Actress, singer, dancer and presenter, Denise Van Outen (47) shares how she stays fit in her 40s, talks about her upcoming autobiography and the skincare she can’t live without…
By Suzanne Baum (Lead image: Karis Kennedy)
‘I’ve always loved keeping fit. It helps that I am constantly on the go for my work, which keeps me active. However, I’m now at an age when my body is going through natural changes and so I need to care for it even more.
‘It was so important in my recent role on stage in Cabaret All Stars that I kept in good shape as I was performing alongside young people with athletic bodies, so I wanted to be the best version of me alongside them.
‘My favourite type of exercise is being outdoors, although I don’t much like running. I’ve had many instructors in the past but the one I have now is perfect as he makes the workouts fun. I can’t bear trainers that push you to the limit; mine does fun things and the time is enjoyable. He sets up assault courses and I smile while doing them rather than grimace!
Denise Van Outen: ‘I’m now at an age when my body is going through natural changes and so I need to care for it even more.’
‘Exercising also helps my mental health but, luckily, I naturally have a positive outlook on life. I’m trying to pass on my positive attitude to my daughter, Betsy. She’s aged 11 and at that pre-teenage stage.
‘Whenever she has bad days I tell her not to get too down, to look on the bright side and just to know better times are coming. I also make sure I don’t focus on diet or on banning any food groups as I want Betsy to grow up with a normal attitude to food.
‘I am so lucky to love what I do. Doing Cabaret All Stars was the biggest joy. Ever since I was on The Big
Breakfast back in the 1990s, my career in TV and stage has been so much fun but I do work hard. I had a strong work ethic built into me as a child.
‘When I was doing The Celebrity Circle (a celebrity version of reality TV show The Circle), I put my all into it, even though it was difficult as we were locked up with no sense of time or proper daylight.
‘I needed my mental strength as there were times when we had hours to fill. It was challenging to know what to do with myself. That’s when the creative part of me came out – I got beads and made bracelets to pass the time.
‘I now want to help young people getting into the industry. I have so much advice to give as I learnt so
much from my work in TV.
Denise has been a regular on our screens since The Big Breakfast in the 90s
Denise Van Outen: ‘Whenever [my daughter] has bad days I tell her not to get too down, to look on the bright side and just to know better times are coming.’
‘In the past I worked with some TV hosts who had an attitude, or who were not warm to work with, but my current job on Steph’s Packed Lunch has proven to be an eye opener as Steph is a breath of fresh air; the way she treats her guests before and after interviews is incredible – I love her!
‘One of my biggest joys, other than my daughter, is my dog Remy. I took her on Steph’s Packed Lunch and she was such a good girl. Her first venture into live TV and she performed beautifully!
‘I’m often asked about my beauty routine but I don’t tend to use fancy products. I always take off my make-up at night and use a moisturiser, which is the one product I have to have. What really makes my skin glow though is if I’ve had enough sleep.
‘I am terrible at remembering to drink water but have realised that as I’ve got older, it’s really important. And the same goes for eating well, which is so crucial. I don’t do faddy diets and just eat in moderation. But if I want a family-sized packet of crisps then I’ll have one, as you’ve got to have a bit of what you want and not restrict yourself too much!
‘I put on some weight during lockdown, so I’ve recently made more effort to lose it. One thing that has helped me was the ReSculpt Body Contouring treatment, which is a nonsurgical device designed to sculpt and contour the body.
‘As its ambassador, I did all the research beforehand to check it was something I truly believed in and not some faddy machine. I have to say it is excellent and has helped me remove some unwanted fat around my belly — the results are incredible.
Denise Van Outen: ‘I don’t do faddy diets and just eat in moderation. But if I want a family-sized packet of crisps then I’ll have one!’
‘I knew it was working as I had to wear a tailcoat for Cabaret All Stars, and the buckle on my costume kept having to be moved as I got trimmer. Also, using the machine gave me an extra push to firm up as it’s taken me a long time to recover from my shoulder injury on Dancing On Ice, so I couldn’t exercise the way I did.
‘Now though, I feel all the troublesome areas of my body have toned up and the good thing about ReSculpt is that there is no down time.
‘Also during lockdown, I started writing my autobiography as I have so much to talk about! It’s being published this month (March) and I’m so excited to have put everything down on paper to share with others: stories, experiences and everything else. I’ve been wanting to do it for a while, but lockdown gave me the perfect opportunity.
