Country star Carrie Underwood always tries to squeeze in an early morning workout because the time alone in the gym makes her a better woman.
The Before He Cheats singer admits carving out the time isn't always easy as a working mother-of-two, but she's found it's the easiest way to get her in a good mood first thing.
"It allows me to be better up there (onstage) having that hour in the morning," she said. "I'm a better mum, I'm a better performer, I'm a better wife. I just feel better when I get to do that."
Getting back into an exercise routine has also been crucial in helping to boost Carrie's self-confidence after welcoming her second child, son Jacob, in January (19), even though she initially struggled to accept her post-baby figure.
In March (19), she shared a candid Instagram post detailing her body battles after a tough few weeks.
"I'm going to be honest, 'bouncing back' after having Jacob has been much more difficult than after I had (first son) Isaiah and I've been pretty hard on myself lately," she began.
"I go into the gym and I can't run as fast or as far. I can't lift as much weight or do as many reps as I could a year ago. I just want to feel like myself again...for my body to feel the way that I know it can..."
Carrie, who is married to retired ice hockey star Mike Fisher, went on to promise herself she would adopt a more positive approach to regaining her fitness, because she recognises how hard her body has worked to give birth to two healthy children.
And as she prepared to kick off her Cry Pretty Tour on Wednesday (01May19), the star insisted her new philosophy had really turned her life around: "I feel really good and it's because I stopped trying to be perfect and I started putting one foot in front of the other, instead of trying to plan everything out," she beamed on U.S. breakfast show Today.
