Women's Health February 21, 2026 0 Comments

The Untold Reason Keke Palmer Swears by Pilates—And How It Transforms Her Body and Mind Like Nothing Else!

Ever wonder how someone like Keke Palmer manages to juggle a bustling acting career, motherhood, and still carve out sacred morning moments dedicated to Pilates? At just 32, Keke’s not only starring in the fresh Peacock series The ‘Burbs alongside Jack Whitehall but also mastering the art of balance—literally and figuratively. What’s her secret sauce? An hour every day to connect with her mind and body through Pilates, a ritual so profound she recently got certified to teach it herself. It’s impressive, sure, but it begs the question: in a world that never stops spinning, how do we prioritize what truly matters without burning out? Keke’s answer is as much about discipline as it is about self-preservation—and she’s sharing it all in the latest episode of Women’s Health’s Well Said series. Buckle up, because this isn’t your everyday wellness spiel—it’s a masterclass in cutting through the chaos and finding strength in stillness.

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Keke Palmer may be spending her days and nights, of late, in The ‘Burbs (as in her new Peacock series co-starring English comedian Jack Whitehall), but despite a jam-packed schedule, the 32-year-old has been sure to carve out at least an hour every morning for her most sacred of wellness rituals: Pilates.

“Even when we had an early call time, I would try to have a class,” Keke tells Women’s Health in the latest episode of the video series Well Said. “One of the main reasons I love Pilates so much is because I can be the control and the chaos—it’s like I’m observing myself in my mind while I’m doing these movements. I feel just so strong at the end.”

Keke loves Pilates so much that she recently got certified to teach the modality and is launching a wellness platform called Practice by Palmer, where she’ll lead Pilates workouts. (All of which leaves us wondering, where does the busy actor and mom find the time!?!)

Given Keke’s growing list of responsibilities, she’s had to learn how to prioritize what truly matters. And the rest? Well, it’s given the boot!

“The most underrated wellness tip that I live by is cutting people off,” she says. “I reached a point, especially after having my son, where I was just like, ‘Nobody needs me. Nobody wants this. Nobody cares, not like my baby does.’ He actually needs me, and it put things into perspective. It was like a liberation that happened where it’s like, you can care and you can still do less, and everything’s gonna be all right. It just gave me so much more out of life to see things that way.”

Ready for more life lessons from Keke? Click play on the episode of Well Said above to hear the full rundown of her wellness rituals.

Amy Wilkinson is a contributing entertainment editor at Women’s Health, where she edits the magazine’s celebrity cover stories and writes health features. She has previously held editor titles at Entertainment Weekly and MTV News. In 2021, Amy completed her 600-hour teacher-training at Core Pilates NYC to become a comprehensively trained Pilates instructor.