With a popular activewear line [1] and new book, Pretty Happy: Healthy Ways to Love Your Body, Kate Hudson [2] is well-versed in the fitness and wellness area. The actress covers Shape's June issue wearing a selection of Summer's hottest swimsuits while showing off her toned and bronzed body. As a mother of two boys, Kate is all about staying fit and healthy, sharing with the magazine [3], "I love my shape because I work really hard at it. I honor my body by working out and seeing what it can do." Read on to see some of Kate's favorite workouts and why she can't give up a good bratwurst.
On why she loves her shape: “I love my shape because I work really hard at it. I honor my body by working out and seeing what it can do.”
On finding balance in her diet: “Enjoying good food is a huge part of being healthy and happy. When I was growing up, everybody came to our place for dinner on Sundays. It was a joyful house. Food was very important; there was always something good cooking. Mom went to India a lot in the seventies, so she made curries and dal. She cooks Southern food too—her dad was from Arkansas. She makes a mean biscuits and gravy and chicken and dumplings. My mom has always been healthy, but she’s not a health nut. I’m the same way. I absolutely believe in enjoying my food, especially when I travel. I don’t eat a lot of meat when I’m home, but I can’t be in Germany and not eat the bratwurst. I just love it so much.”
On finding the workout her body craves: “Some people need structure and a regimen, but I’m not a planner. When I exercise, I need to connect to myself and see how I’m feeling at the moment, because my mood is constantly changing.”
On her body breakthrough: “I was 19 when I discovered Pilates, and I’m still doing it. It’s the workout my body really responds to. It’s all about alignment, elongating your spine, and strengthening your core. It makes me feel my strongest.”
On her love for the outdoors: “I’m a nature girl. I grew up in Colorado and was always outside. I still am, even when I’m in the city. If I’m in Amsterdam, I get on a bike, ride everywhere, and really see the place. I love that freedom, which you can’t get in a car. In New York City, if I’m staying downtown and have a meeting uptown, I’ll put on my earphones, listen to great music, and just walk. There’s nothing better than walking in Manhattan.”
On how her mom taught her discipline: “I was three years old when my mom [Goldie Hawn [4]] enrolled me in dance class, and I practiced intensely until I was about 14. I was not a big fan of ballet, but she made me do it. Now I’m so grateful that she didn’t allow me to quit. It was the best thing she could have done for me. In dance, you’re constantly competing with yourself, and you’re only as good as your practice. It taught me discipline.”