ACTOR BREE TURNER TALKS ABOUT GIVING UP SUGAR – EVEN ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS – AND HOW SHE STILL KEEPS HER LIFE FULL OF SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE.
Born in Palo Alto, California, a young Bree Turner moved around the country with her family and pro football player dad, Kevin Turner (who played for the New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns). Turner couldn’t stay away from California for long; she moved back to the sunshine state after graduating high school to attend UCLA and pursue her love of dance and acting. Commercials, videos, TV and film quickly followed, partly due to her innate competitive nature.
“Even though we’re in very different professions, my dad and I have many similarities,” says Turner, referring to her driven nature to succeed. “We often talk about the different struggles with what I do. He had the same sort of experience playing pro football.”
Her newest role finds Turner juggling motherhood to two young children and starring on Grimm, in the role of Rosalee Calvert. In this role, Turner leaves her spirited nature behind and instead embraces a calmness that surrounds alternative therapies and holistic remedies. “Personally, I’m very by the book when it comes to medicine; I listen to my doctors,” she laughs. “I do like yoga, meditation and being close with nature. When it comes to remedies and treatments, however, I’m a Western medicine kind of gal.”
MANAGING BI-COASTAL STRESS
Turner currently splits her time between Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, where Grimm is filmed. Even without two little ones in tow, this can be stressful. Add kids to the mix and it’s a little crazy. “It’s kind of cuckoo in Portland in a small apartment,” says Turner. “When I feel the stress crushing down on me with everything, I like to go for a walk. Leaving the environment really helps. My aunt is up here helping me with the kids so I can get out for a break and just walk around the block – even 20 minutes to get a cup of coffee is super recharging for me and helps balance me out.”
Turner also manages her stress by focusing on her breathing. “I notice sometimes that I haven’t taken a breath for three minutes,” she laughs. “Stopping to take a few deep cleansing breaths is really restorative.”
SAYING NO TO SUGAR
No matter how busy Turner gets, she always takes time to look after herself. “I love Barre-style classes – I think it goes back to my dancing background. I love any exercise where I don’t have to wear running shoes.”
She also makes time for healthy eating and her nutritional staples include: brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa and sautéed fresh vegetables. “We like whole-wheat products in the house,” says Turner. “I can make a whole-wheat pasta dish with sautéed frozen veggies in olive oil, top it with Parmesan cheese and it’s a healthy five-minute meal. It’s great when you have small kids because they’ll eat it too.”
Prior to having her children, Turner struggled for many years with terrible headaches and stomach problems. “I cut artificial sweeteners out of my life and I feel great. I was a big Diet Coke girl. I still crave a nice, cold one sometimes; now I know it really doesn’t make me feel good.” In fact, Turner has sworn off all sugar and substitutes except for the occasional pinch of sugar in the raw. “Luckily, I don’t have a terrible sweet tooth.”
LIVING LIFE TO ITS FULLEST
Turner may not eat sugar, but she sure is sweet. “When I was a little girl my mother quoted that line from Bambi – if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. I always think about that.” She pauses for a moment, then adds that she isn’t pure sweetness. “I’m also a hustler. Not the kind who takes your money. The kind who takes full advantage of my life. I don’t like being lazy. Every day I ask myself if I’ve done everything I can do today.”
