7 Secrets About Carrie Underwood That Even "Care Bears" Don't Know

There are lots of facts we all know about Carrie Underwood. She has a beautiful voice, she won the fourth season of American Idol in 2005 and went on to be one of the most successful singers from the reality competition show, and is dedicated to healthy living. However, there are lots of things you might now know about the country singer – even if you identify as a “Care Bear.” Here are 7 amazing facts about Carrie Underwood – how many of them are news to you?

1. She Is a Sorority Girl

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When Carrie rose to international fame on American Idol she was a student at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma, studying to become a broadcast journalist. While attending school, you could find young Carrie at the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority house where she was a member. Another fun fact? She went back to college after being crowned the winner and received a degree majoring in Mass Communications and graduated magna cum laude!

2. She Dated a Lot of (Hot) Frogs Before Finding Her Prince

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From 2007 to 2008 Carrie famously dated Gossip Girl actor Chace Crawford, who broke up with her via text. "It just didn't work," she told Extra months after the split. She also reportedly dated Bachelor star Travis Stork and NFL stud Tony Romo. However, when she happened upon her prince, she got her fairy tale ending. “I met my husband [NHL player Mike Fisher] in a meet and greet,” she told US. “Our first kiss was on New Year’s Eve when the countdown ended.”

3. She Is Obsessed with Horror Movies

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Underwood is so obsessed with horror movies, many of her music videos are inspired by them, “I really don’t know why I’ve always loved horror movies, but I know why I’ve always loved Stephen King,” she reportedly said. The Two Black Cadillacs video was inspired by King’s Christine. She also confessed to KidzWorld that the Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street movies are other favorite freaky movies of hers.

4. She Is Obsessed with Making Her Bed

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Carrie is a total neat freak. “I can’t function during the day if I know my bed is not made. It will be all I think about throughout the day until it’s actually made, ” Carrie told Country Weekly. “My refrigerator is extremely organized. Everything is showing the labels and is arranged in perfect rows.”

5. She Didn't Even Want to Audition for Idol at First

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A little-known fact about Carrie Underwood is that before she gained fame as a country music superstar, she auditioned for the reality TV show "American Idol" on a whim. She was actually hesitant about participating and almost didn't go to the audition because she thought her chances of success were slim. However, her friends and family encouraged her to give it a try, and as we know, she went on to win the fourth season of "American Idol" in 2005, launching her highly successful music career. This unexpected turn of events showcases how taking a chance and pursuing your passions can lead to extraordinary opportunities.

6. She Is a “Doomsday Preparer”

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You might find a lot of bulk survival products in Carrie’s Nashville mansion. “I’m a bit of a doomsday preparer. Make fun of me, but we’ll see who survives the zombie apocalypse,” she confessed to Us.

7. She Is Afraid of Flying

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Carrie’s first time on an airplane was to travel to Hollywood for American Idol – and she doesn’t love flying to this day. “It was terrifying. It still freaks me out, to be honest,” she described her first flight while on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. “I’m 36 years old and I’ve been to lots of airports … but back then I was by myself and there were lots of connecting flights to get there.”

Country music stars not only captivate us with their incredible talents but also inspire us with their dedication to maintaining healthy and balanced lifestyles. In this article, we'll delve into the fitness, self-care, and wellness secrets of 20 remarkable female country music stars. From Shania Twain's love for walking to Carrie Underwood's empowering workouts, and from Miranda Lambert's body-positive message to Kacey Musgraves' self-care routine, these artists share their insights on staying fit, confident, and grounded in the spotlight. Join us as we explore how these women navigate the demands of their careers while prioritizing their health and well-being.

1. Shania Twain

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Shania Twain talked about her wellness secrets in an interview with The Cut. She says that she likes to walk to keep herself fit. “If I’m going to do shortcuts because I’m traveling and I can’t manage the environment around me or my schedule is too much, walking is my key thing. If I’ve got to go to an appointment, I’ll try to walk there, or walk back because going off to play tennis isn’t always easy when I’ve got a busy work schedule. I’ll wear my running shoes for the walk and pack my dress shoes in my backpack, and build in my exercise that way.”

2. Carrie Underwood

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Carrie Underwood’s trainer, Eve Overland, talked about the singer’s workout routine with E! News. “She likes to stick with the basics because they work,” Overland said. “Not to mention, it's empowering, exciting and makes you feel like a total badass when you go up in weight and see strength gains with those major lifts. Lateral band walks—an exercise that helps shape the hips and glutes using a resistance band—using the leg press machine, hamstring curls and cable straight-leg kickbacks are a few more go-tos because of the great pump they give you."

3. Miranda Lambert

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Miranda Lambert is all about body-positivity, and wants to inspire others to do the same. "I'm not naturally small," she told Good Housekeeping. "And I'm fine with that, because so many girls come up to me and say, 'Thank you for being normal-sized — it gives us hope that you don't have to be a size 2 to be somebody.'"

4. Martina McBride

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Martina McBride shared her secrets for eating healthy on the road to Us Weekly. “We work really close with the caterers to make sure that there’s healthy food and it’s all fresh. I really work hard at not having unhealthy snacks even on the bus. I mean, we don’t even have them available and I think that makes a big difference.”

5. Kacey Musgraves

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Kacey Musgraves shared her self-care routine in an interview with Glamour. “A big part of my self-care mindset is just giving myself a break from the pressure I put on myself. As far as products, I do love the CBD pens and pre-rolls from The Edie Parker line, Weedie Parker. I also try to stay hydrated, eat clean, get enough sleep, and stay on top of going to therapy. And laugh. I love, love, love laughing.”

6. Maren Morris

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Maren Morris shared some of her secrets to staying healthy while touring in an interview with Women’s Health. She says that she will do virtual sessions with her trainer, Erin Opera. Morris also shared some of the exercises she does. “Squat lunges are the worst. They’re so hard because that’s the area I need it most—my thighs and butt.”

7. Mickey Guyton

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In 2021, Mickey Guyton talked to The Sun about what it was like to receive the Best New Artist Grammy nomination after working for years. She says that she struggled with depression and learned to stand up for herself. “I was in therapy. I quit drinking. And the clarity that came with that, I could see everything so clearly and I realized the power in being myself. That’s what people want. It made me a stronger person.”

8. Lindsay Ell

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In an interview on the Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe podcast, Lindsay Ell talked about why she decided to come forward about having an eating disorder. "I feel like through vulnerability and through being open, we are definitely able to make these tough places in our life so much easier. The more I share my heart and the things I'm going through, it causes me to just to be real and not sit in denial of my own self."

9. Kelsea Ballerini

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Kelsea Ballerini talked about her fitness secrets with Nashville Edit. “Find a workout that YOU like, not what someone else pushes. There are so many different kinds of moving. Going to the gym or running on the treadmill, which I personally hate and tried for years, isn’t the only way to exercise. I love any kind of cycle class because the music is super loud, the lights are dark, and I can shut my eyes and feel like I am at home with my headphones on. I also love Pilates for building long, lean muscle. Lastly, I work out with a personal trainer who is super encouraging and helps me meet my fitness goals. Working out, something I used to dread, is now something that I look forward to because it boosts my stamina onstage and makes me feel much more clear-headed and, in my body, too.”

10. Carly Pearce

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Carly Pearce tells Garmin.com that staying healthy is important to her. “For the last 10 years I’ve really prioritized that. My dad had a massive heart attack when I was a teenager and it just kind of rocked my world. There is heart disease in my family now and cancer is a big part of my family history and health. I feel better when I work out, I feel better when I eat right and I feel like my mind is in a better spot. My entire life is chaotic, as far as on a daily basis. If I can have that little time to control, I almost use it as meditation to run, and my body feels good to play shows and perform for an hour and sing and not get winded. When you have people looking at you 24/7, and taking pictures of you, you want to look your best and feel your best. I always said if I wasn’t an artist I would go into nutrition or sports medicine, I really love all things health.”

11. Jenny Tolman

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Jenny Tolman is all about having gratitude. She tells Forbes that this helped her get through her trauma after an abusive relationship as a teen that forced her to drop out of school. “There was this point where I was like, ‘okay, I can sit here and wallow in this forever and feel sorry for myself or I can find a way to feel better about it.’ So, I started focusing on gratitude and being grateful for the things I DID have. And I found things to look forward to, and it was a really powerful tool to bring me out of this dark place.”

12. Jessie James Decker

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Jessie James Decker is extremely busy, which means she has to have workouts that she can do when she’s traveling. “I like to walk everywhere as much as possible,” she tells Us Weekly. “So instead of getting an Uber in a city where I want to go have a lunch or go shopping, we’ll just walk.” Decker also says that she tracks her movement each day. “I’ve been keeping track on my phone, and if I can do at least two or three miles a day, then I feel like I did good.”

13. Cassadee Pope

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Cassadee Pope is a big fan of Pilates. She even shared a photo on Instagram of herself on a reformer at the studio. Pope captioned the post, “Thank you @marathonpilates for kicking my carb eatin, margarita drinkin ass today.” Better Health states, “Pilates is a safe and effective method of rehabilitation and exercise that focuses on muscular balance, improves strength and flexibility.”

14. RaeLynn

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RaeLynn has a busy life, but she still makes time for herself. She tells Taste Of Country that she spends each morning relaxing with her journal and her breakfast. "It's different everyday, and especially being on the road, it can get a little crazy. But having that time in the morning to just kind of center myself is really important for me.”

15. Ashley McBryde

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Ashley McBryde talked about her career in an interview with Grammy.com. She says that she has learned to be true to herself following her attempting to change things. “I tried to do the thing that people would have me do, and it was a momentum and a façade that I knew there's no way I could keep that up, and maybe stick out my stomach, two for ten, that I'm the skinniest girl in the room,” she said. “I'm never gonna be that and that's fine. I look silly with straight hair. That for me was a big turning point, and also some of the songs that we were choosing for me at the time. It's not that I didn't like them. I wrote them, but they weren't exactly the thing I would want to do and the message that I wanted to put out. I had stuff that had better messages to it. And learning that I really suck at being anybody else, and as long as I've got permission to just be me, and me and the guys can just make the music that [speaks] to us, that's when it started working for us. That's when the ball really started rolling.”

16. Tenille Townes

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For Tenille Townes, music is a great way for her to help with her mental health. “I felt like I was going insane in my house, feeling completely worried and anxious and scared,” she told People. “But I was constantly asking myself, ‘what do I do with this?’ I'm so glad that music was a place where I could put it all. It always gives me a way to take a hot air balloon ride of sorts, where I can just float above the situation and see it from a higher vantage point. Writing over the past year, I have felt that firsthand for myself in a way that I've really never felt before. That's what I love the most about songwriting is it can kind of just pull me out of something to look at it differently."

17. Lauren Alaina

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Lauren Alaina is open about her struggles with an eating disorder. She talked about her recovery in an interview with The Tennessean. “I’m still learning to love myself. I want to be the girl who has a positive influence on people’s lifestyle. I don’t want to be the girl who has an eating disorder and that’s why she looks the way she looks.”

18. LeAnn Rimes

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LeAnn Rimes shared some of her favorite products with NYMag. In it, she revealed that she likes to use the Rapid Release Therapy system to help her recover. “I’ve used a lot of the other percussive massage therapy guns and gave up on them. Nothing ever really releases my muscles. This uses vibration frequency to release the muscles and it is heaven for me. I take it on the road when I travel. When I’m singing, the muscles in my neck and jaw can get really tight. I find that this is super, super-helpful to release all of that tension. It’s more of a vibration frequency than it is an actual pounding. With all the other ones, I feel like I’m being hit. This feels more like a nice little tingly vibration. I use it whenever I feel like I’m getting a little tense. Definitely after my shows, or sometimes after a workout. It’s a great tool to have.”

19. Maddie Marlow

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Maddie Marlow shared her workout routine on TikTok. She captioned it, “This is my 30 minute workout routine that I do everyday. I start with 15 minutes on the treadmill, just at a three, then I go into four exercises four times with 25 reps. So these are some bicep curls to get those arms toned, some donkey kicks to get that Lainey Wilson dump truck bootay. Then we're going into some Spiderman crunches, this is great for that lower belly that's so hard to get, and some goddess squats. This is great for your booty and your thighs.”

20. Sara Evans

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Sara Evans talked about her diet in an interview. "Don't overeat and don't starve yourself either,” she said. “It's everything in moderation. That's the way I like to live life: everything in moderation. If you're sitting there and you've had two pieces of pizza and you feel stuffed, don't go for that third one. It's common sense. I have no diet tricks, I have no 'I never eat carbs' or 'I never . . .' I eat a little bit, and as soon as I feel full, I stop. Then I don't eat again until I'm hungry."

Strap in and delve into the health and fitness journeys of some of country music's most beloved artists. From Miranda Lambert's embrace of self-acceptance to Keith Urban's candid revelations about sobriety, each story is a testament to personal growth and self-care. Kelsea Ballerini highlights the importance of 'me time,' while Maren Morris finds joy in tennis. Carrie Underwood shares her on-the-road workout secrets, and Kacey Musgraves speaks on diet balance. These narratives, along with others from stars like Shay Mooney, Tim McGraw, and Dierks Bentley, offer inspiring insights into staying fit and healthy amidst the demands of fame and busy schedules.

1. Miranda Lambert

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Miranda Lambert talked about her journey with self-acceptance with Health Magazine. "I’m only 5'4" so weight shows quickly on me. I've hit a comfortable place; this is pretty much my size. I’m a size 6, give or take five pounds, depending on the day."

2. Kelsea Ballerini

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Kelsea Ballerini shared some of her favorite self-care activities with Shape. “I used to think 'me time' was so narcissistic, but now I realize it's necessary. I have a SoulCycle bike, and I love to do that. I am a hot-bath fanatic. I have all my essential oils, and I do that pretty much every night. I can show up in a more present way when I'm taking time for myself too."

3. Shay Mooney

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Shay Mooney is one half of the duo, Dan + Shay. He shared some secrets behind his recent weight loss on an Instagram post. "Consistency," he wrote. "I changed my entire world in 6 months. No gimmicks or fads. Just consistency."

4. Maren Morris

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Maren Morris is one of many country singers who train with Erin Opera. In an interview with E! News., Opera revealed that Morris loves to play tennis. “She has been playing tennis. I encourage clients to do their cardio outside of me. Sports are always the best way because when you're chasing a ball, you're not thinking about cardio.”

5. Carrie Underwood

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Carrie Underwood revealed how she stays in shape on the road to TODAY. “If I can find a treadmill at a hotel — which most most hotels have one — I can get some sort of something in. Or just free weights or bands. I usually travel with mini bands in my suitcase, because they don't take up much room, or a collapsible ab wheel that you can take apart, something that's small. Those things are just easy to have in your suitcase, and it's saved me on many occasions. If you do find yourself in a space that doesn't have the best gym or it's super crowded, I could just stay in my room and feel like I got a good workout in."

6. Keith Urban

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Keith Urban opened up about his sobriety to Interview. "My wife put an intervention together and it was … it was divine. I mean, 'divine intervention', but it's true, it really was. It was love in action and the timing was absolutely divine."

7. Kacey Musgraves

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Kacey Musgraves is a believer in balance when it comes to her diet. “It is torture sometimes trying to eat healthy on the road, but I try my best,” she said in a 2014 interview. “It’s all about balance and still letting my tastebuds enjoy themselves. If there’s a reason to celebrate or I’m somewhere that has some kind of food that I know I won’t be able to resist, then I try to eat lighter all around that. Also, I try to eliminate carbs and most processed foods.”

8. Sheryl Crow

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Sheryl Crow shared some of her favorite workouts with InStyle. “Exercise is really important to me. Whether it’s going for a jog or getting on my rowing machine, it’s a great way of burning through some of that unnecessary anxiety. I have one of the machines with water in it — it’s low-impact and core- and back-strengthening.”

9. Faith Hill

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Faith Hill makes sure to eat healthy. In an interview with Self, she revealed that she eats a lot of salad. "For lunch, I usually have a Greek salad with grilled chicken. I love salads for lunch. It's light, delicious and good for you. I vary the protein and sometimes use salmon instead of chicken."

10. Thomas Rhett

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Thomas Rhett shared some of his wellness tips with Taste of Country. "A lot of people want to do everything cold turkey whether you're trying to quit smoking or quit eating McDonalds. It's hard to just say, 'I'm done today.' When I was first starting out, it was like, 'This week I'm not going to eat dairy' or 'This week I'm not gonna eat bread.' All of a sudden you start sleeping better. You start waking up better. You start having more energy during the day when you don't have all those bad things in your body. Once your brain starts to get accustomed to good things going in your body it starts to reject the bad stuff."

11. Chris Young

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Chris Young revealed his weight loss on Instagram. He opened up about the process in the caption. "Still not done, but down 60 pounds so yeah...Gonna leave this here. This year has been dedicated to a lot of work on myself. Music wise AND in the gym.”

12. Tim McGraw

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Tim McGraw is dedicated to staying in shape. “I don’t really get tired of training,” McGraw said to Men’s Health. “There’s such a feeling of accomplishment that comes from the feeling of being my age and still being at the top of my game. I use my whole body to sing—my legs, my butt. And having more control over those things makes my voice stronger.”

13. Reba McEntire

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Reba McEntire shared how she took charge of her life after her divorce to Apple+ Fitness Time To Walk. "Everything that I was dealing with privately, personally — I had to run through God. I had to say, 'OK big boy, I can’t handle this. This is way over my pay grade — I don’t know what to do,’" she recalls. "And I would wait, and he would guide me. And so without my faith, I have no idea where I would be or my career would be at this time today."

14. Tyler Hubbard

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Florida Georgia Line member, Tyler Hubbard, shared some of his workout secrets with Muscle and Fitness. Hubbard likes to go running to keep himself fit. “It just started with me just wanting to get out of the house,” he says. “And then it just started to evolve to where I started craving it. I just bought myself some new running shoes.”

15. Luke Bryan

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Luke Bryan revealed to Men’s Journal that he loves cycling. “First off, having a family while also being on the move so much, and having to travel constantly, you want to savor every second you can. So the fact that I can walk out to my garage, get on my bike, and immediately be working out is a huge benefit—rather than having to get into my car, commute, park, and try to squeeze in a session. Next I would say I love cruising in my neighborhood. From my house going south it's just some of the best road cycling you could dream up. The roads are built on this hard Tennessee limestone—real smooth, no cracks or bumps. The hills are incredible, especially in the fall when the leaves are changing. There are these great routes where you go under amazing canopy.”

16. Dierks Bentley

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Dierks Bentley talked about his diet in an interview with The Tennessean. “One of the coolest things when you get to headline and things are going well, you get your own catering. When you have that, you can be more conscious of what you’re eating. I used to pride myself on how many White Castle hamburger cartons I could have piled up on the floor board of my truck. I thought it was cool. I don’t eat White Castle anymore."

17. Joe Don Rooney

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Rascal Flatts member, Joe Don Rooney, shared his workout secrets with The Tennessean. “I do a lot of cardio. My wife Tiffany and I have been doing spin class, which is a lot of fun. I try and do as much cardio as I can, light on the weights. I don’t try and lift that much. I try to work on agility and stretch. I like yoga. It’s very relaxing."

18. Chris Lane

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Chris Lane tells The Tennessean that he loves working out with others. “It’s always good to have someone who can push you. If I’m by myself, I’ll try and find a gym and stick with similar routines that he showed me, which is more CrossFit than anything. The eating aspect is a lot of it. I have a couple of days a week that I’ll do a cheat meal. I’ll try and stick with as healthy options as possible and stay away from as much bread as possible."

19. Cassadee Pope

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Singer Cassadee Pope tells The Tennessean that she’s learned to be consistent with workouts. “Through the years, I’ve kind of figured out how to figure out how to balance work and staying fit. It’s really hard, especially being in small towns that don’t have a yoga or Pilates studio and gyms are about 30 minutes away. You can’t make excuses. If there’s no gym to go to, I’ll do some plyometric kind of stuff and jump around and get my heart rate up.”

20. Dan Smyers

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Dan Smyers is the other half of Dan + Shay. He revealed that he made a change to his diet to The Tennessean. “In the last couple of years, I switched to an all-vegetarian diet. I try to be as vegan as possible. Since I switched to that diet, I’ve had way more energy and I’m more focused. Everybody asks where you get your protein, and there’s a brand called Vega and it’s incredible and they have all plant-based protein. I’ve been hooked, the flavors of the protein powders, mocha, chocolate, I make all kinds of shakes.”