Summer is a weird time for fitness. On the one hand, you want to be as healthy as possible to show off those toned limbs in cutoff shorts. But road trips and never-ending plans for relaxation minimize the amount of time you can spend pumping iron. And you’re most likely indulging in nightly Red Bull and vodkas or mimosas as often as possible. As a club-loving DJ, Brooke Evers‘ health and fitness obsession may have once seemed like a contradiction, but she’s developed a routine that has closed the gap between the two different lifestyles. Small space work outs? Check. Getting hyped on no sleep? Check. The ideal workout playlist? Check. Here’s everything you need to know about staying fit and living fast.
Have you developed an “on the go” workout routine that you can share with us?
It is almost impossible to keep fit with the amount of traveling I do. So I have learned to adapt to my surroundings and just work with what I’ve got. The one item that I leave in my suitcase permanently is my skipping rope. When I was young I used to skip in national competitions and I discovered skipping does really burn a lot of calories. Plus, it improves heart and lung health!
What are some good ways to get your heart rate up when you only have a small space to work with?
Hotel hallways are the best for doing lunge walks. I’m not kidding.
What’s the hardest part about staying fit on tour?
The lack of sleep. I’m permanently tired from hours in the air, so the last thing you want to do is exercise when you get to your hotel.
How do you keep yourself healthy despite late nights at the club?
Good food can be really hard to find on the road, especially in airports. I like to pack protein supplements so I get the right nutrients and don’t binge on room service and the mini bar. A lot of the time I go out for dinners in different cities, but the one thing I try to stay away from is heavy pastas and breads—they tend to bloat me on stage. Lots of water is also a life saver. I try to drink as much as I can.
Where have you gone on tour that inspired you the most, diet and fitness-wise?
I’m obsessed with Miami because it kind of reminds me of my hometown ‘Gold Coast’ in Australia, especially the beaches. If you walk along the Esplanade on South Beach, you will come across ten sets of six packs every hour and that’s not just the men! The women in Miami are the hottest in the world! I don’t know what’s in the water there.
Have you ever shirked your diet and exercise on tour and “let yourself go”?
I have a couple of cheat days a week. They usually consist of a little wine, chocolate and greasy food. I exercise so I can afford to cheat sometimes. If you’ve cheated for too many days, the best way to bounce back on track would be getting up early and exercising. It gets your motivation rolling and endorphins flowing. Also, plan ahead with food. I like to cook big meals and freeze them, so I have food at home and won’t give into fast food.
What songs do you bump on your workout playlist, while DJ’ing, and on the road?
My workout playlists consist of my own mixes called “Evercast”. I started making mixes to put on my iPod while I trained, then decided to make them available to the public. You can get them on my Soundcloud! When I DJ, I play anything from my own edits of popular music, bouncy tracks, R’n’B, or old classics. It all comes down to the venue and crowd. When I’m traveling I love to play Blink 182, Beastie Boys, Lauren Hill. It all depends on my mood.