Hip hop dance lover, proud grandmother, and certified health coach, Bobbi Brown leads a busy life and prioritizing health has always been on the forefront. She also happens to be a beauty mogul, launching her second empire with Jones Road Beauty at the age of 63. Self-described as curious, positive, and real, she’s seemingly lived multiple lives, all to the fullest…and arguably, she is just getting started.
On fitness as a priority…
I'm prioritizing my fitness for many reasons, but having a 14-month-old granddaughter is top of the list. I started doing weighted baby carries in the gym, which involve exercises while holding sandbags. I want to make sure I can continue to pick her up and not hurt my back. I’ve made a ton of progress and continue to get stronger. So for someone in her mid-60s, I continue to understand the importance of getting flexible and strong.
On the non-negotiables…
One thing that is constant, no matter what, is I walk. It's the greatest thing. And I usually use my time walking to call people. I walk between an hour and an hour-and-a-half every day, which is about 10,000 steps. And then a couple days a week when I'm in my home base, I take a hip hop class. It is a quick, high-energy exercise class that is a whole lot of fun. I love hip hop music — Biggie, a lot of early Will Smith, and Rihanna. Music and dance produce joy that stays with you.
And look, it's hard to have any conversation without discussing how distraught I am about the world. Whether people like it or not, whatever is happening in the world affects everyone's health and well-being, but I can't let it take over my life. I'm really trying to make sure that my happiness is contained in my little bubble that I can control, which is often my family, my health, and my work.
On building strength…
That's my January gift to myself, working with a trainer a few times a week and committing to strength training. I know how important it is at my age and I’m ready to dive in.
On following any particular diet…
I could talk about this for hours. I grew up in the 70s and I followed my mother on every diet of the moment. Decades later I learned that it's not about following a diet to lose weight, it's about what you do all the time. I went back to school and got my degree at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, so I am a certified health coach. I’ve never practiced, but I do give advice constantly. If I had to put a label on what I do, it's intuitive eating and I like to think I eat really healthy. I don't eat processed foods, I eat as many real grown-in-the-ground foods as I can. It’s hard to stay on track with the amount of travel and eating out that I do, but I do the best I can. And I also discovered that eating a little bit of bread with my meals helps fill me up, and it gives me so much joy. I really like bread.
On launching a new beauty empire in her 60s…
Well, I didn't feel done. I left a very successful company and career and I suddenly had nothing on my radar. I was elated to be able to put my sneakers on and be a normal person and not always be the lady clicking her high heels together, which is what working in corporate America was for me. But I realized I missed working with a team of people and creating things and dealing with issues and figuring them out. And so Jones Road is almost like a dream for me. It's like, what if there was no one standing in your way, what would you do? Jones Road is that brand for me.
On the connection between health and beauty...
I know that when you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and say, ‘I look awful,’ it's because you probably feel awful. How you look and how you feel are so connected. I know I look my best when I feel my best. It goes hand in hand.
On health in her 40s, 50s, and 60s…
In my 40s I was definitely not focused on my health. I had my third baby at 41, and I was in an intense corporate environment, so I was trying to balance my work with my home, with my family. And I think what really got left behind was my health, because I just didn't have time. By the time I turned 50, I had more space and time, however, it wasn’t until I turned 60 where I realized, OK, dude, get it together. My kids were out of the house, I had left this very big company, and I'm like, OK, I'm in charge now. So it's really where I've been spending a lot of my time and energy. And by the way, you never get there, right? It's like, yes, I'm doing all these amazing great things for myself, and I'm feeling remarkably good for 66, but I also know that there's room for improvement, and I'm trying to figure it out.
On why Lifeforce works for her…
I have all these experts that I could text, call, email at my fingertips, and yet I was not feeling 100 percent. I needed something to help me take better control of my health journey. So I reached out to my network and a trusted resource told me about Lifeforce — that they provide amazing, holistic, functional care, and I was like, alright, sounds perfect. For me, it's all about being open to trying new things. I don't need a major overhaul, I just need little tweaks and shifts.
On her Lifeforce experience…
I have to say that after signing up, I love how quickly Lifeforce sent someone to my house to take my blood. My telehealth visit to walk me through my biomarkers was fantastic. I never thought in a million years I would have low vitamin D. My clinician thought taking it would be a game changer for my sleep, and she was absolutely right. My sleep problems have seemed to somehow go away. I'm about ready to be retested to see where I am now and I’m excited to learn what I can work on next. I understand these things all take time. So I'm excited about the next stage, and I'm excited for my husband to try — family is my priority and I’m committed to all of us living healthy, long lives.
Ready to prioritize your health and longevity? Learn more about Lifeforce and join Bobbi HERE.
This article was medically reviewed by Vinita Tandon, MD, ABIM Board Certified in Endocrinology and Metabolism.
