Jenna Bush Hager is a busy woman. Between co-hosting Today With Hoda & Jenna on the Today show with Hoda Kotb, hosting a popular book club, and raising her three children–Mila, Poppy, and Hal– her schedule is packed all day, every day.
That #workingmom life can take a toll on anyone, and Jenna said it’s gotten the best of her wellness routine in the past.
“I have to be really cognizant of what I put in my body, and I think I realized [in the past] that I wasn’t doing that to the best of my ability,” the talk show host told Women’s Health. “My kids were eating really healthy, and I was just grabbing whatever I could.”
Now, the 41-year-old has plenty of hacks to keep her energized and fulfilled through all the day throws at her.
Her main defense is a pretty obvious one: hydration. Jenna sips constantly throughout the day. “The key is drinking a ton [of water], right?” Jenna says. “During the show, I try to remind myself [to drink water] as often as I can.”
On top of staying hydrated, Jenna leads a healthy lifestyle–from her go-to meals to her favorite self help books. See how the news personality maintains her wellness routines.
Jenna starts her day with meditation and a green juice.
The first thing Jenna does when she wakes up is hit the bathroom. (I mean, don’t we all?) But afterward, the 41-year-old makes time to meditate. “I do an active breathing exercise every morning,” she says. Instead of an app, Jenna uses a special recording she has saved on her phone.
Then, it’s time for breakfast. Jenna starts every morning with the basics: water, coffee and a green juice. Water, of course, comes first. “I keep a water bottle by my coffee machine. While I’m making my coffee I make myself chug it,” she explains.
Jenna practices intermittent fasting, so in lieu of breakfast, she opts for a scoop of Amazing Grass Green Superfood Powder in a glass of water, which provides 2 servings of fruits and vegetables in each scoop. Her mornings set the tone for her whole day.
“The rest of the day just falls into place,” she explains.
Then, it’s time for a workout.
“I work out first thing in the morning,” Jenna says. “That’s my new thing.”
Jenna heads to the gym at NBC to exercise–which varies from day-to-day. She oscillates between using a Peloton, or lifting weights, but she also likes to mix it up. “I’m obsessed with jumping on mini trampolines or doing dance cardio,” she says. “But those things are hard to do before work.”
Jenna usually eats a salad for lunch.
Mid-day, Jenna usually goes with some type of salad–but she’s not too particular about what goes into it. “It’s all over the place, but some type of protein, beans, broccoli, and a ton of vegetables,” she says.
Fun fact: Jenna loves broccoli, though her grandfather was known for hating it.
She snacks—sometimes.
Jenna reaches Chobani yogurt with peanut butter and almonds for a nosh. But she doesn’t do it that often, actually. “I’m not a huge snacker,” Jenna said.
Jenna eats dinner with her kids each night.
Dinnertime is at around 5:30 p.m. in the Bush Hager household. Usually that means fish, broccoli, or tacos with lean turkey.
“My kids are usually like, tacos again? But I’m like, [they’re] the best.” Jenna says. “After dinner’s done, I’m cleaning up and then I’m [doing] three bedtime routines. I just can’t wait to get in bed and go to sleep.”
She unwinds with self-help books.
“I love a self-help book,” Jenna said when Women’s Health asked if she had any favorites. “There’s a million.”
Her three current faves are Fair Play by Eve Rodsky, The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer, and Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty.
News Editorial Assistant
Olivia Evans (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. Her work has previously appeared in The Cut and Teen Vogue. She loves covering topics where culture and wellness intersect. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, running, and watching rom-coms.
