She’s 56, fabulous and shines brightly on TV. She’s also a working mum with an infectious zest for life, whose stamina is unrivalled. And did we mention she’s fit? Like, really fit. Sonia Kruger really is the whole package.
WATCH: Sonia Kruger on Big Brother Australia
With her 2022 schedule full to the brim – think The Voice, Big Brother and Dancing with the Stars – it’s hard to believe she has time to produce her Strictly You fitness program and do school canteen duties.
But keeping fit and healthy is a huge priority for the TV presenter, and even more so after welcoming her daughter Maggie in 2015 when she was just shy of 50. Housebound and yearning for her daily workouts at the Sydney Dance Company, the former professional ballroom dancer put her thinking cap on.
“When you’ve come back from having a baby you want to do things gradually, you want to do things that are just a little bit more gentle on the body. So that’s why Strictly You came about,” Kruger tells WHO.
“Dancing itself is one of the best forms of fitness there is because it’s cardiac, it’s a great cardio workout. It’s toning. It’s great from a muscular perspective. It’s great for the joints because you’re using your own body weight as resistance. It has everything. You only have to look at the dancers’ bodies on Dancing with the Stars,” she adds.
And the proof is in the pudding, or in Kruger’s case, poolside. In our exclusive shoot with TV’s hardest working star, Maggie’s mum shows off the results of her Strictly You at-home fitness program, which will include yoga and Pilates sessions in 2022, and a new 12-week challenge starting on January 10, plus the new addition of the app for added convenience.
Now in its third year, Kruger’s not lying when she says, “It’s a beautiful physique that you can achieve. I wanted it to be appropriate for women of all ages.”
The challenge has also come at the perfect time. Whether you’re still carrying those COVID kilograms, or overindulged at Christmas, Kruger says with her help, those pesky 5kg can be kaput.
“I think sometimes we beat ourselves up over 5kg, when really it’s not that hard to shift it. You just have to have a little bit of dedication,” she says. “If you can devote a window of time to it, like 12 weeks and just get the job done, then you’re good again.”
For the Queensland-born TV host, she focuses on a lower body workout and her core “because I feel like those are the parts that need it a bit more”.
But most importantly, she wants you to have fun while sweating it out, because that’s what dancing is, fun – and a little bit cathartic after the year – or two – that was.
“Have a good time and turn the music up and forget about any problems that might be lurking in the back of your mind,” she says.
“It’s a great stress reliever. We also know learning choreography helps to stave off issues going forward, like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Keeping your brain active, making your brain learn choreography is actually really good for it. I don’t see a downside really!”
But before January 10, Kruger is going to enjoy some well-deserved down-time with her daughter and TV executive hubby, Craig McPherson.
“You’ll find me in the fetal position somewhere,” she jokes, “I’m going to get up to Queensland in the new year to see my family, and Maggie can spend some time with her cousins. We just need to stop for a second. Just stop and relax.”
Kruger will also find time to treat herself and admits she isn’t very strict over the festive season – after all, life is too short!
“I have to say nothing is off the menu for me,” she says. “I do love food. I do love a cocktail, especially at this time of year, who doesn’t?” she confesses.
As for her daily go-to treat throughout the year – we can certainly relate. “I’ve developed a bit of a sweet tooth over the years, so chocolate is something that I find very hard to resist.”
Now that Maggie is growing up at a rapid rate, it’s more important to Kruger to make time to stop. Like so many others, she completed the majority of kindergarten in lockdown, and now she’s ready to take on Year 1 … in the classroom.
“So, she’s excited about going into Year 1. She had a great year at school. I mean, she just loves it. She’s super-sociable and she makes friends quite easily,” the proud mum shares. “She loves her friends.” The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!
The Strictly You 12 Week Challenge starts on Jan. 10.
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