Kate Ritchie: "I think kinesiology is amazing"

Actress Kate Ritchie talks to Kate Minogue about how she stays in tune with her body.

Health has to be a long-term goal. It can't just be [something you do] to fit into that pretty frock on Friday, it's more about when I reach the age of 80 I still want to feel great and look great. There's a woman in my Pilates class who is over 80 and I look at her and think, that's my goal — she has 50 years on me but we're both in that room and we're both doing the same kind of thing. She is a real inspiration. You realise that you need to set long-term goals, not short-term. It's all about longevity.

Motherhood is something I look forward to at some point. I don't have any exciting news about that, but I want to be fit and healthy for pregnancy and childbirth, and also beyond that. It is on our radar, although we don't have a schedule. We'd probably have eight children if my husband Stuart [Webb, ex-NRL player] had anything to do with it. But I tell him that we should have started earlier if we wanted that many. Hopefully we will have more than one, though. I'm one of four and Stuart is one of five children. We are used to a full house.

I'm not particularly strict with the way I eat but I have a really well-balanced diet so that when I want to indulge I don't feel bad about it. I was never one of those girls who poked salad around her plate. Stuart has said, "I'm glad you like to eat". Some of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had have involved eating amazing food. I think I'm secretly European in the way that I love food. I love to cook and I love to bring people together to eat.

I'm really well: I'm happy, healthy and travelling along nicely. People say to me, "When are we going to see you back on telly?" I have taken a break, to be honest. It was a bit mad leaving Home and Away, jumping into radio [on Nova 96.9] with a different schedule, and planning a wedding in secret and then being married. So I've spent some time overseas with my sister. I've also been teaching myself new skills — I wanted to try new things to have some longevity in the industry.

I've become more involved in things I care about. I'm the ambassador for Vaseline, and I'm also now involved with the Red Cross. This year I was also an Australia Day ambassador — I worked on an initiative that encouraged people to think about what makes us Australian. I don't think anyone can tell you what that is because we're all individuals, but I think there's a sense of freedom and that's something we should be proud of [as] not everyone has that luxury.

For the full story, see the July issue of Good Health. Subscribe to Good Health and receive a FREE Sukin Face Essentials Pack, valued at $39.95!