Brooke Burke has been in the lifestyle and wellness industry for years and is still discovering new and innovative ways to stay fit, even through a pandemic.
The 49-year-old spoke to Fox News about how the past year has made her completely reevaluate her daily routine, why spending time with her kids is more important than ever, and how she feels about turning 50 in 2021.
“I’ve been working out most of my life and I think I spend more time and worked out much harder as a younger woman,” she admitted while promoting her partnership with Skechers Arch Fit. “And what I’ve learned now is how to sweat smart and how to be more efficient with my movement and how to do compound moves, which means I get to spend less time working out.”
The former “Dancing With the Stars” host said she’s become more attuned to “listening” to her body. “I have a lot of target toning and body sculpting moves that I choreograph on my app [Brooke Burke Body],” she added.
Since the coronavirus pandemic started, Burke has become extremely creative with her workouts, utilizing every resource in her house.
“I’m enjoying recreating the way we workout at home, utilizing what we have: chairs, sofas, kitchens, kitchen towels, water bottles, all sorts of things, and also creating a fitness space at home, a small space, regardless of the type of home that you live in, from apartments to homes with backyards,” she explained.
Burke has gotten her four kids involved with taking walks and going on family hikes because they need a break from their digital classrooms.
Getting outside has really benefited everyone mentally as schools and sporting activities continue to remain closed.
“Mental wellness is as important as physical wellness,” Burke said. “I think a lot of people find themselves in a rut during this pandemic. And it’s been really important to create momentum, to create energy, and to create boundaries where we allow ourselves time to take care of ourselves because we have had to reinvent the way that we live together.”
Cooking has been a major pastime as well as backyard barbecues, game nights, and movie nights.
“For me, those have been the gifts of the challenges during the pandemic. Time slows for no one. Then all of a sudden it did. Right? So now suddenly we have family time that’s invaluable to me. I hope that we can continue that when life gets back to normal,” Burke said.
The podcast host also reflected on turning 50 this year and how “mind-boggling” it is.
“It’s so crazy to think about that,” she said. “It’s so mind-boggling to me to even think about 50. I still feel 40ish. I’d like to stay 40’s forever but I do feel like, believe it or not, even in the most challenging time with this health crisis, I feel like this is right now the greatest year of my life. Maybe it’s because all my kids have been home and I’ve really enjoyed this togetherness.”
She compared the milestone birthday to working in the entertainment industry in that being happy “requires a lot of self-confidence” and “requires a lot of self-love.”
Burke said having her strong family as a foundation “matters” so much “than just what I do for a living.”
“Knowing that I have my family to count on, knowing that the most important things in my life happen here in my own home,” that’s what’s most valuable to her, Burke noted.
Originally published on Fox News