Actress and presenter Gemma Atkinson is showing fans what her workouts look like when she’s short on time and wants maximum results. Atkinson, 39, shared a video of herself wearing black leggings and a sports bra, doing a mat workout with weights. “Short and sweaty ✅. Kept my workout to 25 mins with just 5 rounds of the above circuit. 50 seconds on each station, 10 second rest in between. Great if you’re short on time or if you have limited equipment 👍🏼,” she captioned the post. Here’s how the British star stays fit and healthy.
Atkinson works out with a personal trainer. “I do three weights sessions per week at the gym. I do compound movements and supersets,” she told Your Healthy Living. “I train with my trainer, who’s called Evil Steve, and I try to do between 45 minutes and an hour. It’s lots of weightlifting, squats and lunges. I have two days a week where I’ll do around 30 minutes of cardio and I’ll either do a long walk with my dogs or go on the stairmaster. Some days, if work is manic, I’ll try to do at least 20 minutes HIIT training in the living room.”
Atkinson gets up at 4 a.m. to host her radio show. “Before I go into work I’ll have three scrambled eggs along with half an avocado and some spinach and a coffee,” she told Your Healthy Living. “Lunch is usually a chicken salad or chicken and vegetables. Mid afternoon I quite like to have an apple with some peanut butter or a banana. For my evening meal I might have some cod with sweet potatoes and lots of veg. Then after tea I’ll always have a square of 90 percent dark chocolate. It’s good for satisfying sweet cravings but you can’t eat too much of it.”
Atkinson enjoys active weekends spent outdoors with her family. “I like to relax at the weekend and love to walk with the dog near my house in Manchester, getting the fresh air and spending time with the family,” she told Get the Gloss. “As I’ve got older I realize there’s no need to spend a fortune on fancy weekends and instead I love to go outside in nature and enjoy taking in the fresh air and vitamin D.”
Atkinson is sensible about her diet, allowing indulgences when she feels the need. “I’m very aware of the fact that at certain times of the month I just want chocolate, wine and pizza so I never deny myself,” she told Your Healthy Living. “I haven’t eaten red meat for about seven years now and I love lean protein such as chicken and fish. When it comes to carbohydrates I love sweet potatoes, rice and oats. So if it crows or grows or swims I’ll eat it, but if it’s processed then I’ll avoid it. If there’s anything I can’t pronounce on the label then I don’t really want to be eating it.”
Atkinson has a holistic approach to health, wellness, and beauty. “Being a vegetarian is important to me and I think it’s vital to keep the body well hydrated and to exercise well,” she told Get the Gloss. “If I don’t drink enough water I get ratty and headachy and suffer with problem skin. One of the most important things is to think about is what you put into your body; there’s no point in spending a fortune on creams and products if you don’t keep your body well-nourished and hydrated. Like a fish needs to be in a clean environment to thrive, our systems need to be nourished and hydrated and I believe a beauty routine should follow this.”