"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Kyle Richards is in the "best shape" of her life.
In an interview with US Weekly, the reality star opened up about her fitness journey and her current relationship with estranged husband Mauricio Umansky as they navigate their separation.
"When I was younger, I used to work out to lose weight," Richards revealed. "Now it’s for me — first and foremost, my mental health. The fact that it makes me look good is just a bonus."
Richards told the outlet her fitness journey began after her breast reduction in 2022, when she wasn't able to exercise for eight weeks.
"At the time, I was on vacation in Europe, eating pasta and drinking wine and cocktails. By the end of the trip, I didn’t recognize myself," she began.
"I had also just lost my best friend [Lorene Shea] to suicide, and I wasn’t taking care of myself," Richards continued.
"And [it was] making me feel more depressed. So after we left, I said, ‘That’s it. I’m not going to have bad carbs — no sugar, no pasta, no bread, no alcohol. And I’m going to work out every single day.’"
Richards noted that she currently weighs 117 pounds after reaching her "heaviest" of 132 pounds just before her European vacation.
Kyle noted that she was never a "big drinker," but when she cut out alcohol, she noticed "such a difference in my skin and how I felt."
As far as her workout regimen, Richards has a few favorite activities. She normally would go on hikes or take a spin class, but she's incorporated "weights, hot yoga [and] running, especially when going through a hard time. It really clears my head."
As Richards conquers her 50s and sticks to her workout regimen, she admitted that she feels — and looks — better than ever.
"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," she shared. "It’s definitely never too late."
There had been rumors that Richards was using Ozempic to slim down, but she shut them down.
In January, Page Six reported that Richards commented on an Instagram post the outlet uploaded, denying she's ever taken Ozempic, an FDA-approved prescription medication for people with type 2 diabetes, to aid her weight loss.
"I have never tried ozempic and this is not from plastic surgery," she said at the time, per Page Six. "I’m honest about what I do. But if giving plastic surgery the credit makes you feel better then pop off sister."
In another comment on the post, Richards replied to a fan and said, "I am NOT taking Ozempic. Never have."
There have also been rumors that Richards' investment in her fitness routine was her take on a "revenge body," as she navigates a separation from her husband of 27 years.
However, Kyle clarified that it's "certainly not meant to be a revenge body. It’s meant to be an I-feel-good body."
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News the reality TV couple had parted ways first surfaced in July, but Umansky and Richards insisted they were not divorcing. In Richards' interview with US Weekly, Kyle noted that she's finding happiness in this new chapter of her life.
"In a lot of ways, I feel happy, but I’m also still struggling because it’s all new to me. I’ve been married my whole life," she said.
Richards told the outlet that she still lives in the same house as Mauricio and the family spent the holidays together.
"I have no idea how long we’ll be like that, but we are trying to be as normal as possible in a very un-normal situation," she added.
The reality TV star noted that there is still lots of love between her and her estranged husband.
"We go to therapy. We both want to see each other happy. I don’t know what the future looks like. That’s the hardest part because the unknown is scary," Richards said.
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Kyle and Mauricio share three daughters: Alexia, 27, Sophia, 23 and Portia, 15. Richards' oldest daughter, Farrah, 35, she shares with ex-husband, Guraish Aldjufrie.
2023 was not an easy year for Richards, but she learned that she "can handle a lot more than I ever imagined and am stronger than I realized."
Kyle plans on leaving "negativity and any stress and pain" she's been holding on to as she enters the new year.
"I want things to be a little more quiet and I want to go into 2024 happy and at peace," Richards said.
