She waltzed her way into the Strictly final last month and, as we catch up with Dianne Buswell for our exclusive heat fit list shoot, she’s still bursting with energy.
The star, who lit up the dance floor with her electrifying routines with her celebrity partner Bobby Brazier, has a boundless enthusiasm and zest for life. But things haven’t always been plain sailing for the Australian-born dancer. She’s been open about suffering unhealthy exercise and eating patterns during her 20s, which left her feeling she’d lost the joy in dancing. Now, the 34-year-old star, who lives in Sussex with boyfriend Joe Sugg, has poured what she’s learnt into her debut wellbeing book Move Yourself Happy, where she’s set out four key pillars: movement, nutrition, rest and positivity.
Congratulations on being heat’s Fit List winner! How does it feel?
It’s an actual honour, because fitness is a massive part of my life. I started dancing aged four and I’ve had such a journey over the years, from dancing on cruise ships to stage shows, and now on Strictly. The bit I’ve loved the most is learning about what feels good and what’s right for my body.
How do you keep fit?
Usually, I’m dancing from 9am till 6pm, but when I’m not in Strictly season, my favourite things are Pilates and yoga – for me, it’s the equivalent of taking myself to a spa. I’ll put nice music on and feel so soothed. I have a Peloton treadmill at home, too, and I enjoy running on that as the instructors are so fun. I love sweating – especially that moment when your whole body feels warm and the blood is pumping around it.
How does working out make you feel?
Exercise gives me a euphoric feeling. If I’m having a low and sluggish day, the one thing I know I can do to genuinely feel better is a workout. My head is often full of routines and steps, and I’m quite an over thinker, so there is a lot on my mind. Exercise is a moment for me to switch off and concentrate on me.
You’ve been open about your struggles with bulimia and overexercising. How did you overcome those?
Dancing can be a tough industry, with a lot of pressure on how you look. I used to think that I had to look a certain way to be cast in something, but that’s not the case at all. Being very thin can sometimes mean you’re not doing things the correct way or looking after yourself properly. It all manifested itself while I was on stage on cruise ships. I took the concept of being fit to literally represent how I thought I needed to look. It wasn’t until I had a period where I became very weak and couldn’t dance because I was so exhausted that I realised I needed help. [Dianne was told by a doctor at the time that she was anaemic, and that her heart was under so much pressure, she was at risk of a heart attack.]
What happened next?
I went home to recover and spoke to my family about it. Slowly, I started to realise how important your body is. Essentially, it’s my tool. I won’t be able to do what I love if I don’t treat my body well. The minute I started really looking after myself from the outside in, I started feeling happy again. I had energy, confidence, and mental resilience. After that, magical things started to happen and I ended up moving to the UK for Strictly.
Are you happier within yourself now?
One hundred per cent. I’m proud of coming out the other side – it’s probably one of my greatest achievements, because being well is such as big part of your everyday life. If you’re constantly thinking, “I can’t eat today” or, “I need to work out this much today”, it takes over your life. To shake that off is a really good feeling. One of the reasons why I wanted to speak up is because I knew it would help others. I wanted to show that when things get tough, you can come out of it. When you feel more comfortable in your own skin, you naturally feel confident and you go for things in life.
Do you and Joe work out together?
Joe actually did get really into yoga last year. He’d never tried it before and thought, “Let’s see what this is about.” We also go on nature walks, too – especially on Sundays. The longer the better.
You took part in Wim Hof’s Freeze The Fear in 2022. Are you still plunging in icy temperatures?
Ever since the show, I’ve become obsessed with cold water therapy and recently bought an ice bath. When I’m at home, it’s a part of my morning routine, even in the cold. It’s hard to get in at first, but once you’re in there, it feels exhilarating. My eyes have really opened up to the benefits – when you’re controlling your breathing and steadying your thoughts, it gives you resilience in the morning.
Do you follow any other wellbeing trends?
It’s not for everyone, but I’m addicted to ASMR – it makes me go into a trance. I love hearing those delicate sounds and tapping noises, it makes me genuinely smile. It tickles all my senses and just makes me feel calm.
What plans do you have on the horizon?
It’ll be my eighth year of Strictly next year and I’ve been so lucky with all my partners. They’ve all brought something different, and you learn a lot from each person. But I have other ambitions, too. I’ve always wanted to dip into acting, so I’d like to try and explore that.
Dianne Buswell's daily diet
Brealfast
I like yoghurt with lots of berries. I also make a lot of smoothies and I try to put protein in there, which is important when I’m exercising so much.
Lunch
I quite like a poké bowl, where I can get loads of veggies in with brown rice and tofu. I don’t eat chicken or red meat. I just don’t enjoy it any more.
Dinner
I’ll have either salmon or white fish, some sort of beans, and veggies. Or I’ll have a veggie stir-fry with added protein, and a sauce I’ve made myself.
Snacks
I always prep snacks to take with me on long days, like crackers and cheese, rice cakes and peanut butter, nuts and seeds, apples and bananas, as they’re easy to eat quickly.
Dianne Buswell's self-care wins
Make time to rest
We don’t put downtime in our diaries, but we should. I used to feel guilty about taking time off, but giving my muscles time to relax and my mind a chance to process things is so beneficial to recovery.
Drink water
Make a plan to have more water throughout the day – perhaps drink a glass of water for every hot drink you have.
Load up on veggies
Studies show that a diet including ten vegetable and fruit portions a day cuts your risk of chronic illnesses. Ten is a lot, so aim to add one extra vegetable to your meal, and an extra portion of fruit.
Eat sustainably
There’s real satisfaction in growing your own veg or eating seasonally. Joe laughs at me for freezing everything, but I don’t like waste. I like to meal-prep and freeze it all.
Move Yourself Happy: 21 Days To Make Joyful Movement A Habit by Dianne Buswell (Watkins Publishing £14.99) is out now