Keke Palmer talked about self-love, her favorite workout and saying no

Keke Palmer talked about self-love, her favorite workout and saying no

Despite her busy schedule, Keke Palmer makes it a point to take care of herself. In fact, ahead of a promotional tour for her latest films, a thriller called Nope and the animated film Lightyear, the 29-year-old actress focused on her well-being in preparation for the travel and work ahead, she explained in a recent interview with Women's Health.

Palmer preemptively visited a health-focused spa before embarking on the promotional tour and spent her time meditating, yoga, working out and resting, she told the magazine. "I've learned over the years that in order to stay sane and physically keep this machine running, I need to pour into myself as often as possible," said Palmer, who admitted she didn't always think that way.

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As someone who rose to fame at a young age, the actress is no stranger to the hectic culture that is particularly present in the film and television industry. "It became a habit to work hard," she said in the interview, sharing that this lifestyle has led to exhaustion, loss of voice and even fainting spells in the past.

That’s where self-care came into play. Palmer began therapy at age 17 and took up yoga shortly after, Women's Health reports. When she started doing yoga "to look good" in hopes of landing roles in action films, she realized the practice was about so much more than just aesthetics. "I discovered that appreciating your mind, body and spirit doesn't have to lead to six-pack abs," she said.

Now, in true 2022 fashion, her favorite workouts can be found in one app. She is a fan of the Melissa Wood Health app, which offers yoga-infused Pilates classes and meditations. “My body responds incredibly well to Pilates,” Palmer said during the interview. "There are videos that are 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 40 minutes long. It's so smart because sometimes we only have 10 minutes." (Psst: Learn all about the benefits of Pilates and yoga.)

In addition to practicing yoga and Pilates, Palmer is dedicated to showing her love. "It hit me that I need to practice loving myself the same way I act," she told Women's Health. This is evident in the way Palmer spoke openly about her diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that can cause acne, excessive facial and body hair, fertility problems, and irregular periods, according to the Mayo Clinic. She shared how the disorder has affected her, revealing that she had severe acne on Instagram to normalize skin blemishes.

The actress also gives herself love by telling people no, a skill she has been practicing for the past two years, according to Women's Health. "I realized that it's hard to say no because we don't trust," she explained in a recent interview. "We don't trust that if we say no, the opportunity will come again. Or we don't trust that we've made the right choice if we say no. Or we're afraid that if we say no, we'll offend someone. But I realized that saying yes to a lot of things stresses me out the most." (See: Queen Latifah 'Practices' of Saying No to Jobs That Don't Align with Her Health Goals)

Palmer seems to have the whole self-care thing down pat. Say no, love yourself and take care of your well-being even when you are busy.