Kristen Bell understands the struggle of juggling fitness with a busy lifestyle, so she’s found creative ways to stay active throughout the day. Instead of stressing over long workouts, she fits in short bursts of exercise whenever she can. “I desperately try to squeeze in a 15-minute cycling session, but if it disrupts my schedule, I’ll do it later,” she told Business Insider.
She also keeps her workouts interesting by constantly switching things up. “I’ll hike every day for six weeks, but the moment it starts feeling routine, I change it up,” she explained.
A big believer in “exercise snacking,” Bell finds ways to stay active even during daily tasks. She stashes small weights under her furniture so she can sneak in bicep curls while cooking. At night, she pairs simple exercises with her routine: “When I let the dogs out at 9 p.m., I do 24 squats.”
When it comes to mealtime, Bell takes a realistic, no-fuss approach. While her husband, actor Dax Shepard, isn’t much of a cook, she keeps things simple. “I just pop things in the microwave and make it work,” she admitted.
Their two daughters, aged 10 and 11, have different eating habits—and they can be picky. With Shepard following a gluten-free, high-protein diet and Bell recently reintroducing meat into her meals after 30 years of being vegetarian, everyone in the household eats a little differently. Despite this, she prioritizes the experience of eating together: “The community of eating is far more important to me than the presentation.”
Bell also encourages her daughters to be mindful of how food affects them. She doesn’t ban treats but promotes balance: “I don’t tell them they can’t have a doughnut, but I do ask them to notice how they feel 30 minutes later.”
As a mom, she recognizes that kids crave sweet drinks, which is why she’s invested in Plezi, a lower-sugar beverage brand. “Water should be the go-to, but kids are going to ask for something sweet. You can either argue with them all night or give them a Plezi, which still feels like a treat,” she said.
Evenings in the Bell-Shepard household are all about family time. By 7:30 p.m., everyone heads upstairs to wind down. Bell often sleeps in her daughters’ room because they don’t like being alone, while Shepard enjoys the master bedroom to himself.
Before bed, they spend about 45 minutes talking. Bell cherishes these moments because her daughters are most open at night, sharing details about their day. They also read together as a family and are currently enjoying Mandy by Julie Andrews. Sometimes, Shepard entertains them by using their stuffed animals to act out stories.
Although their home has multiple bedrooms, Bell insists her daughters share a room. For her, bedtime isn’t just about rest—it’s about making her kids feel safe, connected, and reassured that the day is over, and all is well.