Paula Abdul, 62, reveals the diet and fitness secrets behind her age-defying physique

Paula Abdul is opening up about the health and fitness secrets behind her incredible physique.

At 62, the famed pop star and choreographer is still in peak physical condition, wowing crowds multiple times a week as the opener for New Kids On The Block's Magic Summer Tour.

At recent shows, the former American Idol judge has looked sensational in skimpy stage outfits, from sparkly mini-dresses to skintight bodysuits that cling to every inch of her toned figure.

The star is still dancing up a storm to all her classic hits - including Cold Hearted and Straight Up - executing all of the choreography with ease.

'I love being able to communicate through music and dance and as long as I can continue to do it I'm going to do it for as long as I can,' she told DailyMail.com.

'You know, being on stage is a happy place for me,' she added. 

Fans have been blown away by the hitmaker's ageless looks and sprightly performances, with many taking to social media to express their adoration.

'They don't build pop girls like that anymore,' gushed one, while another wrote, 'She looks amazing, OMG!'

'I'm impressed that she and Janet [Jackson] can deliver more performance on stage than the youngest that are out there nowadays,' wrote another.

'What's most impressive is that she has had 10 spinal surgeries, three metal plates put in her neck, and she lost an inch in height and she can still dance like that. Most people could not get out of bed,' wrote one. 

When asked about her chronic back pain, which she sustained from a 1992 plane crash, Paula told DailyMail.com that she's in a 'really good place' with her health.

'I don't like to say dieting, but I eat in a healthy way which incorporates a lot of elements from an alkaline diet because my body, just from injuries alone, carries a lot of acidity, so I try to keep the balance right so I can keep as much inflammation out of my body,' she explained.

When it comes to her daily diet, Paula's go-tos are fruit, vegetables, and coconut water.

'I make sure that I eat healthy grains, like I love quinoa and I mix some protein in,' she shared.

'My protein comes from anything from egg whites to tofu to chicken to shrimp, and I mix it up so that I have a proper balance of protein and fat.'

While she's careful with what she eats, Paula makes sure to indulge every now and then. 

She enjoys vegan pizzas to avoid the cheese, and will occasionally have sweets, but tries to keep it to a minimum. 

'For my injuries and for keeping my body as optimum as possible, sugar isn't something that I can indulge in a lot,' she said. 

The Forever Your Girl singer doesn't slack in the gym either and makes sure to work out most days, in addition to performing her rigorous dance routines on stage.

Paula starts her day at the gym with 30 minutes of cardio, followed by an hour of strength training with her personal trainer.

After the gym, the American Idol star spends about 90 minutes going over choreography for her show, and then spends about an hour doing isometric exercises and stretches with a physical therapist to warm her body up before a performance.

Paula's trainers constantly challenge her with new exercises targeted at different muscle groups - which has even included eye-watering upside-down ab crunches. 

Outside of diet and exercise, Paula's simple tip for looking fantastic is to never go to bed with makeup on.

'No matter how tired you are or what time it is, you need to have a good face routine,' she stressed.

'I do a cleansing routine and wash my face about three times to get everything off.'

While she's focused on touring for the time being, Paula said she's open to different opportunities, whether it's more television or getting back to her first love of teaching dance. 

'I love being a teacher and still choreographing and it's just something that is a part of me,' she gushed. 

'There's so much great new talent out there that I've learned to stay a student because for me, if I stay a student, then I'll continue being a good teacher.

'I think it's important because you're never done learning.'