“There’s a feeling of being badass at 40! It’s a reset,” enthuses actress-turned-fitness-influencer Gemma Atkinson about her landmark birthday. “I have more confidence and my body is stronger than ever after two kids. People assume we slow down because we get old, but we get old because we slow down.”

We’re meeting over a lunch of seasonal vegetables swirled in pesto and spicy rice chicken. Her sleeveless top shows off powerful biceps, honed by strength training five days a week – she lifts an impressive 110kg on hip thrusts and 90kg on back squats. Her only jewellery is a Whoop fitness tracker on her wrist and a diamond engagement ring.

The former Hollyoaks actress and author of The Ultimate Body Plan (her 2018 book of healthy recipes and workouts) cemented her household name status on 2017’s Strictly Come Dancing. She was a finalist partnered with Aljaz Skorjanec — but fell in love with another dance pro, Gorka Marquez, the man behind the engagement ring.

Gemma and her fiancé Gorka Marquez, when they met on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017; and now with their two children, Mia and Thiago

They live in Manchester (where she presents the weekday drive time show on Hits Radio) with their children, Mia, six, and Thiago, two, and are waiting to tie the knot until their youngest is old enough to walk down the aisle in the ceremony.

 

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A post shared by Gemma Atkinson (@glouiseatkinson)

“I got my first pair of dumbbells at 11, after my sister’s boyfriend left them at the house! I used to do 10 reps before and after school,” explains Gemma, who later got into martial arts, before starting strength training in her mid-twenties.

But, at 32, Strictly took her fitness to a whole new level. To prepare, she did a bespoke 12-week programme at Ultimate Performance Fitness, a personal training gym in Manchester, involving 45-minute strength training and cardio, four days a week, plus dietary changes. She dropped from 72kg to 68.9kg, and cut her body fat to a lean 11 per cent.

These days, she is known for her ‘mum fitness’ Instagram inspo, where she shares motivational videos of 4.30am workouts before the kids wake up, with her 2.1 million followers. Plus, you’ll see aspirational scenes of wholesome family life – the children playing in the garden with Goldendoodle Benji to Tenerife family holiday snaps.

We’re meeting today because of her new beauty venture Gem & Tonic, a fuss-free skincare brand designed for active women “who do it all” she says. The ‘Gem’ part is a play on her name and also her love of crystals. All the products – which include a post-gym body Boost & Protect Energising Body Lotion, £22, as well as haircare and skincare – are infused with mineral-rich gemstones, such as malachite (apparently rich in copper for detoxifying) and olivine, which contains magnesium for soothing aching muscles.

Writer Florence Scordoulis (left) and Gemma Atkinson at the launch event for Gem & Tonic

Her approach to fitness has changed as she’s got older; these days it’s no longer about looking good, but working out for longevity. Having lost her 52-year-old father when she was 17 to a stress-induced heart attack, she reflects, “When I was younger, I was thinking, how can I have bigger muscles? But now it’s about, how can I have more quality of life?”

Women often message her saying they wish they had her early morning fitness motivation, especially with young children in the picture. However, she admits that she doesn’t always have it. “Sometimes, I’m thinking I could have stayed in bed, it’s freezing. That’s why you have to be disciplined, like brushing your teeth, because you know the consequences if you don’t. If you don’t have time for wellness, you won’t have time for sickness.”

The conversation turns to weight loss jabs, and Gemma takes a cautious view. Strength training and a protein-rich diet need to be part of the picture, she says. “The idea of a functioning body is to lose fat while increasing muscle mass, but they [the jabs] can reduce both, which isn’t healthy long-term.”

Refreshingly, there’s no perfectionism here. Gemma still loves sharing a pizza and bag of Maltesers on a Saturday night with the kids, and, her mantra is, “prioritise 80 per cent of what your body needs to thrive and 20 percent of what keeps you sane. And if that’s a G&T with the girls at the weekend, then go for it!”

Here, she shares her guide to future-proofing your health.

9 wellness wins Gemma Atkinson swears by

1. Hack your motivation (and cycle) with a Whoop tracker

Gemma is never without her Whoop, £169, a wrist health tracker that gives the wearer a ‘Whoop age’, score based on nine biometrics including sleep, resting heart rate and steps. Hers is six years younger, at an impressive 34. Gorka introduced her to the device. “He knows about all the latest fitness trends because of dancing,” she says.

She uses the in-app cycle tracking feature, which gives bespoke diet and training recommendations based on your hormonal forecast, to get the most out of her workouts. During her period, it reminds her to slow down and prioritise recovery. But, she adds, “we view periods as negative, but it’s our trump card. Men have the same capabilities, week in week out. But there are certain times when we’re physically stronger than usual – just after ovulation [around day 12], when oestrogen peaks— so we can use that to our advantage, for example, going for a personal best at the gym.”

The Whoop keeps her more balanced when it comes to partying. “After drinking at my 40th, the scores put me off overdoing it like I used to!” she says.

Gemma with her Whoop fitness tracker

2. Increase calorie burn with a weighted vest

There has been a boom in the popularity of the weighted vest – as seen on the likes of Liz Earle, Jessica Alba and Davina McCall – and Gemma is all in. “Lots of women message me to say they don’t have time for the gym or know which size dumbbells to use. So, I recommend this [weighted vest], because you can do simple body weight exercises — like squats — but with an extra 15kg.”

She uses the weight-adjustable Blk Box Utility Weighted Vest, £94.99, on dog walks and twice weekly for 20 minutes, on the Stairmaster in her home gym. She adds 15kg plates to increase the intensity.

Gorka bought it for her when her mobility was limited after an emergency Caesarean, which meant she had to switch up her workouts. “I couldn’t do anything other than long walks for 16 weeks, so wanted an extra challenge,” she says. He even had their daughter’s name ‘Mia’ inscribed on the back, for motivation.

Gemma’s gadgets: her weighted vest (Instagram: @glouiseatkinson) and a Stairmaster

3. Sleep on a grounding mattress to wake up refreshed

Having a two-year-old who wakes in the night means that sleep is both challenging and precious for Gemma. She adores her grounding mat, a device that slips under the bedsheet, to allow electrons to flow from the earth into the body — and plugs into your wall outlet (connecting only with the ‘grounding port’, so it doesn’t carry electrical current, only the earth’s natural energy.) This is thought to reduce inflammation, ease stress and improve sleep.

It simulates the natural benefits of ‘grounding’ by walking barefoot outside, of which Gemma is a huge fan. “I do it in the garden every morning and whenever I can. I say to the kids, go outside, get your feet wet! I started looking into the benefits, which is how I came across the mattress.”

“I sleep on the Grooni Grounding Sleeping Bed Mat Single, £95.50. Now, I feel less sluggish and my muscles less achey in the morning, even when Tiago wakes me up.”

But, Gemma is not the only one who values her sleep. Gorka has invested in a smart mattress for them: the Eight Sleep Pod 5 Core, from £2549, which allows for a different temperature on each side of the bed. “Being Spanish, he hates the cold!” she laughs.

Gorka and Gemma (Instagram: @glouiseatkinson), and the Grooni Grounding Sleeping Mat

4. Easy vegetarian shortcuts to protein-load your breakfast

A typical workout week in her home gym involves one heavy strength day, two cardio, a day of resistance training and a ‘complexes’ day, performing a sequence at the same weight without rest. As a ‘flexitarian’, who rarely eats meat, Gemma has to be mindful of getting enough iron (for this she takes Ape Nutrition Grass-free Beef Spleen) and eating enough protein, especially as she’s building muscle through strength training.

So after a 45-minute morning workout, it’s a high protein breakfast. “Usually, I have a cheese omelette with greens, like spinach. Adding kefir to muesli, instead of milk, is a fantastic way to add protein [at 9g of protein per cup].”

She takes supermarket boiled egg snack pots to work at Hits Radio and drinks Willpowders Vanilla Keto Protein, £38, because, she says, “it’s sustainably sourced, grassfed bone broth, so there’s no crap in it, nothing artificial. You can also get little travel packs for when you’re on the go, which are amazing.”

Instagram: @glouiseatkinson

5. 10-minute mother-daughter restorative yoga before bed

A consistent bedtime routine for ‘sleep hygiene’ is a big priority for Gemma and the wind down starts at 8pm with a 10-minute yoga recovery video on YouTube from Yoga with Adriene or Madfit . Daughter Mia joins in. “Last night we made animal shapes for kids, like tree pose for a giraffe,” she says. “I’ll explain that it’s mummy’s time to unwind, and Mia will reply, ‘I know, you’ve had a busy day’. And I’ll say, ‘so have you!’”

Once Mia is in bed, she makes time for a stretching routine on the Gowod personalised mobility program app. “Stretching is so important. The body shapes the way you move it, so I’m a big believer in trying to do this as much as possible.”

Before lights out at 9:30pm, she wears her Ace & Tate Blue Light-blocking Glasses to watch TV in bed (Only Murders In The Building is her current obsession) — “it helps me switch off and think about something else.”

Working out with her daughter Mia, and having a cosy evening in (Instagram: @glouiseatkinson)

6. Increase your magnesium to stop chocolate cravings

Magnesium has a host of benefits including helping sleep and relaxing muscles and Gemma takes Ultimate Performance Ultramag magnesium supplements, £19,99, every night. She increases the dose from two to three capsules before her period. It also helps her with chocolate cravings.

“The week before your period, your body craves chocolate — but a lot of the time it’s because you have magnesium deficiency,” she explains (cacao is rich in magnesium). “Now I get fewer cravings for chocolate, but if I want to treat myself, I’ll have 100 per cent dark chocolate, melted over frozen blueberries.”

7. Keep confidence-boosting crystals in your bra

The inspiration behind Gem & Tonic’s mineral-infused skincare lies in Gemma’s own crystal obsession, tied to the concept of chakras, energy centres in the body said to influence physical and emotional wellbeing.

“I find rose quartz calming: just stick it in your bra if you’ve got something going on, it helps to ground you! I do this before a big meeting, and also put it under the kid’s mattresses to help them sleep.” She adds, “Maybe it’s placebo, but it works”.

Regular Reiki energy healing sessions help her balance energy in the body and remove blockages. “It’s a total detox, physical and mental,” she explains. “Last time, I went for ankle pain, but ended up visualising myself on a canoe in calm waters, going in the right direction and I felt much lighter.”

Gemma at home (Instagram: @glouiseatkinson)

8. Juice a whole cucumber and half an apple

Jason Vale’s seven-day Juice Master Retreats in Portugal, from £1090 (€1260), has been a regular in Gemma’s calendar for several years as a gut detox. It involves drinking only juices, herbal teas and water in summer, plus soups in winter. “Initially, I struggled with headaches, but by day three I felt like a different person: my skin was brighter and mood transformed. After, you feel so good you don’t want to eat crap,” she explains.

During her pregnancies, she suffered water retention and picked up a tip from Vale of juicing a whole cucumber and half an apple. “Within a week my water retention had started to decrease. I’ve stuck to it even after pregnancy because I’ve grown to love the taste and the wake up boost it gives me in the mornings,” she has shared on Instagram.

While breastfeeding she also supplemented her nutrition with Vale’s Juicemaster Delivered 3-Day Juice Cleanse. “I needed more calories and was struggling to eat more food, but I thought, if I can’t eat, I can drink. And I knew that these contained whole vegetables and fruits, all the good stuff.”

Jason Vale’s seven-day Juice Master Retreats in Portugal

9. Hormone testing for perimenopause prep

Having begun to experience brain fog and conscious of future-proofing her health for perimenopause, Gemma recently took an at-home DUTCH (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones) test, with functional hormone nutritionist, and Gloss Book expert, Pippa Campbell. It gives a comprehensive picture of hormones including, oestrogen, progesterone, thyroid hormones and cortisol over the course of several days via urine.

Gemma is awaiting results. “It’s about taking control and seeing what my body is doing, so I can work with it,” she says.

Her 71-year-old mum Sandra breezed through her menopause — while her older sister Nina, 47, struggled. Gemma is conscious that it could go either way for her and is coming prepared. “Ultimately, it’s the body doing its job. We shouldn’t look down on the menopause, it’s meant to happen”.

Shop Gemma Atkinson’s new skincare range, Gem & Tonic, now.