{"id":327031,"date":"2025-10-23T17:42:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T17:42:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/327031\/"},"modified":"2025-10-23T17:42:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T17:42:17","slug":"charlotte-churchs-gym-free-approach-to-fitness-at-39-and-the-only-way-shell-ever-do-cardio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/327031\/","title":{"rendered":"Charlotte Church’s gym-free approach to fitness at 39 \u2013\u00a0and ‘the only way’ she’ll ever do cardio"},"content":{"rendered":"

Charlotte Church<\/a> might have met a dramatic end on The Celebrity Traitors, but in real life the 39-year-old is thriving.<\/p>\n

A decade after stepping back from fame, the former singer and actress swapped the spotlight for serenity, creating The Dreaming<\/a> \u2013 a wellness retreat set on 47 acres of Welsh countryside at Rhydoldog House, once home to designer Laura Ashley. ‘Born from the heart, built for the soul, The Dreaming is more than a retreat… it\u2019s a place to soften [and] reconnect,’ she wrote on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These days, Charlotte’s life is far removed from showbiz. Her nature-filled haven \u2013 and her spiritual, stripped-back approach to self-care \u2013 has become central to her health, happiness and sense of balance. Here\u2019s how she keeps her body and mind strong, no gym required. <\/p>\n

What to Read NextMove for joy, not just fitness <\/p>\n

    \n
      \n

      ‘Wellness, for me, is about learning how to be with the almost intolerable \u2013 grief, burnout, injustice \u2013 and still find joy, love, and strength,’ she told The Independent<\/a>. Finding such peace often begins with movement. ‘I regulate through singing, dancing<\/a>, walking<\/a> in nature,’ she continued. ‘I make rituals. None of this is expensive. Most of it is free.’ <\/p>\n

      Her approach to wellness is far from conventional \u2013 grounded, spiritual, and rooted in joy rather than structure. ‘I get up super early in the morning and speak to my ancestors at my altar; I might pray, sing or journal,’ she revealed to Luxury London. <\/a>‘Sometimes when I\u2019m feeling particularly groovy, I put on an absolutely banging playlist… dance down to the beach and dance the sun up \u2013 that\u2019s the only way I will ever do cardiovascular<\/a> exercise. I just love dancing.’<\/p>\n

      Do less to feel better<\/p>\n

      Mentally, embracing her inner ‘earth mother’ has helped her to cultivate more stillness, ‘stripping as much away from my life as I possibly can’, she continued, rather than adding to her tasks. ‘The more weight we put on ourselves for anything \u2013 fitness, wellness, mental health \u2013 the more we put on the f**king to do list, the worse sh*t is. I just want to go swimming<\/a> in the sea and read my book [and] eat a greasy burger by myself.<\/p>\n

      Clearing her schedule has also led her to swap paper diaries for minimalist planners and small notebooks. ‘I used to overwork constantly. Now I\u2019m asking: where is the rest? Where\u2019s the solitude? Where\u2019s the fun?’ she told The Independent. ‘There was a time I didn\u2019t want to be alone \u2013 maybe I was even fearful of solitude. But now? I delight in it. I need it.’<\/p>\n

      Forget the fads<\/p>\n

      ‘Hands down, the oddest exercise to which I ever committed serious energy was called Kangoo,’ she told The Guardian<\/a>. ‘Designed for those of us with knackered knees (rugby tackle, snow), it essentially involved this very energetic young man with jumping shoes turning up at my house at 6am and leading me in an exercise that resembled less the graceful gambol of a kangaroo and more a pissed-up Tigger.’ <\/p>\n

      Set boundaries<\/p>\n

      Over time, Charlotte has learnt to draw ‘non-negotiable boundaries’, according to The Independent. ‘I\u2019ve got ADHD. Phones, notifications, scrolling<\/a> \u2013 it\u2019s like constant dopamine hits. I block social media for five, six days at a time now. It\u2019s the only way I can function.’
      <\/p>\n

      Form sustainable habits<\/p>\n

      For a few years, Charlotte’s close friend Kerry helped her form a routine. Blending ‘multiple disciplines of personal training, massage therapy and “energy disciplines” such as qigong and reiki in a holistic and bespoke way’, the plan she outlined for Charlotte was ‘a dream come true’, according to The Guardian. <\/p>\n

      Back in 2019, their ‘different and exciting’ sessions involved ‘high-intensity interval training<\/a> or advanced breathing techniques’. Seeing Kerry once a fortnight and her own ‘gym<\/a> and swim’ routine formed the backbone of her training. <\/p>\n

      Related Stories\"Headshot