Picking your favourite Dolly Parton quote is like choosing a favourite child. How could you possibly? Would it be ‘it costs a lot of money to look this cheap’? Or ‘I was the first woman to burn my bra… it took the fire department four days to put it out’?
No one beats Dolly for self-awareness served up with a generous heap of humour. Little surprise then, that the former GH cover star’s exercise regime is both effective and a little bit hilarious. ‘I create my own rejoicing exercises,’ Dolly told The Wall Street Journal. ‘I grew up in the Pentecostal church where we used to do a lot of shouting and jumping around. I keep my motor running in the mornings when I just shout through the house praising the Lord. It gave me the idea to create some exercises… I thought I could create something joyful, where you were doing something for a reason rather than yourself.’
What does that look like, exactly, Dolly? Essentially, she says, it’s: ‘shouting and stretching and praising.’ Simple, then. Maybe even a little… mad? But, just like Dolly, you’d write it off at your peril.
We have to stop seeing structured, punishing workouts in the gym as the only legitimate form of fitness, says Michelle Griffith Robinson, former Team GB triple jumper and Olympian who’s now a life coach. ‘Sure, there’s the gold standard, going to the gym three times a week to lift weights, getting 10,000 steps in and all that. But that’s not achievable for everyone,’ she says. ‘So let’s stop beating ourselves up. Let’s start there for the small movement, incremental movements throughout the day, getting outside and looking after our overall wellbeing.’
For Michelle, that now means finding the movement that brings you real joy: ‘people see me on my socials dancing in the morning. I just get that music on and I dance. It helps me feel great about myself. I’m moving my body. I’m moving my mental wellbeing, on a dial from zero to 10, just by putting on the music. And I’m not even stepping into a gym.’
If you enjoy your exercise, she points out, you’re far more likely to stick to it, and make it a non-negotiable part of every day. There are, however, other benefits to unstructured movement, done at home, without any worry about rules or perfect form. For a start, Dolly, who was recently forced to cancel her forthcoming Las Vegas residency as she undergoes treatment for health issues, has said that: ‘it’s something that even people in wheelchairs or people that are older or sick can do.’
Michelle agrees: ‘my mum is disabled now, and when I go round to her place I get her moving in her wheelchair. I say: ‘Mummy, we’re gonna put on some music.’ And she moves her arms, she reaches up, she dances to the beat. When we’re finished she’s tired but her face is radiating joy.’
It’s easy, says Michelle. When you have a spare few minutes, put your favourite music on – whether that’s Pentecostal or Parton – and dance with wild abandon. Sing along if you fancy, you don’t need a voice like Dolly’s. ‘It’s time for us to reframe our thinking about movement,’ says Michelle. ‘It’s about mental as well as physical wellbeing so really, it’s as important as eating three great meals a day.’
There’s one final benefit to this form of exercise, says Dolly. No one needs see your hair and make-up in disarray. ‘I’m not big on going to the gym,’ the rhinestone queen deadpanned. ‘I’m particular about who I sweat with.’
This year, GH is getting fit (enough). Join us!
The Fit (Enough) Club is an accessible, realistic and fun fitness community for women who hate fads and like treats. Sign up to the Good Life newsletter and, along with wellness tips and health advice, you’ll get a weekly dose of fitness advice and expert insights – a Fit (Enough) Club fix to keep you moving and motivated throughout 2026. You’ll also receive your special welcome pack.
Ready? Get set… Go!