the best thing for butt cheeks."

She might be on to something. According to Reader's Digest, climbing stairs for two minutes a day, five days a week, gives you the equivalent of a 20-minute walk in terms of how many calories you'll burn (100 to 140 to be precise). OK, that doesn't seem like much when it's stretched over a week, but it goes to show that a little bit every day can really add up. What about if you have more than two minutes to work out in a day? Try the stair climber at your gym -- 20 minutes of moderate climbing will burn around 200 calories. And if toning up isn't enough motivation, consider this -- recent studies found that climbing the stairs on a regular basis can actually save your life. Those who regularly elected to walk up rather than take the elevator were shown to have lower blood pressure, cholesterol and body fat.

Stairs not your thing? Don't worry -- there are plenty of other exercises that will give you a good derriere. But if you're looking for an easy, free way to burn a few extra calories, look no further than the door next to the elevator.

Celebrities might have fame and money, but they still have to eat right and work hard for those gorgeous bodies. Well, most of them do, anyway.

Want to see what your favorite fit celebrities have been up to? Click on their faces above to see how they've stayed in shape this week -- trust me, here at That's Fit, we work hard to keep you up to date on important scoop like this!

While I rang in the new year, wrapped up in my warmest sweater and avoiding the outdoors at all costs, Beyonce and hubby Jay-Z spent the time frolicking on the beaches in the Caribbean in a skimpy bikini (well, Beyonce did, anyway. I'd rather not see Jay-Z in a bikini, no offense or anything).

B took some much-needed time out of her busy schedule to show off her sexy curves and play on the water -- she was spotted tearing up the waves on a jet ski and jumping on a water trampoline. Good for her -- a couple of hours at those activities can help her burn around 500 calories.

Sure sounds like a fun way to celebrate the new year. And she looks fantastic. Not that I'm jealous or anything.

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While being overweight can be detrimental to your health, having a little junk in the trunk might actually be helpful.

Researchers have long known that belly fat can raise your risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. New research from Harvard Medical School suggests that subcutaneous fat -- the kind that tends to gather on hips and butts -- may actually help prevent type 2 diabetes.

This is great news if you've got a little extra bulk in your booty, but I wouldn't take this research as a green light to let yourself go. Eating healthful foods and maintaining a healthy weight is still your best defense against health issues like type 2 diabetes. AOL Health has some great exercises to help get your butt in shape. And remember, you can be fit and still keep your curves -- just check out the sexy stars below for proof.

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Over the course of the week, we cover tons of celebrity diet and fitness scoop. We know it's hard to keep track of it all, so we have it all wrapped up here for your clicking pleasure. Click on your favorite celebs above to get the latest news on how their staying in shape!

When you put two super sexy stars on stage together in heels and leotards, people are inevitably going to compare them. That didn't stop Justin Timberlake from suiting up in a black leotard, tights, and heels, and playing Beyonce's backup dancer on last weekend's Saturday Night Live.

Did you miss it? You can check out a picture of JT with Beyonce here, and compare his looks to the backup dancer in the actual video for Beyonce's Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It). I've got to say, he definitely has some lovely legs, and he certainly had the moves, but I'm not sure they can beat out Beyonce's stems.

Speaking of the moves, it's no wonder Beyonce's legs look so sleek and strong. I dare you, just try doing some of those moves, shaking your hips while slowly lowering yourself to the ground and back up. When is this girl going to come out with a workout video?

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It's been a busy week in the world of celebrity fitness. But then again, when is it not? You know you love to get the scoop on what workouts and diets are transforming the stars, and this is just the place to peek at all the hot bodies from the past week! Click on the famous faces above to see which ones are making headlines.

Beyoncé gained 15 pounds recently and boy, was it tasty, says the 27-year-old superstar.

Gaining weight is so much easier -- and tastier -- than losing it, remarks Beyoncé. The girl knows what she's talking about -- she had to drop a bunch of weight for her role in Dreamgirls, and she just packed on those 15 for her upcoming movie Cadillac Records. Beyoncé plays soul singer Etta James in the film.

Yes, gaining weight is easier than losing it. It tastes good too. Still, I wouldn't want to do it, even if it was part of my job description. There's just something about feeling good in my skin that's a whole lot yummier than packing on the pounds. What do you think?

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Here's a small diet tip from none other than mega popstar Beyonce: Skip the drive-thrus. The sensational singer was recently quoted as saying, "I love all the greasy stuff even though I know it's not good for me. I have to be very careful for months on end about what I eat. And then suddenly I will have a moment of weakness and have junk food. I just try and whiz straight past the drive-thrus now because it can be so dangerous."

Maybe too many visits to the drive-thru is the reason she resorted to the lemon juice diet a while ago? Regardless, this is good advice -- drive-thrus are way too convenient and way too unhealthy. Keeping your fast food indulgences to a minimum is an effective, easy and inexpensive way to keep the numbers on the scale down.

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If you missed our daily postings this past week, we invite you to take some time to catch up on our prior week's news and gear up for a new week of healthy living information and inspiration.

Have you changed-up your fitness routine lately? I used to squeeze in my daily walk whenever I had time. But now that we're walking to school every day, it just makes sence to keep on walking after drop-off. No more excuses! As always, if you need inspiration, you can find it in our daily posts. Here's a few from this week:

• If you aren't reading Karla Carrington's new feature The Good, the Fat, and the Hungry, well, you should be! Karla's trying to lose 40 pounds and is sharing her experience with the rest of us.
• What kind of pregnancy cravings have hit Rebecca Romijin? Jerry O'Connell (and Jacki) tell all.
• Bravo TV's personal trainer Jackie Warner has three stay-thin secrets. Find out what they are.
• Mary Kearl asks our female readers over 40: How do you lose weight?
• Beyonce packs on the pounds for a movie role ... then realizes she has to take them back off.
• Oprah is a more popular hiking partner than President Bush. Find out what else people are saying about outdoor recreation.
  
  

Have a great week everyone!

How much will Kim Kardashian dare to bare on Dancing With The Stars? That all depends on how the show's rigorous training affects her booty.

Ashley Jensen of Ugly Betty doesn't think she's all that pretty, but she doesn't think she's unattractive, either. She's confident in who she is, and has a problem with the way so many women bend over backward to achieve the Hollywood standard of ideal beauty. Don't expect to see her at the plastic surgeon anytime soon!

Movie stars often are required to gain weight for a role, as Beyonce did recently in order to portray Etta James. While she enjoyed packing on the pounds (and being paid to do so), she was a little less thrilled when filming was over.

Everyone knows it's more fun to gain weight than to lose it. And if you're getting paid big bucks to gain it, well, all the better. But there comes a time when the bagels and fried food have to be put away and the weight has to come back off.

That's what happened to Beyonce Knowles. She was asked to gain 20 pounds for her role as Etta James in Cadillac Dreams. But when shooting was finished, she was left not only with a paycheck, but with 20 pounds extra weight, which she had to lose for psychological thriller Obsessed. "I had to lose it," she said, "I was so angry with myself. I was like, 'D'oh! Why do you have to go through this?'"

Losing weight is such hard work. I've always wondered about celebrities who gain weight for roles. Matt Damon recently buried his fit figure under a layer of extra pounds for the movie The Informant, and Hillary Swank will put on 20 to 30 pounds (ironically) for the movie version of the book French Women Don't Get Fat. Not only is it hard mentally, I imagine, to get back into healthy habits after being out of them so long. But isn't all that yo-yoing hard on your body? Maybe not as hard as giving up a million-plus dollar role in a major motion picture, I guess. What do you think?

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In Anna Faris' new movie, The House Bunny, her clothes are a bit more revealing than the star is used to. In fact, when her character walks into a sorority house her attire prompts someone to state that it isn't a brothel. Faris' character -- sweet, kind, and a little more than ditzy -- states "Oh, I'm not looking to make soup."

To get her body into Playboy bunny shape for the role, Faris had to drop 10 pounds. "It was awful," said Faris. "I had to work out a lot and could only eat certain things. It was the regime of it all that I didn't enjoy." Despite her super-fit frame, Faris was still a bit self-conscious wearing such revealing costumes.

After filming wrapped, Faris put the 10 pounds back on.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hey Fitz. I'm heading out for a week's vacation on a cruise ship next month, and worried that once again I'll gain almost ten pounds while gone. That's what I've done the last few times I've gone on a cruise. How can I get around it? There is awesome food everywhere! Susan.

A. Susan, Susan, Susan. I'm shaking my head. The deal with vacations, cruises especially, is that they're a time for you to relax, get away from the daily grind and have some fun. Pigging out and gorging are simply not what you should be focusing on...wherever you are! Yes, there is a lot of tasty food on cruise ships. There is also a lot of yummy things available at your local grocery store every single day! That doesn't' mean you should run through the aisles like a lunatic shoving everything you can get your hands on into your mouth. Just because food is THERE, just because food is FREE, doesn't mean you have to eat it.

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