{"id":307724,"date":"2026-01-28T08:56:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T08:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/307724\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T08:56:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T08:56:11","slug":"carol-kirkwood-63-proves-early-mornings-dont-stop-you-keeping-fit-here-are-her-go-to-workouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/307724\/","title":{"rendered":"Carol Kirkwood, 63, proves early mornings don\u2019t stop you keeping fit \u2013\u00a0here are her go-to workouts"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a quarter of a century, Carol Kirkwood is leaving the BBC. The broadcaster, who joined the corporation in 1998, said it had been an ‘absolute privilege’ to present the weather to viewers. And clearly long-standing commitments are familiar territory, given that the 63-year-0ld has been a fitness<\/a> devotee for many years. <\/p>\n

Carol’s known for enjoying running<\/a>, and in 2018 she completed Couch to 5K<\/a> on a treadmill<\/a>. ‘I started off this challenge thinking WHY AM I DOING THIS? I HATE RUNNING!’ she wrote<\/a> of her initial reluctance.<\/p>\n

However, she was spurred on by her awareness of running’s benefits and convenience. ‘I want a healthy, strong body,’ she said. ‘It’s something you can do when it suits you, and other than a good pair of trainers<\/a> and whatever you choose to wear, it shouldn’t cost you anything. When I am sent away with work, I can still keep up with C25K.’ <\/p>\n

Research backs her up, with one study<\/a> on 55,000 adults finding that runners showed 30% lower all-cause mortality and 45% lower cardiovascular death risk, even doing just 5-10 minutes daily. <\/p>\n

Losing fat while building muscle is the goal for many fitness fans \u2013 and while it isn\u2019t easy, it <\/strong>is<\/strong> possible, says FIIT personal trainer and coach Laura Hoggins<\/a>. In this four-week plan \u2013 created exclusively for <\/strong>Women\u2019s Health<\/strong> COLLECTIVE members \u2013 you\u2019ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to improve body composition in 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ready to build and burn? Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to the <\/strong>WH<\/strong> app, find the plan and start training today.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"fitness<\/a><\/p>\n

Seeking advice from Professor Greg Whyte<\/a>, he told Carol to introduce running pockets ‘very progressively’ into her walking \u2013 giving her body time to adapt \u2013 and to ensure strength training and stretching were core components her programme. He also suggested learning the difference between pain that was associated with injury and pain that signalled she was ‘working a little bit harder than you were used to’. <\/p>\n

By week 3, she was enjoying it more, and was particularly proud that she had weathered all manner of climates, from ‘dull conditions, to monsoons, to sunny and hot and humid’. She’d even used training as an opportunity to enjoy the Suffolk countryside while filming an Outside Broadcast for BBC Breakfast with Springwatch. At week 5, she’d found her stride: ‘I cannot believe I am actually saying this, I am becoming hooked! Each week gets just a little bit tougher but not so [much] that it puts me off doing it.’<\/p>\n

\"london,<\/p>\n

Neil Mockford\/Alex Huckle\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Although a bike accident in 2020 left her with a knee injury that meant she had to take a break, she still found other ways to keep up with her fitness. ‘I go to the gym. I try to be healthy,’ she told Radio Times<\/a>, while photos of outdoor swimming pools<\/a> also suggested she was a fan of taking a summertime dip. <\/p>\n

In 2022, she joined Her Spirit<\/a>, an app that connects women virtually and locally, allowing them to take part in walking, cycling and swimming challenges and coaching, reports Hello!<\/a>. Prior to that, she’d revealed on X that her exercise had taken a step back: ‘I must confess my fitness regime has gone right out the window lately. Looking forward to doing this for the next six weeks.’ <\/p>\n

NEAT energy<\/a> definitely plays a part, as her hectic morning schedule requires her to be on her feet. ‘I’m so busy during my shift I have trainers on. I run from the TV studio to the radio because I am on every 15 minutes,’ she continued to Hello! ‘I\u2019ve got a good pair of trainers! I think I do about six to eight thousand steps<\/a> every morning.’ <\/p>\n

When it comes to diet, Carol takes a relaxed but nutrient-first approach, and makes sure she never goes hungry between meals. ‘By [mid-morning], if I\u2019m a bit peckish, I\u2019ll have an apple or a banana. Then, after my shift, I get home and eat…perhaps a toasted pitta with rocket, tomatoes, sweetcorn, peppers and chicken,’ she told OK.<\/a>‘ In the evening, I might have another pitta or peppers with hummus.’<\/p>\n

At the start of 2025, she found herself struck down by a particularly aggressive bout of food poisoning that led her to initially to lose her appetite and then change her eating habits. ‘It\u2019s like somebody\u2019s flipped a switch in my head,’ she said. ‘Now I eat when I\u2019m hungry rather than just eating because I can. I\u2019ve done every single diet going but now I\u2019m not depriving myself of anything.’ <\/p>\n

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