Everything she has said about her fitness

For Kristen Bellstrength goes far beyond the gym.

“To me, being healthy means feeling good about the choices I make, and most importantly, it’s about staying fit mentally and physically, the actress told Form in November 2017. “I keep reminding myself that it’s not about my thighs: It’s about my commitment and my level of happiness.”

The Nobody wants this star has been open about her exercise routine over the years, which has included pilates, strength training and cycling. She has also been honest about how movement has affected her mental health.

“I’ve been struggling for the past 2 weeks, for who-knows-why-cut-all-reasons. Today I finally got back on the treadmill (sic), figuratively and literally,” she wrote Instagram in January 2021. “And I’m proud. ‘Good job, kb.'” I told myself. To anyone who has felt the same, you can do it. Just do the next right thing.”

Here’s everything Kristen Bell has shared about her workout routine, from her “workout talk” to her flexible fitness philosophy.

Bell tries to do some kind of movement every day — even if it’s just stretching

No matter what her day looks like, Bell said she makes moving her body part of her routine. The Veronica Mars alum told Form in April 2021 that most days she will “run or lift weights for at least 30 minutes,” but doesn’t force herself if she can’t take it.

“If I don’t have energy, I refuse to beat myself up,” Bell explained. “Instead, I’ll do a 10-minute meditation or stretching class on YouTube to prioritize myself.”

She is a fan of short workouts

The busy mother of two doesn’t have time to spend hours at the gym. Bell told Form 2017 that she incorporates short movements into her day whenever she can—even if she’s at work.

“While I’m running through the lines with my actors, I’ll lean back on a chair and do tricep curls,” she told the news agency. “At home, when my kids and I are out walking and they’re meandering and looking at leaves, I lunge. I get it in how and when I can.”

Her other “snack workout” options include running up her driveway “10 or 15 times,” doing squats while she plays with her kids, and keeping a set of weights in the kitchen so she can do bicep curls while she cooks dinner.

“Sometimes my workouts are cut into my day in one-and-a-half-minute segments,” the actress told Business Insider in February 2025. “I’m trying to get in the habit too. I let the dogs out to pee at 9pm every night, and then I do 24 squats. I’ve been doing it every night for six months, and it’s good because I don’t have to rush.”

Bell was a vegetarian for 30 years

Bell told Business Insider that she spent three decades as a vegetarian (and a few years as a vegan) before deciding to return to eating meat in 2022. “It finally didn’t feel weird to me,” the actress said. “I felt I needed and wanted it. Now I try to eat high protein like my husband to support the lift.”

Not one who follows a strict diet, Bell shared Women’s health in October 2019 that she practices “mindful eating”.

“I have to eat carbs because I have to memorize 11 pages of dialogue, and I can’t do that by eating spinach and chicken,” she said. “I’m not super restrictive … but I’m mindful of the portion I eat. I find that by eating mindfully, I can reap all the rewards and also maintain a healthy, steady diet.”

She used to do pilates but switched to heavy lifting

Back in 2019, Bell said Women’s health doing Pilates three times a week made her feel “so much stronger” physically, something she had always struggled with. “I never felt physically strong,” she said. “I felt confused… or pregnant. And I love the fact that if we ever get attacked by ninjas, I’d be a valuable asset.”

Fixed The Good place actress credited the exercise with giving her abs after childbirth had “obliterated” her abdominal wall, she later switched her focus to strength training.

“For a long time, I was doing workouts that were tailored for women like Pilates,” Bell told Business Insider in 2025. “I enjoy those things but I’ve really hit my stride and probably have the best body I’ve ever had at 44 – not just in terms of shape but strength, endurance and capacity – when I started lifting heavy.”

Bell enjoys racing with her husband Dax Shepard

While hunkering down during the covid-19 pandemic, Bell discovered another motivation for working out: competing with her husband, Dax Shepard.

“My husband started working out a lot during covid-19,” she told Business Insider, “and because I’m so competitive, I follow whatever he does.”

Her competitiveness led her to not only lift, but also intense cardio. “My husband has been riding a lot recently to build quads,” she said, noting that his preferred daily route was “a huge hill.” The actress followed suit by starting with a “formidable” hill in their neighborhood, which connects to her desire to be challenged.

“I’m very active but I never commit to just one workout because I like to challenge myself,” Bell explained. “There will be six weeks where I will walk every day and as soon as it feels a bit comfortable I will switch.”

She says exercise makes her feel “more centered”

Aside from the physical benefits of exercise, Bell shared Women’s health that the strength she has gained is not limited to her biceps.

“I feel so much stronger, and it’s a physical feeling, but it’s also a mental one,” the actress said. “It should be the first stop for anyone experiencing depression or anxiety because it encourages serotonin and endorphins. I feel so much more centered, patient, capable.”