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When I asked Ciara what motivated her to start taking even better care of her health, I was struck by her answer.
"I just pray that I can be on this Earth for a long time, to witness a lot of beautiful moments that my kids are going to experience, and with Russ," the 39-year-old singer and record label CEO said emphatically over Zoom, referring to her NFL quarterback husband, Russell Wilson, and the blended family's four young children.
Sure, most people would say they look after their health to live longer (and, let's be honest, stay cute). But the way Ciara describes it — looking seriously into the distance, her flawless platinum blonde hair contrasting with her quietly luxurious black track jacket — it seems as if she really, really means it.
Ciara's combination of intense enthusiasm and sincerity is the same as we speak about topics as varied as pizza, taking a bath, and sitting on her porch in New York City. She and Wilson, 36, relocated to New York City after the quarterback joined the New York Giants earlier this year.
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This ability to make anything she turns her attention to thrilling is part of the special sauce that has kept her relevant since 2004, when, at age 18, she released her quadruple platinum debut album "Goodies." That sauce also drips onto her signature sticatto dance moves and when she smoulders powerfully onstage and in music videos, most recently for her latest album, "CiCi," released back in August.
Now, Ciara's day-to-day is about trying to keep doing those things she loves for as long as possible. She shared how she spends the hours she's not working in Business Insider's 5-9 series, as part of her partnership with the creatine company, Thorne.
Organizing chaos
You exude this fun, self-assured, yet positive and calm vibe. How do you maintain that while juggling a busy career and raising four kids? Is it morning rituals, clever scheduling, or leaning on your village?
First of all, you're so kind, and it's a combination of all of the above. There's definitely no "I" in team, and my life is what I call organized chaos — all good chaos, but it's chaos.
Having a schedule is a game changer and gives me clarity in the midst of the chaos, even down to scheduling my free time. Sometimes I write down "2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: time with babies" or whatever it may be.
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That sounds very helpful. What do you have for breakfast? Do you have a goal in mind?
It depends. Sometimes I have a more intense regimen because I'm preparing for something like a red carpet or a performance. And when I'm in that zone, I'm really mindful of what I consume.
I like to kick off my day with creatine because I need that energy boost. I need that support for my cognitive functioning.
How has your morning routine changed over the years? Is longevity and aging well a priority for you right now?
When it comes to health, you have to be looking ahead. I've always been a little bit curious about health and pretty tapped in, but I just started to create a strong desire for being intentional about my health.
As you get older, you crave things that are going to only help you get better. I have good muscle memory, but I can't rely on that forever.
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I want to be more intentional with what I'm feeding my body: doing my best to make better health choices.
What I've learned, from my trainers to close friends who take great care of themselves, is that you've got to start work early versus trying to do it when things start to creep up on you.
Staying consistent with healthy habits
What was the catalyst for you to level up your health?
The mom in me thinks a little deeper about everything. I just pray that I can be on this Earth for a long time to witness a lot of beautiful moments that my kids are going to experience, and with Russ. I love life, I really do, and I like making the best of life. That's one of my goals: living life to the fullest.
I feel so blessed to wake up to the love of my life every day. I feel so blessed to do things that we get to do together. It's just my pure desire to do those things, and also I just want to take care of me.
How do you make time for movement? Are you into intense workouts or more chilled practices like yoga? You always seem so upbeat!
I think you got the right idea, Kashmira. I'm an energy kind of girl. Russ and I definitely train together whenever we can; it's always so much fun.
When I train, I definitely love the energy to be high. I'm not so much of a yoga girl like that. Will I do yoga? Yeah, but I like to keep the energy going and flowing.
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What do you do when you work out? Pilates? Boxing? HIIT?
It's a combination of everything. I actually haven't boxed in a while, but I do love boxing. Rehearsals, that's another great way to work out. I love dancing, obviously, that's a big part of my identity, and it's a big part of my jam. I love when I learn a routine and then come back a little more snatched.
I love taking jogs in the street too, especially here in New York. It's fun to run out here in these beautiful streets and see all the buildings, the people, the vibrant energy that just radiates from the streets. It's so cool. It's like running in a movie every day.
Yes, I used to run in London along the river, and I was like, "Wow, I'm the main character of this film."
Yeah, right. It's really cool.
Tasting the Big Apple
As you wind down for the day, how does dinnertime work in your household?
We love food. One of our great connecting moments is when the family sits down and eats together, or our date nights.
Russ is getting ready for football right now, so he's a bit more conscious of his choices to stay lean for the field.
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Sometimes I'll join him on that journey, and sometimes, I'm like, "You do that chicken breast, and I'll do this pizza."
We kind of go based off what we're feeling, but everything in moderation is the ultimate thing. Even with our kids and treats: they love their candy, they love their desserts, but it's like, "OK, let's do it in moderation."
How do you decide where you go for date nights? Are you rolling a dice to see whether you're eating takeout on the sofa or getting dressed up?
We both put options out there, but Russ does so much better than me picking what we're going to do. I'm just like, "Babe, you do it."
Romance me!
Well, he's naturally so romantic, so I just trust him. He's got it. If he picks it, it's going to be great. He's 10 for 10 with the restaurant choices. And again, we love our food, so we tag team.
How else do you spend your evenings? I have this image of you sitting with Missy Elliot and Normani drinking cocktails.
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It depends. In New York, you have so many options. It could be a date night, it could be me and my girls getting together for a meal. That's always fun.
Sometimes I just sit on my back porch and just look at the city or listen to the city. I love that. The sound of the city is like music. It's very peaceful.
They say New York is the city that never sleeps, but when the city does actually sleep, it's a really beautiful sound and view. Nothing beats it.
Even something as simple as sitting in the bathtub is a game changer. Sometimes the simplest things have the biggest impact.
