Paddleboarding, surfing, beach volleyball. Kate Hudson is a fan, and so she knows what makes for the perfect sporty-sexy swimsuit. Here, she models her favourite styles and talks about what it takes to look and feel this fit.
Paddleboarding, surfing, beach volleyball. Kate Hudson is a fan, and so she knows what makes for the perfect sporty-sexy swimsuit. Here, she models her favourite styles and talks about what it takes to look and feel this fit.
Nothing comes between Kate and a great workout.
Her modus operandi: Be totally fine with doing it on the fly. “Some people need structure and a regimen, but I’m not a planner,” says the free-spirited 37-yearold actress, mum of two boys, author of the recent book Pretty Happy: Healthy Ways to Love Your Body, and co-founder of the Fabletics activewear line, which just launched a swimsuit collection (Kate wears some pieces for this photo shoot). “When I exercise, I need to connect to myself and see how I’m feeling at the moment, because my mood is constantly changing,” she explains.
Figuring out what really works for her physically and emotionally – and just as important, what doesn’t – has been a lifelong journey, and as Kate will tell you, she has tried about a billion different workouts along the way. Today, she’s finally landed on a listen-to-your-body and stay-motivated philosophy that has gotten her the very best results of her life. Live and learn! Here, she walks us down her (sometimes bumpy) workout road.
The first dance... It took me a while to get in the groove
“I was three years old when my mum [actress Goldie Hawn] enrolled me in dance class, and I practised intensely until I was around 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, and so did soccer, which I fell in love with at age 14. I was an athletic kid, and played soccer throughout high school. I was always moving. When I wasn’t playing soccer or dancing, I was outside riding my bike or hiking on our ranch.”
A zen period that didn’t last
“After high school, I went through a hippieyoga- retreat phase, but eventually decided that wasn’t my thing. I don’t have the time that you really need to dedicate to the practice. I do love what yoga does for my body, and take a class once in a while, but it’s never going to be my go-to. And that’s OK. Do what makes you happy.”
My 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. Pilates is always challenging. The advanced moves are amazing, but so hard. I also love TRX because it’s similar to pilates in that you use your own body weight. But for me, pilates is the best.”
Outdoors wins, no matter what
“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 is nothing better than walking in Manhattan.”
Next phase: the aggression workouts
“Sometimes I just need to do aggressive routines, like boxing. I also recently tried a popular new workout in LA by Taryn Toomey, called the Class, and I loved it. It’s kind of hard to describe: It’s like an intense boot camp combined with cardio and yoga. It’s also a spiritual experience in which you get rid of old toxic energy. It’s very cool but it’s definitely for people who are really into pushing themselves hard.”
When i can’t get to the gym
“There are a couple of workout apps that I use, like QE2, a full-body routine created by my pilates teacher, Nicole Stuart. It keeps me in tip-top shape. Then there’s Hot5, which I love because each workout is only five minutes long. When I’m in a hotel room and feeling jet-lagged, I can do one or two and it really gets me going. I also like Sworkit. You can do it anywhere, even in the smallest space, and break a good sweat in just 15 to 20 minutes.”
And, of course, the food factor
“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. Mum went to India a lot in the 70s, so she made curries and dhal. She cooks Southern food too – her dad was from Arkansas. She makes a mean biscuits and gravy and chicken and dumplings. My mum 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 bratwurst. I just love it so much.”
FIT FASHION Fabletics bikini top and bottom (fabletics.com). Pearl Collective earrings (pearlcollective.com).
