IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Carrie Underwood talks 'lazy' beauty, everyday must-haves and workout advice for busy moms

"I feel like things don’t have to be complicated."
Nathan Congleton / TODAY

There's no denying that Carrie Underwood has a lot on her plate. The Grammy Award-winning mom of two is gearing up to embark on another leg of her Denim & Rhinestones Tour, prepping for the summer return of her Las Vegas residency, "Reflection," and yet she still somehow finds time to keep up with her intense fitness regimen.

It wasn't always that way. Underwood, who is a spokesperson for Bodyarmor, shares that her passion for fitness didn't really start until after she won "American Idol" in her early 20s. "Traveling around like that and kind of living the entertainer lifestyle, I realized what a toll it can take on your body and on your mind."

Her focus prioritizing her health is actually a big reason why she's able to do so much. "Health and fitness is not just a thing I do, it's a part of my life," Underwood tells Shop TODAY, "And I feel like there are so many things that hinge on me taking care of myself."

She also says she was experiencing some of those common shifts that start to happen when you exit the high-energy days of your adolescence. "I found myself feeling sluggish and not feeling like I had as much energy or had that get-up-and-go that I did when I was younger, when I was in my teens," she adds. "So that's when I started taking a look at what I was putting in my body, how I was treating my body. I wanted to be around doing what I do for a long time and I just slowly started getting into it. I've learned a lot along the way, and now I know what it feels like when I don't work out, when I don't eat right, when I don't stay hydrated and I don't like that."

Now though, it's pretty clear to us that she has her wellness routine on lock (she does have her own fitness app, fit52, after all) — which is why we had to ask if she had any tips for other busy moms who might be struggling to get into a good workout routine. Her biggest piece of advice? Start slowly.

"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," Underwood says. "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."

"Doing little things along the way really does add up," she later adds. "Eating right, staying hydrated, moving more, it's not super difficult."

As a part of our Shopping Diaries series, we asked Underwood to share some of her essential wellness items, from the beauty products that fit into her "lazy" beauty routine to everyday must-haves.

Shopping Diaries: Carrie Underwood

Bodyarmor Lyte Sports Drink

Underwood — who entered an equity partnership with Bodyarmor Sport Drink in 2021 — says that the Bodyarmor sports drinks help her stay hydrated. The fridge on her bus is stocked with Bodyarmor Lyte and she drinks the Bodyarmor SportWater while on stage.

While there are plenty of tasty flavors, she says that "orange Clementine has always been always been a favorite of mine."

Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands

"I feel like things don't have to be complicated," she says, in regards to the tools that have helped her on her fitness journey. "And when I think about things to workout with, 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."

While she didn't share the specific bands that she loves, we found these popular (and affordable) resistance bands on Amazon that are easy to pack in your suitcase.

Sunday Riley Face Oil


When asked describe her beauty routine, Underwood summed it up in just one word: "Lazy." (We would guess that this is the only area of her life where the word applies.) "I'm terrible at regimens and stuff like that," she says. "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. So I love oils ... I feel like oils are something that's easy. And I'll do anything from Sunday Riley to whatever I find at Whole Foods. I'm honestly not picky, as long as it soaks in and doesn't make me look greasy."

Weleda Skin Food Original Ultra-Rich Cream

Underwood adds that Weleda popular rich Skin Food Cream is a "good moisturizer." "It's not even expensive, but it's easy, you can kind of find it anywhere and it does a good job."