Carrie Underwood doesn't work out to be a 'certain size': 'It is overall taking care of yourself'

Carrie Underwood has shifted her perspective on fitness.

In a new interview with People, the American Idol alum, 39, opened up about how she used to work out to fit into a body image ideal.

"I feel like earlier in my career I was working out more to be a certain size or fit into a certain aesthetic that I thought I wanted to be," the mom of two, who launched the workout app Fit52 in 2020, explained. "And now I feel like I work out more to be strong and to have energy and longevity."

Underwood said that she now considers working out "part of the long game" for overall health and wellness.

"I've worked out a whole lot and been frustrated because it wasn't the results that I wanted," she said. "I feel like now at this point in my life, you really do learn that it is a lifestyle, it's balance. It is overall taking care of yourself."

Underwood has previously spoken about feeling insecure in her own skin. In 2020, the "Before He Cheats" singer told Women’s Health that reading body-shaming comments on message boards during the early days of her career — which included accusations she was "getting fat" — made her reevaluate her diet and exercise routine.

"I was tired, and I kept buying bigger clothes," she said. "I knew I could be better for myself, and I let my haters be my motivators."

However, while she tried to eat healthfully, she said she sometimes restricted her calories too greatly, leading to low energy levels.

"I would 'fall off the wagon,' then feel terrible and repeat the cycle," she explained. "Your body is screaming out, I need more calories, I need more carbs!"

She told Women's Health that she found balance by making gym time a part of her "self-care" routine.

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