Miley Cyrus has never followed anyone else’s path — not in music, not in fashion, and certainly not in health. In recent years, she’s opened up about a 22-pound weight loss transformation that had nothing to do with quick fixes and everything to do with listening to her body. The foundation? A strict gluten-free vegan diet built on healing her gut, reducing inflammation, and staying mentally aligned.
But why such a rigid diet? And how did she manage to lose the weight — and more importantly, maintain it — while still fueling her intense workout routines and fast-paced lifestyle?
Here’s a breakdown of how Miley made plant-based living and a gluten-free philosophy her everyday reality — and how it changed her health from the inside out.
Why Miley Chose a Gluten-Free Vegan Lifestyle
Miley’s move toward a gluten-free vegan diet wasn’t driven by trends. Instead, it came from real discomfort.
In her own words, she described having persistent gut issues, bloating, and energy crashes, particularly during tours. After undergoing allergy testing and consulting functional medicine practitioners, she found out she had a gluten sensitivity — possibly a mild form of celiac disease or non-celiac gluten intolerance — along with systemic inflammation triggered by dairy and meat.
She once said on stage, “You can’t fuel your voice, your brain, or your soul with foods that make you feel heavy and tired.”
So she cut gluten. Then, after transitioning to veganism in 2014, she gradually adopted a diet that’s both cruelty-free and digestion-friendly — a move that, combined with exercise and supplementation, helped her drop 22 pounds in under a year while improving energy, skin, and mood.
The Science: Gluten, Gut Health, and Inflammation
Even if you don’t have diagnosed celiac disease, gluten may cause trouble for some people. Gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye — can trigger inflammatory reactions in the gut lining, especially in those with sensitivity.
Over time, this inflammation can lead to:
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Nutrient malabsorption
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Weight gain or stubborn fat retention
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Brain fog
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Immune system stress
Removing gluten often allows the intestinal lining to heal, improving digestion, reducing bloating, and stabilizing blood sugar — all of which contribute to a more efficient metabolism and easier fat loss.
For Miley, going gluten-free wasn’t just about weight. It was about feeling less puffy, less fatigued, and more mentally focused.
Miley’s Actual Meal Plan: Gluten-Free Vegan From Morning to Night
What does a full day of eating look like when you’re Miley Cyrus?
Here’s a sample daily meal structure inspired by her diet choices, past interviews, and nutritional practices of long-term plant-based celebrities:
Breakfast
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Gluten-free oats with almond milk, flaxseed, cinnamon, and berries
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Matcha latte with oat milk (no added sugar)
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Supplements: B12 spray, vegan omega-3 from algae oil
Calories: ~400–450
Mid-Morning Snack
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Green smoothie: kale, banana, plant-based protein powder, cucumber, spirulina, and hemp seeds
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Brazil nuts (for selenium)
Calories: ~300
Lunch
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Quinoa salad with chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, lemon-tahini dressing
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Roasted sweet potatoes with turmeric and olive oil
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Herbal tea
Calories: ~550–600
Afternoon Snack
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Chia pudding made with coconut milk, blueberries, and gluten-free granola
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Electrolyte drink (no sugar, with magnesium and potassium)
Calories: ~250
Dinner
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Zucchini noodles with lentil “meatballs” and a tomato-basil sauce
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Side of steamed broccoli with nutritional yeast
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Warm golden milk (turmeric, cinnamon, almond milk)
Calories: ~600
Daily Total: ~2100 calories
(She adjusts down to 1700–1800 on rest days and up on workout-intensive days)
Where Miley Gets Her Protein: A Smart Plant-Based Strategy
One of the biggest myths about veganism is that you can’t get enough protein — especially if you’re working out intensely. But Miley’s team has carefully crafted her diet to ensure complete amino acid profiles using a mix of:
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Quinoa (a complete protein)
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Lentils, chickpeas, and black beans
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Tempeh and tofu
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Hemp seeds, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds
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Vegan protein powders (pea, brown rice blends)
She aims for 75–90g of protein per day, distributed across meals to support muscle tone and metabolic repair.
Training Routine: Pilates, Dance, and Hot Yoga
Diet is just one side of Miley’s transformation. The other is her movement routine, which is as expressive as her music.
Her typical weekly breakdown includes:
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Pilates (3–4 times/week): Core strength, flexibility, and posture
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Dance cardio (2–3 times/week): High-intensity, sweat-inducing sessions
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Hot yoga (2–3 times/week): Detoxification, mental focus, and full-body stretching
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Hiking or long walks (optional rest day activity)
This mix of strength, cardio, and mobility helps her stay lean without burnout, keeps her voice strong for performances, and adds a spiritual component to her wellness routine.
Smoothies and Supplements: How Miley Supports Her Body
Miley is a big fan of smoothies and superfoods — not just as a diet trend, but because they work. Her kitchen staples include:
Her Go-To Smoothie Base:
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Spinach or kale
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Frozen banana
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Plant-based protein powder
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Hemp hearts
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Spirulina
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Coconut water or almond milk
Key Supplements She Uses or Has Endorsed:
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Vitamin B12 (a must for all vegans)
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Vegan Omega-3 DHA/EPA from algae
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Vitamin D3 (especially when touring indoors)
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Magnesium (for muscle recovery and sleep)
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Ashwagandha or adaptogens for stress balance
These help prevent deficiencies, especially common in restrictive diets, and support her high-energy lifestyle.
Avoiding the Pitfalls: How She Stays Healthy, Not Restrictive
A gluten-free vegan diet can go wrong quickly if it’s too rigid. Miley’s earlier years reportedly included periods of under-eating, which she’s now more cautious about. In interviews, she’s hinted at moments of fatigue and nutrient imbalances before she learned how to build a sustainable, well-rounded version of her diet.
To avoid falling into the trap of extreme clean eating, she:
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Works with a registered dietitian
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Adds calorie-dense plant foods like tahini, avocado, and nuts
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Eats enough carbohydrates to fuel workouts
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Practices intuitive eating on weekends or rest days
She’s not afraid to modify her diet when needed, especially after recovering from vocal surgery and taking a break from strict veganism in the past. Her current version is flexible, optimized, and rooted in listening to her body.
For Beginners: How to Try Miley’s Gluten-Free Vegan Diet (Safely)
You don’t need to go full rockstar to try Miley’s method. Here’s how to dip your toes in:
1. Start with one gluten-free vegan meal per day. Try oats for breakfast or a quinoa bowl for lunch.
2. Stock your kitchen with simple staples. Think lentils, rice, almond milk, tofu, sweet potatoes, and greens.
3. Use smoothies to boost nutrients. It’s an easy way to get protein, greens, and healthy fats.
4. Don’t ignore supplements. Especially B12 and D3 if you’re fully plant-based.
5. Track how your gut feels. Less bloating? More energy? That’s a good sign it’s working for you.
Remember: balance is better than perfection. Miley’s approach evolved over years — yours can too.
Final Thoughts: Who Is This Diet Best For?
Miley Cyrus’s gluten-free vegan transformation helped her shed 22 pounds naturally, without falling into disordered patterns. Her plan works because it’s personalized, nourishing, and paired with movement she genuinely enjoys.
This lifestyle may be ideal for you if you:
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Struggle with gluten sensitivity or gut inflammation
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Want to lose weight while eating real food
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Care about animal welfare or environmental sustainability
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Prefer structured eating with a plant-based focus
But it may not be right if you:
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Have trouble hitting nutrient needs on restricted diets
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Struggle with disordered eating history
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Need more flexibility due to work, travel, or medical needs
In the end, Miley’s transformation isn’t just about going gluten-free or vegan — it’s about empowerment through food, movement, and self-awareness. And that’s something anyone can learn from.