For Brooke Burke, wellness is about more than just working out—she is a passionate proponent of mindfulness and cultivating good energy. The 51-year-old star posted a photo of herself looking gorgeous in an animal print bikini and straw hat, captioning the shot “Good morning ✨☀️ have a beautiful Monday. What is your daily mantra?” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Burke stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don’t miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!
Burke doesn’t eat breakfast, thanks to her fasting schedule. “I never eat breakfast because I intermittent fast. I break my fast with a morning shake,” she tells The List. “The reason I do that is for time. I also do it so that I get everything I need in a three-minute meal. In fact, I can make breakfast for my kids on the way to school in less than a minute, literally, by doubling up in the blender. It’s really about efficiency and nutrition.”
Burke believes a healthy, balanced diet is key for health and wellness. “Eat the colors of the rainbow. Keep it healthy, crunchy, and natural,” she says. “There isn’t a restaurant in the world where I couldn’t find a mindful meal. It’s really about portion control. Shopping mindfully, cooking at home, and utilizing leftovers are great for economic reasons and time savings.”
Burke makes a point of taking time out of the day for mindful meditation. “…Meditation is associated with improvements in many important health conditions—including depression, post-traumatic stress, and hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases,” says Thomas Rutledge, PhD. “It even appears to trigger favorable changes in biological processes such as inflammation, immune system functioning, and cellular aging. To put this in perspective, consider that if a pharmaceutical company developed a medicine akin to meditation—providing such broad health benefits with so few side effects–it would probably be treated like fluoride and placed in the nation’s water supply to maximize distribution.”
Burke loves incorporating yoga poses and exercises into her workouts. “There are many options when it comes to finding yoga poses to wake up both your body and your mind,” says yoga therapist Judi Bar. “And for many of them, you can do them right where you are. Once you begin to develop a daily practice, you’ll begin to feel better all around!”
Burke rarely snacks, but when she does, she loves cucumber with sesame seeds, lemon, and olive oil. “Cucumbers are a great source of dietary fiber, vitamin C and K, magnesium, manganese, and potassium,” says Nicole Swingle, a registered dietitian in Redding, Calif. “They are also a great food source of water and can help one stay hydrated, especially in the summer months.”