Celebrity Health - Lorraine Kelly

"Walking keeps me healthy"

Lorraine Kelly speaks to Liz Parry about how she keeps fit and healthy through a love of walking, Zumba and healthy eating

Q: Lorraine, you always look so fantastically fresh-faced first thing in the morning on our TV screens. You must follow a very healthy lifestyle?

Lorraine: "Well I do try to live healthily, but all things within reason. I’m certainly not fanatical about it. I try to eat really well, particularly during the week when I’m on my own in London. I don’t believe in diets because I don’t think they work. I think a little bit of what you fancy does you good. So I try to eat well, have plenty of fruit and veg, and drink as much water as possible. Then at the weekend I might go out for a curry or have a bit of chocolate when I’m watching the telly on a Saturday night. But, yes, I eat healthily and do plenty of exercise."

Q: Do you like to cook?

Lorraine: "No. My husband Steve is a smashing cook but I’m better at tidying up! I love nothing better than watching him cook on a Saturday night, sitting there with a glass of wine, having a chat. And then afterwards I tidy up. He’s good at it and enjoys it and I’m not good at it and I don’t enjoy it. I can do a few things though. I make a good paella."

Q: Do you take any vitamins or supplements?

Lorraine: "Yes, I take a multivitamin every day. It’s part of my daily routine now. You brush your teeth and take your daily vitamins. And sometimes I take some vitamin C during the winter as I don’t want to get a cold because I don’t want to be off my work."

Q: What is your favourite type of exercise?

Lorraine: "I’ve always really enjoyed walking. I walk all over London. Three years ago I did a 100 mile trek in the desert for Comic Relief and that’s when I really started walking a lot because I had to break in my boots. I’ve got a place in the centre of London, in Westminster, and I would walk all the way down to Tower Bridge and beyond and down to Chelsea. Even now if I’m going out from my flat to somewhere like Covent Garden, I wouldn’t even think of getting a taxi, I’d just walk. I really enjoy it. I live in Dundee so when I’m home I always take the dog for a walk. It helps to clear the head and it’s a great way to keep fit without realising that you’re keeping fit."

Q: You’re a big supporter of the Walk the Walk charity. Tell us a bit about that.

Lorraine: "I’ve been involved with Walk the Walk since the very start. I think I did the first ever MoonWalk London and I’ve done the MoonWalk Scotland several times, including with my mum Anne and my daughter Rosie two years ago. I’m a big supporter of the charity because it really helps to raise a lot of money and awareness about breast cancer. My gran died of breast cancer and although she was in her eighties it was too soon as far as I was concerned. It made me want to help with breast cancer charities and I thought this one was particularly good. There’s a lot of camaraderie. Everyone is wearing their bra and as the years have gone on the way people decorate them has become more and more fabulous. I remember one year we were walking up the Royal Mile in Edinburgh just after midnight and all the men were coming out of the pubs looking very bemused by all these women marching along in their bras!"

Q: Do you run as well?

Lorraine: "No, not any more. I’ve done marathons in the past. I did three in London, one in New York and the last one I did was three years ago in London when I was 50. It was probably a mad way to celebrate my 50th but there you go! My exercise of choice now is that I do Pilates once a week and Zumba twice a week. I find it so much fun and I’ve got an amazing instructor. It lasts for an hour and is such a great stress buster. My friend Maxine and I did a 24-hour Zumbathon for the STV appeal. I think what’s really, really important is that you have to do a type of exercise that you enjoy."

Q: You’ve always worked in breakfast TV so early starts must be second nature to you?

Lorraine: "Kind of. I don’t think you ever get used to it though. I don’t have to get up quite so early now. I get up at 5am and I think that’s almost verging on normal! I don’t get enough sleep though. I’ve always got too much going on. I love my telly – I’m terrible for it – and I often find myself staying up too late because there’s something I just have to watch."

Q: How do you relax, apart from watching TV?

Lorraine: "I find that going out for a walk is a great way to relax and the Zumba really helps too. I love to run a nice bubble bath and light some candles. I’m going through a very busy time at the moment but I enjoy being busy."

Q: What things have you got coming up in the future?

Lorraine: "I'm hoping to write another book on Scotland with my husband Steve - he's a brilliant photographer. I’ve also been designing a clothing line with JD Williams which has been very exciting. Other than that I’m just doing what I do really, my TV shows and writing my columns and just enjoying it. I feel very lucky because I’ve got the best job in the world and I’m very privileged to still be doing it after 30 years. I never forget how lucky I am and I just enjoy every minute!"

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