How You Can Get Fit Like Carrie Underwood, According to Her Trainer 

Carrie Underwood, 40, is almost as famous for her commitment to fitness (have you seen her beautifully sculpted legs?) as she is for her Grammy award-winning singing voice. The mother of two looks phenomenal and has been working with trainer Eve Overland for the last 13 years who has helped the country artist's health journey evolve to near perfection. "Carrie is an amazing client to work with," Overland tells us. "She has an incredible work ethic and puts 100 percent effort into everything she does, in and out of the gym. Her dedication to health and fitness inspires so many, including myself."

The singer's perspective on wellness has changed a lot over the years and has even launched a fitness app with Overland. "Fit52 was born out of a fitness routine that I’ve done with her for years," she explains. "Seeing how we were able to achieve results, regardless if we were on the road, in a gym, or even virtual, and knowing how much fun we both had while working out, we wanted to make this lifestyle available to more people," Overland says. "So, we created fit52 and have been amazed that now over 500,000 people have used fit52 to develop healthy habits." Underwood is now gearing up to perform for the 11th consecutive year for Sunday Night Football and Overland exclusively shares with Celebwell how her "dream client" prepared to get ready for the big event and gives details on how the singer stays in such amazing shape.

1. She's Goal-Orientated

Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Underwood has an unwavering commitment to fitness and her trainer explains it's part of her "self-care." According to Overland, "For Carrie, working out is self-care and her 'me' time. She is the dream client you can rely on, don’t have to chase, or worry about her canceling/skipping a scheduled session." She adds, "I think one of the biggest things that makes her a great client is that she looks forward to working out and genuinely enjoys the process. She is goal-oriented and always up for a challenge. She pushes herself to grow and get stronger so she can continue to do what she loves to do for as long as possible. She and I have that in common. When you have two people that really enjoy the physical aspect of working out it becomes a lot of fun and takes the “work” out of working out."

2. How Her Journey Has Evolved

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Underwood didn't always have a healthy outlook on fitness and worked out to be a certain size instead of exercising to have longevity, but has since changed her mindset. "True growth happens with you come to the realization that you must do what is right for you and your body. You can’t compare yourself to others," Overland tells us. "I think the biggest shift in mindset for Carrie is we are now playing the 'long game.' Working out “smarter” and not necessarily “harder”. Don’t get me wrong, Carrie’s workouts are still incredibly advanced, she is a machine." Overland says, "Now, training and nutrition isn’t just about looking a certain way or fitting into “x” size. It is about true health, wellness, and longevity. And this includes things like sleep, digestion, skin health, mood, and relationships. Staying active and mobile so we can do what we love to do for as long as possible. To show up as the favorite version of yourself for yourself and your loved ones. (And for Carrie, sharing her incredible gift to all her fans)."

3. Consistency is Key

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

The one thing that's really helped Underwood succeed fitness-wise is not giving up. "I think the biggest factor that has helped Carrie reach her fitness goals is simply…consistency," Overland says. "She has been working out regularly for decades. Like the rest of your body, your muscles mature and continue to grow in strength, size, and fullness. It is her years of practice, showing up, doing the work, and really embracing fitness as a lifestyle that has contributed to her incredible physique as well as reaching her goals of strength and power." She continues, "In addition to her commitment to the workouts, prioritizing weightlifting and strength training has been a big game-changer for her overall physique. She is no stranger to picking up heavy things…and her body responds readily (with the appropriate dosage of course.)"

4. How She Preps for a Big Event Like Sunday Night Football

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Although she often performs in front of large crowds, Underwood doesn't go overboard with her workouts when she's scheduled for an event like Sunday Night Football. "I like to say Carrie is always 'one foot in one foot out,' because of her healthy lifestyle and commitment to fitness, she really doesn’t have to deviate far from her normal workout routine or overhaul her diet for any event," Overland shares. "We don’t have to prep months in advance, spend hours in the gym, or go on some crazy juice cleanse. She is dialed in and understands her body so well, she knows exactly what small tweaks she may need to make, physically and nutritionally, so she feels and performs her best."

5. How She Tones Her Lower-Body

Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Underwood has amazingly toned legs and her lower-body workout is no joke. "When it comes to leg exercises, we stick to the basics, because they work," Overland says. "We focus on compound lifts that not only help to increase strength and muscle building/shaping but are also functional. They have the most carryover to everyday life. For example, squats, lunges, and deadlifts will always be the cornerstone of Carrie’s leg routine." She adds, "We do have a leg press machine in our workout gym trailer that we use frequently. It is a great option to really add load and focus on leg strength. We also have a cable machine and plenty of bands for more isolation exercises/detailed work. Think glute kickbacks and hamstring curls."

6. How She Gets a Lean Upper-Body

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Underwood is toned from head to toe and has an incredible upper body. "Carrie is known for her amazing legs, but she has some serious arms too," Overland states. "As mentioned, Carrie loves a challenge. She can rep out strict pull-ups, which takes incredible strength and is incredibly impressive." Her trainer reveals, "Much like the leg exercises, we focus on the basic push/pull exercises of the upper body as well; shoulder press, chest press, lat pulldowns, and rows. And of course, we never forget what we jokingly call the “vanity muscles”. (The ones you want to look great when wearing a tank top). Medial deltoids, biceps, and triceps."

For anyone interested in the fit52 app, search the App Store or Google Play for fit52 and download and try it for yourself. "For a special 30 days free, use my special link https://fit52.page.link/eve," Overland says.

Carrie Underwood is encouraging fans and social media followers to share their fitness and wellness stories with her in response to her New York Times bestselling book. Underwood, 40, shared a great picture of herself wearing patterned leggings and a gray tank top, weight training at the gym. “I love hearing your fitness and wellness stories you guys continue to share in response to my first book, FIND YOUR PATH, and reading about your journeys to finding your own path. We got this! 💪🏻,” she captioned the post. Here’s what Underwood’s training routine looks like, according to the singer and her trainer.

1. Active Lifestyle

Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Underwood has made wellness an everyday part of her lifestyle—it’s more than just going to the gym. "Health and fitness is not just a thing I do, it's a part of my life," she told Shop TODAY. "And I feel like there are so many things that hinge on me taking care of myself. "I always tell people, if you don't work out or you've never worked out, going for a walk is a great way to get moving. My kids are very active, they love to play outside. So, if they are already playing outside, and I'm around, instead of sitting on a bench, watching them play, it's easy to walk around the area that they're playing in. Or, you can do some step-ups or dips on a bench."

2. Resistance Bands

Shutterstock

Underwood usually travels with resistance bands in her suitcase to fit a workout in anywhere,” she told Shop TODAY. "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."

3. Leg Workouts

Underwood’s trainer Eve Overland says the singer gives 100 percent to every workout. Overland puts Underwood through deadlifts, rows and presses, and squats. "To have legs like Carrie, be consistent and if you don't love lifting then we got to take it back," she told E! News. "What can you do sustainably? Set attainable goals. If you can only work out twice a week, great. Do it. Anything is better than nothing. Go for a walk. If that's all you can get in the day, that means everything. Whatever your body has to offer and whatever time you have, just get it in and your body will thank you. Find something that you like to do and stick with it."

4. Face Oils

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Underwood loves using face oils in lieu of a whole skincare routine. "I'm terrible at regimens and stuff like that," she told Shop TODAY. "Every once in a while, like once a year I maybe get to go get a facial or consult somebody and I'm like, 'what is the least amount of things that I can do?' But I also can't carry a bunch of junk around with me, there's just no room for it in my bag.”

5. Running For Headspace

Underwood always goes for a run after her workouts to clear her head—although weight training is one of the most important parts of her workouts. "She also needs to think about preparing herself to perform," Overland told E! News. "So jogging, it's waking up her lungs and opening up her airwaves to say, 'Hey lungs, you gotta work later!'"

Carrie Underwood is celebrating her fur babies! The country star showed off her amazing body in a swimsuit, as well as her adorable pooch, on Wednesday via Instagram. “It’s #NationalPuppyDay ! My babies might be all grown up now (even got one in diapers), but they’ll always be puppies in my heart! Be extra sweet to those furry family members today,” she captioned a series of snaps. How does the 39-year-old keep herself fit? Read on to see 7 of Carrie Underwood’s top tips for staying in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

1. Work Out Like It’s Your Job

Carrie takes exercise very seriously, to the point that she has made it her job. She recently developed her own app, Fit52 with her trainer, Eve Overland. “I want to be healthy and fit 52 weeks of the year, but that doesn't mean I have to be perfect every day,” she explained to Women’s Health. “This philosophy is a year-round, common-sense approach to health and fitness that involves doing your best most of the time.” In addition to helping with diet, the app has lots of workouts demonstrated by the singer herself.

2. Seasonally Switch Up Your Workouts

Some people eat seasonally, but Carrie works out that way. "I want to listen to my body and do what I'm in the mood for. On different days, that means different things. I'm a bit of a seasonal workout person. If you think about it, in the winter, we're all bundled up, and we all want to be warm, comfortable, there are a lot of holidays,” she explained to Shape. “So, I'll lift more and do less cardio then and make use of all those extra holiday food calories and build some muscle. In the summer, I want to feel lighter. I want to run and sweat, so I use the temperature and that feeling to lean up a bit and do more outdoor cardio things."

3. Work Out Everywhere

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Carrie is “an expert at working out with nothing,” she bragged to Shape. “You can do sit-ups anywhere. You can be in your hotel room, and you don't have to leave. You just have to think outside the box, and get creative.” One way she does this is by bringing an ab wheel with her while traveling, “and it doesn't weigh a lot or take up a lot of space,” she points out. “It can be painful, but you don't have to do many of them to feel it the next day. I like keeping it simple.”

4. Focus On Building Strength

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Carrie isn’t trying to be skinny. “I want to be stronger. If I feel good in my clothes, and I'm starting to see some muscles, it just makes me want to keep going,” she told Shape. “I like seeing muscles and feeling progress, so I'm always looking to lift more or do more reps.”

5. Slip in Workouts When You Can

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

“I exercise when I can. Sometimes I’ll do it seven days in a row; other times it’s only twice a week. I take the opportunity when I have it, knowing that some weeks I won’t be able to exercise as much, because I am not the 5 a.m. workout type,” she explained to InStyle. “I’m a midmorning-workout person. But I weave fitness into my day. I always take the stairs, which firms your legs, and at home I’ll do lunges as I go from one room to the next. No one is judging you in your own house, so why not make chores active? I turn it into a game, like if I’m picking up my kids’ toys off the floor, I’ll do a squat each time I lower myself down. These little moves keep up my energy, especially on days when I can’t get in a full workout.”

6. Track Your Food

Sergi Alexander/Getty Images

Carryie stays “looking lean and muscular” by keeping track of her eating. “I keep my macro numbers — which is your calories, carbs, and protein intake — in check,” she revealed to InStyle.

7. Eat a Plant-Based Diet

Shutterstock

Carrie, a long time vegetarian, describes herself as a “wannabe vegan,” she told Women’s Health. For breakfast, she might eat a tofu or egg-white scramble (with eggs from her own chickens), Ezekiel toast, berries, and coffee. Lunch is usually a “veggie-packed” vegan sandwich—like Tofurky, tomato, avocado, red onion, spinach, and mustard followed by a protein bar in the afternoon. For dinner, she enjoys roasted veggies and a piece of vegan chicken, or a tofu stir-fry.