Who would you trust for advice on your health and fitness? Surely a doctor, but how about someone who’s practically an expert at staying in shape while balancing a full and very busy life! Part of Brooke Burke’s job is essentially to look smokin’ hot and boy, does she do it well! In this exclusive ModernMom interview, the fabulous and fitness-minded mommy dishes on why you should shock your body, the routine that gave her a KILLER butt, and how she looks SO darn good after poppin’ out four (count ’em, 1-2-3-4!) kids!
Don’t BurnOut!
Burke first said that burnout is why people typically don’t follow through on working out. Ya think?! Working out is…well, it’s hard work! And according to Brooke, the way to stick to it is to find a routine that stimulates and challenges you. It can be anything from working out with a partner, trying a new class, or even just changing up your workout playlist! The idea is to “shock your body,” she says. If you set reasonable goals, you can start working toward them slowly and you’ll feel great about yourself when you conquer them. Once you’ve reached your goal, however, keep going! “The better you get, the more you should push yourself,” she explained.
The Magic Number is Five
She works out a five times a week. Seems hugely daunting for the workout novice, right?! But don’t freak out! She says exercising fewer times per week is totally ok, as long as you keep your goal in mind. Besides doing a lot of Pilates (“I’m obsessed with it right now!” Brooke admitted), she enjoys going on hikes. During her hiking time, she moves slowly and doesn’t bring along her iPod–hiking is “me” time for Brooke, a time for her to just think and breathe. She encourages every woman to have a special activity where she can simply enjoy the time to herself and focus on doing something healthy for her body. The reason she does it? “The more I work out, the more I balance my stress, the better I feel about me.”
The Nitty Gritty
Looking at Brooke, you can tell she really takes care of her body. She looks fit and healthy–there’s seriously a glow about her! So we just had to ask her…how did she get that phenomenal butt?! Booty burn is her answer. And, “if you aren’t sweating, you aren’t working hard enough,” she said. Brooke says Pilates is also great to get cute glutes because you can really work your hips and buns with specific moves and positions. Her other secret weapon? Brooke always wears the Baboosh Body when she works out. This belly wrap keeps her sweatin’ and helps her trim her waist.
Her Big Tip
Although she obviously has a ton of experience exercising, Burke’s biggest fitness tip is not one of those “do 50 push-ups and 30 jump squats until you can’t feel your arms or legs anymore!” suggestions. Instead, her advice is (thankfully!) a little more practical. When trying to fit in time in your day to work out, “it’s about scheduling,” she said, “Just like we schedule everything else in our lives.” A woman needs to schedule her workouts and stick to them…make a commitment to yourself! “Don’t procrastinate, don’t slack off,” she warns. As a mother of four, it’s safe to say that Brooke has a LOT of everything going on. But she makes exercising a priority, just as taking her daughter to a dentist appointment would be. She also recommends writing down your work outs as well as what you eat so you can be accountable to yourself for what you’re putting in your body. You can and should also log your progress. Burke suggests teaming up with a friend and making a rewards system for each other…rewarding yourself is not a bad thing! (As long as it’s not a bad reward!)
Don’t Gorge
In addition to scheduling her workouts and sticking to them, Brooke’s not opposed to getting a little extra help. She sips on underWay drinks, which help suppress your appetite because they’re full of goodies like fiber and low in sugar. She likes a drink like underWay because it’s a great mid-afternoon snack–it doesn’t completely fill you up like a piece of pizza or bag of trail mix would, and it helps tide you over until the next meal. Speaking of meals, Brooke deems it essential to eat five small, sensible ones a day. When you continuously feed your body, you’re not so eager to gorge yourself the next time you have a plate of food in front of you. In general, Burke likes to stick to the rainbow: eat fresh, natural foods of all different colors, as well as lean, healthy meats. It’s more or less a Mediterranean-style diet, she described.
You don’t have go the exercising route alone. In fact, having an ally in your uphill (literally!) battle can be extremely beneficial! If you’ve got kids, use them to your advantage. That is, get out in the backyard and play with them! Jump on the trampoline, walk the dog together, play tag, be active! Family bike rides can be super fun and if you live in a community where it’s possible, try to walk whenever you can instead of driving. “With four children at different ages, it’s a great opportunity to get involved and enjoy time with them,” Burke said of being active with her family.
Her Big Three
All in all, Brooke recommends three things to achieve a healthier you. First, eat well. “Ninety percent of fitness is what you put in your mouth!” she said, and she truly, truly believes this. Second, be happy! Stress and sleep deprivation don’t do the body ANY good, so do away with them! And lastly, make it a priority to do an exercising activity that you enjoy. If you’re hating life when running on the treadmill, get off! Try running outside or going to a yoga-pilates class instead.
Getting into shape is not easy–not even Brooke can say that! But with some common sense and a motivation boost (bikini season is coming up…), you’ll be flaunting those perky buns and washboard abs sooner than you think!
