Carrie Underwood is known, not only for her music career, but for her devotion to fitness as well. The vegetarian even has her own fit52 fitness app, and released the book, Find Your Path: Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life. While Underwood has said she works out to be her best on stage, her biggest motivation is her children, seven-year-old Isaiah and Jacob, four.
“There’s nothing bad about taking care of yourself. I’m trying to be a good example for them as well,” Underwood explains on Audacy’s Totally Private.
“I really want them to be like, ‘Man, my mom was crushing it,” she continues. “Like, ‘Up until when she was in her 90s she was still working out and gardening and could haul stuff around…. My mom just kicked some booty, even as a little old lady.’”
Underwood’s goals have shifted since when she first made fitness a priority. Back then, after winning Season 4 of American Idol, Underwood was focused on her appearance first and foremost. But now, how she looks takes a distant second place to how she feels.
“I feel like when I was in my 20s, I was definitely trying to work out to look as good as possible all the time,” Underwood shares. “I feel like as I’m older, my priorities have just shifted.”
“I see my kids and I want to be around for them as long as possible, but not just be alive as long as possible — I want to be present and be around and be involved,” she adds. “I think about that often.”
Underwood might have her sons in mind when she works out, but she acknowledges that she does derive some benefit from taking care of her health, both physically and mentally.
“I have several things that I feel like I’m into,” Underwood divulges. “I do love to exercise and work out and be active, and do those things. But I’ve gotten super into gardening in the past few years. I love that, and I’m so excited to order seeds and start seeds, and order trees and plant things. It makes me very happy, and I feel like it’s a healthy hobby to have as well.”
Underwood has a green thumb when it comes to planting things outside, but not so much in her own home.
“I murder every plant in my house,” Underwood says with a laugh. “If it’s in my house, I will kill it. But if it is in the garden, and I can eat it later, then I’m going to actually put in the time.”
The 39-year-old grows a lot of the food she and her family eat, at least throughout the spring and summer.
“I think I had 38 tomato plants,” Underwood says. “I go big or go home. Obviously, I go big at home. I have squash, okra, lettuces, spaghetti squash, beets, carrots.”
Underwood’s 2023 leg of her The Denim & Rhinestones Tour kicks off on February 2 in Miami, Florida. She will also return for her REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency at Resorts World Theatre, beginning June 21.
Underwood is currently enjoying a Top 25 hit with her current single, “Hate My Heart.” The song is from her Denim & Rhinestones album, released in 2022. Find music and tour dates at CarrieUnderwoodOfficial.com.