Kyle Richards, 55, Says She's Been Sober For A Year And A Half At 'RHOBH' Reunion

Kyle Richards may be known for being one of the glamorous ladies on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but the 55-year-old mom of four isn't afraid to get sweaty. This season, the reality TV personality opened up about her increased dedication to fitness and health. (Of course, in true Housewives fashion, she hasn't totally ditched the glamor—her Birkin bag is a well-documented gym essential.)

“I think back to when I was in my 20s and 30s, and I look better than I did then, and that’s after having four kids,” Kyle told Us Weekly in a December 2023 interview. The Halloween franchise star credits her recent body transformation to a mindset shift. “When I was younger, I used to work out to lose weight,” Kyle said. “Now it’s for me—first and foremost, my mental health. The fact that it makes me look good is just a bonus.”

While the ER alum shared with Us Weekly that she "started working out when [she] was 15" and discussed her past struggles with an eating disorder on RHOBH, Kyle has a more holistic approach to wellness now. "I’ve learned to switch things up and what my body needs," Kyle told the outlet.

And because the Bravolebrity is no stranger to sharing her life with fans, the same goes for her recent fitness and weight loss journey. (And Kyle spilled even more about her health journey during the RHOBH reunion.) Here's everything Kyle Richards has shared about her healthy habits and lifestyle changes:

Kyle doesn't drink alcohol.

The reality star opened up about her decision to get sober on RHOBH, telling her fellow cast members, “I’m exercising and not drinking because guess what, even if I have two glasses of wine, the next day I feel down and depressed. I can’t afford to be depressed right now.”

After making this lifestyle change, Kyle started "seeing results pretty fast," she told Us Weekly. "Even though I wasn’t a big drinker, removing alcohol made such a difference in my skin and how I felt."

And the benefits aren't just physical. Kyle shared in a July 2023 Instagram story that abstaining from alcohol has helped her anxiety. “As someone that has always struggled with anxiety, I was very surprised to find myself surprisingly calm in situations which would normally trigger my anxiety. Safe to say it’s a win-win for me 🙏,” she shared, per PEOPLE.

In a preview of Part 2 of the RHOBH reunion, Kyle shared that she has been sober for a year-and-a-half. When asked by host Andy Cohen how it felt, Kyle said, “It feels amazing. I didn’t feel I had ‘a problem’, so you think why would a change affect you so much? But there’s something about it that does change you.”

Kyle added that her friendship with country singer Morgan Wade (who is also sober) didn’t have an impact on her decision to try sobriety, noting that she had only met Wade “in person once at that point.”

She eliminated certain foods from her diet.

Kyle shared with Us Weekly that she first started her health and fitness journey after having a breast reduction in 2022, and that included cutting out "bad carbs," which meant "no sugar, no pasta, no bread, no alcohol."

These days, her diet is packed with lots of protein. "Breakfast is either a protein shake with a banana or oatmeal with berries. For a snack, I like apples and peanut butter or string cheese. I eat raw nuts when I want something crunchy or a healthy popcorn," she told the publication.

For lunch, Kyle opts for chicken or grilled fish on salad. And dinner is salmon, halibut, or chicken paillard with arugula and lemon.

"I like eating at home so I know what’s going into my food," she added. "If I don’t eat well, it affects my mood."

She changed workouts to address "what her body needs."

Although Kyle shared with Us Weekly that she has "always worked out," she pretty was doing the same workouts "on repeat." Now, the RHOBH star mixes it up a bit more. "I’d go on hikes and spin. I started including weights, hot yoga [and] running, especially when going through a hard time. It really clears my head," Kyle said.

Kyle has also shared that running is one of her favorite workouts at the moment. "I just feel like running is where I’m seeing the most results with my body,” she said during an Amazon Live, via The New York Post. “I’m really enjoying pushing myself seeing how much faster I can run.”

Kyle also added during Part 2 of the RHOBH reunion that she has been working out since she was 15 because she “had to. I had two sisters who were stick thin and I was curvy. I just didn’t talk about it as much.”

She recently showed off her yoga skills.

In January 2024, Kyle shared a video of herself doing some partner yoga with her instructor Alina at a resort in Punta de Mita, Mexico, where she showed off her serious core strength in a matching black-and-white workout set.

"I have always been my worst critic but now I am appreciative of my body and all that it has carried me through," she wrote on Instagram.

Kyle doesn’t want to lose any more weight.

Now, Kyle is focused on using fitness to challenge her body, rather than change it.

"I don’t want to lose any more weight. I’m five-foot-two, and the heaviest I ever was was 132 [pounds]," she said. "Now, it’s settled at 117. [But] I need to change up my workouts because my body has become accustomed. I have this trainer—CoryG Fitness on Instagram—and he’ll email me a routine. You have to keep changing it constantly, otherwise the progress will halt."

You Might Also Like

• Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream

• These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals