For some people, exercise is a means to an end, but for Kate Hudson, it’s a way of life.
“I need to move to feel good,” she previously told People. “Even just taking time every day to move a little bit — going for a walk, a few minutes on the treadmill, doing some Pilates, or if I have more time, I love hot yoga.”
The actress has always led an active lifestyle and has emphasized the benefits of exercise, both physically and mentally.
“I really enjoy sweating and it helps me clear my mind,” the 45-year-old actress previously told People magazine. “It’s not just about trying to look good physically, it’s about getting oxygen to my brain and feeling like my blood is really circulating. I love skiing, walking, hiking, and especially biking. It makes me feel like a kid again!”
Hudson has a similarly balanced approach to eating; she previously told Shape that she “hates” the idea of dieting.
“There’s so much pressure on people to lose weight quickly. Getting healthy is a lifestyle change, not a two-week process,” she told the magazine, according to People.
We could all learn a thing or two from Hudson’s balanced approach to health and fitness. Eager to hear the secrets to her success? Read on.
Prioritizes strength training
Before working with personal trainer Brian Nguyen, Hudson never emphasized strength training in her workouts, but she realized it was the missing piece of a balanced routine.
“One day, I got into the program and I thought … I don’t feel strong, I feel tall and I love Pilates, but as I get older … am I doing enough (strength) exercises?” she told TODAY.com earlier this year.
In a typical workout, Hudson and Nguyen combine a number of strength-training exercises, including planks, lunges, body-weight squats, and hip and glute bridges.
Chatting with Shape, Nguyen explained that Hudson was initially hesitant to start strength training, especially lifting heavy weights.
“She thought she couldn’t do it before, but now that we’re using heavier loads, we’re enjoying pushing the envelope of chaos,” he said. “Kate’s not afraid of heavy weights – the weight has to be heavy enough that her integrity breaks down and she has to regain control. I don’t think we’ve done anything too special, but mastering the basics has allowed her to play with speed, heavier loads and instability.”
HE loves Pilates
Hudson is still a fan of Pilates after being introduced to it at the age of 19.
“This is the exercise that my body really responds to. It’s all about alignment, lengthening your spine, and strengthening your core. It makes me feel my strongest,” she previously told Shape, per PopSugar.
When speaking to Self about her love of Pilates, Hudson said nothing else makes me “feel like I’m back in my body” the same way.
He doesn’t believe there is a one-size-fits-all exercise
We all have different body types and fitness goals, so what works for one person may not work for another. But Hudson believes everyone can find a workout that fits their lifestyle.
“We’re all individual people with individual needs, desires, and likes, and we have to figure out what makes us happy and what drives us,” she told Women’s Health. “If you like to bike, ride a bike. If you like to hike, go for a walk. If you like to swim, (swim).”
Knows a lot about nutrition
Hudson has access to top personal trainers and nutritionists, but she doesn’t rest on her laurels and leave it all to them. Instead, the star is “super passionate” about food and nutrition, and encourages everyone to follow her path.
“The truth is, you have to be passionate about what you put in your body and why you put it in your body, when you put it in your body, you have to learn about it,” she told E! News earlier this year. “You have to want to love learning.”
Yoga was a ‘big part’ of her last pregnancy
In 2019, Hudson shared a photo of herself doing yoga on Instagram, calling it “a huge part of supporting my pregnancy” and citing the “wonderful connective benefits” of yoga.
“I have loved practicing with my growing belly and connecting with (my daughter’s) beautiful soul,” she wrote.
Uses trackers to make sure she’s getting enough nutrients
Keeping track of how many fruits and vegetables you eat or how much calcium you’re getting can be time-consuming if you’re doing it on your own, so Hudson prefers to use an app like MyFitnessPal to track her meals and nutrients.
“Food is 80% of the challenge… and tracking it, knowing it, understanding it and being informed about it is something I am passionate about,” he told TODAY.com earlier this year.
Hudson said she gained 20 to 30 pounds while filming “Something Borrowed” in 2011, and decided to track her food intake to figure out why.
“I started tracking and (realized) I was consuming about 3,000 calories just from nuts… (If) I didn’t have the means to understand it, I would never have known,” she said.
He sees an active lifestyle as a ‘privilege’
Exercise can sometimes feel like a chore, but Hudson prefers to look at it in a more positive light.
“When people ask, ‘What’s your best day?’ it always involves something active because I have time to really enjoy it,” she previously told Shape. “I need to move… For me, sitting on my butt is not a luxury. Sitting on my butt is for me to get off my butt. And I feel like that’s a privilege to be able to live and feel strong and healthy. And so I never want to take that for granted.”
Not afraid to try different workouts
Hudson’s fitness background includes a variety of exercises, from boxing to hiking to Barry’s Bootcamp classes to pole dancing.
While speaking to Shape about pole dancing, she explained why it’s such an effective exercise.
“For me it’s like the strongest body, and I enjoy it because I can just play music and dance,” she said. “When I’m feeling really strong, I usually do more tricks (on the pole).”
Dancing is one of his ways to sweat.
“Dancing is one of my favorite ways to express myself. But the discipline of it — constantly striving to be better — is what I love about it,” she told People.
He increased the amount of protein he ate
If you don’t feed your body the nutrients it needs to perform, you won’t reach your fitness goals.
“Food is everything,” Hudson told TODAY.com earlier this year. “The food we eat is fuel for our bodies.”
While visiting TODAY in Studio 1A, Hudson revealed what food she’s trying to consume more of these days.
“Women in particular need to consume more protein, especially in the morning,” she said.
He also passes on his love of fitness to his children.
In 2021, Hudson shared a post-workout photo with her daughter Rani and wrote the following caption:
“I grew up watching my parents take care of their bodies. People always ask me how I stay motivated to stay fit. The answer is, it’s what I know. It’s how I was raised. It’s ingrained in my brain that respecting and working with our bodies is a gift, and I don’t take it for granted,” she wrote.
“I sooooo love moving. I love when it’s challenging. I love being accountable for my results. And I sooooo love seeing my daughter have fun doing it with me. They watch everything we do! We gotta do some good moves for the kids 💃🏋️♀️🧘♀️,” she continued.
He was never ‘extreme’ about his diet
Life is too short to completely eliminate foods from your diet—a lesson Hudson has learned and is eager to pass on.
“I’ve never been an extremist. I love food. And I love a good cocktail,” she previously told People. “For me, it’s all about moderation. I watch what I put in my body, and I remember it’s okay to enjoy yourself.”
Hudson spoke to TODAY.com about her approach to balanced eating during her time as a Weight Watchers ambassador.
“I love food so much that I could never live a lifestyle where I wasn’t open to anything and everything. If someone told me I couldn’t eat bread, I’d say, ‘Wrong, girl!'” she said.
Instead of restricting entire food groups, Hudson has learned to “eat accordingly throughout the day” when she wants to splurge on one of her favorite foods or drinks.
“Our goal is for us to be able to live our lives and enjoy everything,” he explained.
Understands the importance of a support system
It can take a village to get your health and fitness routine under control, and Hudson previously told TODAY.com that she’s lucky to have a strong network to help her achieve her goals.
“What’s really important is having access to support… We can’t do it alone… I think some can, but for most of us, like me, we need a support system,” she said.