Storm Reid Shares How Her Mom Inspired Her to Embark On Her Wellness Journey
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Whether she's on camera cooking up something delicious or filming sweaty post-workout videos from her backyard, Storm Reid loves letting fans in on her wellness routine. But the 17-year-old Euphoria star doesn't just post these moments for clicks or likes. She says she defines a healthy lifestyle beyond physicality and aesthetics; she believes that one must be mentally and emotionally intact as well.
"To have an overall healthy body, for me, it's really [about] self-love and making sure that I take care of myself, whether that is moving my body or taking time off and resting my body," Reid tells Shape. "It's about putting good things into my body, but having that balance of giving myself a little leeway. It depends on each person, but when a person is healthy mentally and emotionally, then physically they'll probably be healthier as well."
"Of course, there's the aesthetic part of it and you want to look a certain way," she adds. "But it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside if you're not happy on the inside."
It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside if you're not happy on the inside.
—Storm Reid
Reid credits her mom, Robyn Simpson, for teaching her the value of taking care of her body. Throughout her childhood, Reid took dance classes and tried tennis — neither of which really worked out, she jokes — but as a member of a pretty physical family, she says she managed to stay active. "I started to take [fitness] more seriously two years ago because my mom is a very physical person, and I always saw her working out," Reid shares.
Bearing witness to her mom's athleticism encouraged her to embark on her own fitness exploration, which she instantly fell in love with, she continues. "[Working out] just made me feel good, and it set precedent for how my day was gonna be — especially during quarantine, it took my mind off of things, so I loved it," she says. "I can't not work out!" (Related: The Biggest Mental and Physical Benefits of Working Out)
Reid's favorite exercise? Squats — especially jump squats. "I love a good leg day," she admits, adding that she loves to challenge herself to hop higher with each jump squat. The actor says she also likes to test herself in cardio, whether it's 30-second treadmill sprints or laps around the basketball court. "I try to put my game face on and just move," she explains.
She often teams up with her mom for her sweat sessions, too. But the A Wrinkle in Time actor says they never take themselves too seriously. "Of course we're working out, but we're also goofing off or listening to music," says Reid. Sometimes, she adds, the two will playfully compete to see who can finish their workout first, or sing and dance in between breaks.
No matter what their workout looks like, though, Reid says she and her mom are there to push each other. "She's my motivator, and I feel like she feels the same way about me," she says. "It's not something that needs to be taken so seriously where it starts to feel like a toll or a burden. You should feel free. We approach fitness and wellness in the macro level of how we feel emotionally." (Related: Why Having a Fitness Buddy Is the Best Thing Ever)
She's my motivator, and I feel like she feels the same way about me.
—Storm Reid
Reid seems to take a similarly gentle, holistic approach when it comes to her diet. "I try not to put too much pressure on myself or unrealistic expectations when it comes to eating a certain way," she explains. Some days, she continues, she'll "eat six chocolate chip cookies," and other days she'll crave fruit.
Either way, she says her mom is always there to support her (and, TBH, hold her accountable, she adds). "I'm a big fruit person, so there's always lots of pineapples and apples in my house," says Reid. "I'm [also] a big fiend for cherries and peaches. Those are my main fruits that my mom keeps stocked in the kitchen because I'm always down there trying to find a snack."
Reid says she's not as big a fan of vegetables, but her mom knows how to "throw down in the kitchen" and kick healthy food up a notch thanks to her Southern roots. "She does a great job of making vegetables [and] making them taste good, whether that's broccoli or making sweet potatoes for us in the afternoon time during meetings," the actor boasts of her mom's cooking.
Reid knows how to kill it in the kitchen, too. She recently launched Chop It Up, a cooking-themed Facebook Watch series featuring candid conversations about culture, dating, mental health, technology, and more, between herself and her friends while they prepare food together. From discussions about women empowerment to heart-to-hearts about self-care, Reid says she tries "to get people, specifically older generations, to understand how Generation Z feels about various topics that people may not understand." And what better way to connect with someone and have an honest conversation than to do so while breaking bread and whipping up a delicious meal?
