Lioness Jess Carter reveals the truth about keeping fit

As a member of the England women’s national football team, Jess Carter is no stranger to a tough training regime. But for a world-class athlete, her confessions about exercise are more refreshingly candid than you might expect. The pro footballer shares her tips on keeping fit and reducing your risk for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Though Jess’s words might sound familiar, they might not seem on the surface like a shining endorsement for staying fit.

“I absolutely hate the gym – like with a passion – and I will do everything in my power to not step into that gym when I’m not in my football season.”

But given that keeping fit can reduce our risk of breast cancer by 20%, it’s great to know that even those with an aversion to spin classes and weight machines can find joy in exercise. In fact, it’s the knowledge that there are better alternatives that gets Jess out on the field.

“I’ve been trying to find things that I enjoy. I don’t play football to stay fit. I play because I love playing it.”

This idea that we don’t have to do exercise for exercise’s sake may be music to the ears of those who hate counting reps. Jess’s advice for anyone struggling to kickstart their own active lifestyle stems from the same simple philosophy.

“I think you need to just find something that you enjoy doing. Because I think there’s a lot of pressure to make sure you get in a certain number of steps or to do certain things in the gym or to look a certain way. […] If you find something that you enjoy doing, you’re probably more likely to continue doing it.”

And Jess would know, given that her career is a shining example of taking your passion and quite literally running with it. Football doesn’t feel like a job to the athlete, who credits her early love of the game in part to her siblings.

“My brothers played football, so I used to have to go and watch them on a Sunday and ended up kicking the ball along the way, and they’d put me in goal. So, I had no choice but to play football at some point, really.”

Jess also considers herself lucky to have been surrounded by people who didn’t make a big deal of her gender.

“I knew I was the only girl playing football in the school playground, but it wasn’t an issue at all to me.”

That being said, the lack of visibility in women’s football gave Jess no particular reason to be ambitious either. It wasn’t until she reached adulthood that she realised she could make a career out of the sport.

“As I got older and I was starting to play football more seriously, I wasn’t aware that I could be a professional women’s football player. Maybe that’s something that stood out to me. I probably didn’t actually realise that until I joined Chelsea at 19.”

This achievement didn’t come without its own struggles. Jess’s stint at one of the UK’s top teams was far from plain sailing, an outcome she attributes to initially not being as professional as needed, other talented players, and at times a clash of values and beliefs. Nonetheless, now happily settled at US team Gotham FC and very happily engaged to her teammate and partner of seven years, Ann-Katrin Berger, there is only one primary concern that Jess believes is worth losing sleep over. 

“I’d say the main [hurdle] for me is always when family gets sick because health is the most important thing. […] It’s not like you just get days off to pop out here and there or call in sick or something, so trying to be there for them has been quite tough throughout my career.” 

More specifically, it is Jess’s personal experience of cancer that has most significantly shaped her perspective and priorities.  

“When my partner got sick the first time around, that was huge. We’d only recently just got together and moved in together and then she got diagnosed with thyroid cancer. And I was lucky that she was so strong because she was just like, am I going to die? […] Well, how do we just get back to normal then? And she just took it on the chest like that really. And that made it a lot easier for me to be supportive.” 

But providing support became even more difficult when Jess’s sister was diagnosed with breast cancer during the pandemic. 

“That one was really tough, even more so because she was in Newcastle during lockdown and we couldn’t visit, and she couldn’t come home. So, we couldn’t actually be there to support. […] Just before lockdown, I drove up to Newcastle just for the day. She was in her apartment and me and my partner sat outside and just spoke to her through the window, just because she was so alone and so isolated.” 

Given her story, it’s perhaps not surprising that Jess is such an active advocate for cancer research. Nonetheless, she is the first to admit that prior to this close encounter, prevention rarely crossed her mind. 

“To be honest, before they got sick, it wasn’t something that I paid so much attention to. Until it happens to you, you don’t really know anything about it, and you don’t really think to research it or look into it because it’s currently having no impact on your life.” 

As is often the case, her outlook changed quite suddenly when the disease struck. 

“When it does have an impact on your life, maybe it’s a case of wishing you knew a bit more about it. How can I try and prevent it, or if I’ve got it, what’s my support? […] Charities probably are one of the best people to give that support. I know that my sister felt that way as well.”

This is why Jess has worked so hard to raise vital funds for cancer research. It’s also why she recognises the value of Breast Cancer UK’s 30-day challenge.

“You know, if we can help to make someone else aware of it, whether it’s by trying to stay active, or making sure they know the support that they’ve got or literally anything that can help, I think it’s really amazing.”

On top of helping to keep you fit, 30 days of exercise will do wonders for your general well-being and mood. Though maybe not at first, says Jess with a grin.

“I think to be honest, eventually you just start to feel a bit happier. You feel like you’ve got a bit more energy. Probably not to start with. You’re going to feel miserable, sore and tired, to be honest, the first time we start doing it. […] But I think that the longer you do it, it becomes a habit, and you start to feel better in yourself. Getting out and doing something, getting in the fresh air, is really refreshing.”

Has Jess’s story inspired you? Play your part and sign up for our 30-Day Challenge to get active and reduce your risk of breast cancer. When you consistently hit your targets, the activity is more likely to become a lasting habit (source). 

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