FEATURE

Top 40 Superstar Olivia Rox Discusses Mental and Physical Health on ‘The Olivia Rox Show’

Published on April 13, 2021

Popstar Olivia Rox recently premiered a special program focusing on healthy eating and exercise on ‘The Olivia Rox Show,’ via Facebook. Not only informative the episode includes entertainment, with Olivia performing live versions of “Princess” and “Shooting Star.”

Olivia’s guest on the show was renowned medical doctor Terry Schroeder, a four-time U.S. Olympic water polo player and head coach of water polo at Pepperdine University. Olivia and Terry discuss how to stay healthy during the pandemic.

Olivia has performed across North America, including the U.S. and Canada, and internationally in Europe, Asia, and Mexico. She exploded on the music scene as a Top 10 Finalist on Season 15 of American Idol. Since then, she’s released a series of Top 40 hits, along with two albums, PopRox and Just A Girl and Her Guitar, as well as becoming a social media celebrity via ‘The Olivia Rox Show.’

Speaking to her own dietary habits, Olivia Rox says, “I don’t like to do any ‘trendy diets’ to get in shape, mostly I just listen to my body and eat whatever I’m craving. But in general, I try to nourish it with whole foods and balanced meals. About a year and a half ago, I cut out meat and went pescatarian, which was a major shift for me since I ate chicken or beef at least once a day. But within a month, I noticed crazy differences, like my skin clearing up. So, I eat a clean diet, with a lot of grilled salmon with sides of veggies, and try to avoid processed foods as much as possible (although chips are my downfall haha). One of my favorite things to incorporate into my day is juicing in the morning. When I have time, I’ll make myself a carrot-apple-ginger fresh juice, right after I wake up, and it’s the perfect kick-starter to the day! I definitely try to add protein to every meal, so for breakfast, I’ll have some eggs too (my mom is the Omelette-making queen).”

She goes on to add, “Another facet of my lifestyle is staying active. As a performer, I do a lot of dancing in my live shows, so keeping my stamina up for that is really important. When I’m in rehearsals for a tour, it becomes like an intensive boot camp! I’ll start my day with a run, then dance for about four hours with my choreographer, hit the rehearsal studio with the band for another four, and if I can, fit in some gym time to stretch or do some elliptical. It’s a lot of hard work! But when I’m not preparing for a show or music video, I only work out about 3-4 times a week, either doing classes, HIIT, horseback riding, ballet, aerial arts, or hiking. I like keeping my workouts varied and challenging.”

Most importantly, Olivia makes time to take care of her soul. She finds time to be creative and schedules “me time,” which she fills with writing, music, playing with and training her dogs, and drawing.

As Olivia says, “You have to make yourself a priority in your life, because no one else will. When you’re working nonstop, you will inevitably burn out. So, taking breaks and days off is crucial!”

In the course of their conversation, Terry Schroeder talks about the value of weight training, cross-training, getting proper amounts of rest, reducing your sugar intake, and keeping it fun, including throwing a frisbee on the beach, pilates, and yoga. He also suggests getting off your phone or computer to maintain your circadian rhythms.

To reduce stress, he advocates body work, such as massage or reiki.

Everyone wants to be healthy and feel well. ‘The Olivia Rox’ show provides practical, down-to-earth recommendations for living better during these unexpected and somewhat bizarre circumstances.

Watch ‘The Olivia Rox Show’ Health Special