The Real Housewives of Potomac star Candiace Dillard Bassett is all about building a strong, fit body these days, and she’s justifiably proud of herself. Bassett, 37, shared video of herself wearing lilac leggings and a tank top, doing an intense weight training session at the gym. “About 4 months ago I hired a trainer & decided I didn’t want to just be skinny anymore 😂lol. Before the pandemic, I was regularly in the gym and fell off when the world shut down. Having muscle tone and training my body for the next decades of my life is really important to me. So I’ve been quietly skipping to the gym and am super proud of my body! For me, going to the gym is part of my self care and I’m super happy with my discipline. Shout out to my trainer @dcadefit for getting me together and not caring how much I whine 😂,” she captioned the post. Here’s what Bassett’s health and wellness routine looks like.
Bassett’s approach of gym time as self-care is backed by science. Research shows regular exercise can help ease symptoms of depression and anxiety. “Certainly running, lifting weights, playing basketball and other fitness activities that get your heart pumping can help,” says the Mayo Clinic. “But so can physical activity such as gardening, washing your car, walking around the block or doing other less intense activities. Any physical activity that gets you off the couch and moving can boost your mood.”
Bassett takes fiber pills to help with bloating and stomach problems. “I have a lot of gut issues,” she told Women’s Health. “I’m lactose-intolerant. I have to stay away from dairy and I love dairy, I love ice cream, I love milk, but I have to quell a lot of that stuff because it does make me sick.”
Bassett’s makeup routine has evolved since the first season of RHOP. “I’m a MAC girl. I love MAC foundation and Too Faced makes a great concealer,” she told E! News. “I recently dealt with a lot of hormonal breakouts, which happen around my chin and jawline. I went through IVF and that can throw off your hormonal balance and it showed up on my face. I had a lot of scarring and marks. I get hyperpigmentation, so having a full coverage foundation and a full-coverage concealer is super important for me.”
Bassett says skincare is the ultimate in self-care. “I am obsessed with skin care. When I turned 30, I felt that I needed to start getting a routine together,” she told ESSENCE. “A routine that I can carry with me through my 30s, 40s, and beyond. I really started doing my research on what skin-care practices would be good for me. Shout out to Jackie Aina because she was one of the first YouTubers who was relatable and had a lot of recommendations. She introduced me to a few skin-care routines and that’s how I got started. Everything within skin care, from serums and tools to the lotions and potions, is the ultimate self-care.”
Bassett wants to be taken seriously as a musical artist, but finds it a struggle at times. “I think that it’s always interesting to see Housewives out of their element. It is easy to get pigeonholed and for people to peg you as this one-dimensional thing,” she told ESSENCE. “It can be challenging. People do not take reality TV stars seriously. So there have been moments where I had to fight to be seen,” she said of her burgeoning music career. “But when I allow my passion, talent, and my willingness to work hard speak for me, it has worked in my favor. I do believe I am being received as a real artist.”