July cover girl Kate Hudson is today’s InStyle.com guest editor! Check back throughout the day for exclusive content straight from the actress herself. Go to instyle.com/katehudson.
Between being a mom to two sons, co-founding the athletic wear brand Fabletics, and acting in films, Kate Hudson somehow manages to maintain a very enviable figure. And while she’s good about leading an active lifestyle (her go-to workout is shimmying to music in her home dance studio), like anyone, it takes an effort for her to get up and out. Below, Hudson shares six ways she maintains her fitness motivation.
1. Focus on health, not the number on the scale.
I used to be able to eat whatever I wanted when I was younger, and then as I got older I saw that if I ate whatever I wanted, I wasn’t very healthy. Your body starts to change. I learned very fast that I had to eat better, and my mom was very much into telling me that I have to eat healthy and that I’m eating too many cheeseburgers [laughs]. And it wasn’t about weight as much as it was about health. Then when I had [my son] Ryder, I gained so much weight. Post-pregnancy, I really went through a process of understanding the real emotional difficulty of hitting plateaus and really experiencing what it feels like to want to give up, because it just feels like such an uphill battle.
2. Recognize it’s a state of mind.
[Getting motivated] is much easier said than done and I recognize that. I think it starts with a state of mind and then the follow through of the discipline comes after that.
3. Pinpoint where the lack of motivation is coming from.
I go through times when I’m not motivated at all. And I love a cocktail here and there! I think I’m like a lot of girls, I would hope, that you have moments and times where you sort of go “I want to be as healthy as I can and I want to be as motivated as I can” but I’d be a liar if I said I was that disciplined all the time.
4. Ask yourself why.
When I’m not feeling motivated I ask myself why, and sometimes that answer is emotional, and sometimes that answer is stress related, or pure laziness, or exhaustion, and sometimes that answer is that I literally have no reason to be so unmotivated. So I try to find what is motivating. I think it’s about being connected, taking the time, just a couple minutes, to ask yourself how you’re feeling and connect with your body and mind; connect with everything and ask yourself how you’re feeling. That’s my go-to strategy, to actually try to connect before anything.
5. Phone a friend.
When I need motivation to workout, I call a friend and just say “do you want to go to a class or do you want to take a walk and talk.” I think that is always helpful. That’s one of the ideas behind Fabletics, trying to create a community of women who inspire each other and discover new ways to be active.
6. Choose an activity you love.
I’m not a big fan of gyms. It’s the difference between being healthy and staying fit. I’m more interested in people being active and results come after. I think real results start with feeling your body getting stronger and feeling yourself get more excited about getting up and getting moving. People need to find what they like. Sometimes I’ll get on a treadmill and I’ll be surprised like, “Wow, I’m actually enjoying the treadmill.” But usually, I just want to dance! I want to go to an aerobics class and be goofy.
Want more of our Guest Editor Kate Hudson? Visit her InStyle.com page to see new stories and galleries of her best looks. Plus, check out her site Fabletics for stylish workout clothes and more fitness tips.
