Re-spin Founders Halle Berry and Kendra Bracken-Ferguson Reveal How They Fuel Themselves for Success

"Fitness and wellness have always been a big part of my life," says Halle Berry. After she became a mom, she began doing what she calls a respin. "It's rethinking the things we were taught and coming up with a different way," says Berry. "Growing up, we all ate the same meal. I've respun that for my own family. I make something different for each of us because that's what we need. I'm diabetic, so I eat keto. My daughter is kind of a vegetarian, and my son is a meat-and-potatoes guy."

Last spring, Berry and her business partner Kendra Bracken-Ferguson took that concept and created an inclusive wellness platform called Re-spin. It's based on six pillars — including strength, nourish, and connect — and it offers workouts, plus information on fitness, nutrition, and health. "Everyone can benefit from health and wellness content that improves their lives, says Bracken-Ferguson. "That's what we're about." Here, the two share how they fuel themselves — and others — for success.

Congrats on the one-year anniversary of Re-spin. Looking ahead, what are your goals?

Berry: "My hope is for Re-spin to earn people's trust and offer them affordable products that will make their lives better, so they can live in a way that's more fulfilling and complete. We also want [to be] a financially successful brand by two Black women. Women of color need to feel empowered to put their best foot forward and to believe that they can."

Bracken-Ferguson: "Two Black women doing something that hasn't been done in this way is exciting. It's scary, but it's so encouraging. We're democratizing the space for health and wellness information because the research, the education, and the access to people of color is disproportionate. Our brand is for everyone, but we really want to effect change." (

How does your community inspire you?

Bracken-Ferguson: "This is what Halle has taught me: She knows her fans, she believes in and respects them, and she really brings them in. We do so much listening as a company to know what people want. For instance, they told us they wanted activewear, so we did a collaboration with Sweaty Betty. There's performance wear, rash guards, biker shorts — a whole line (available on re-spin.com and sweatybetty.com). We're excited to deliver for our community."

What keeps you fit and healthy?

Berry: "Exercising has been a key healer in my life. It's been important for my optimum health. I work out at least four times a week — most weeks, five. I do cardio to get my blood pumping and my heart going. And I do martial arts because I love it. That has changed my life — it's made me feel confident to know that I can protect myself and rely on those skills if, God forbid, I ever need them. I also do weight training with light weights, resistance bands, and my own body weight."

Which foods energize you?

Berry: "I eat simply and very clean because of my diabetes. I eat meat, fish, and vegetables. And I sip bone broth. I stay away from carbs. I do drink wine — a keto-friendly version. I wake up and start with a coffee with ghee, butter, or MCT [medium-chain triglyceride] oil and sometimes almond milk. In the afternoon, I'll have a lighter meal — like a vegetable and maybe salmon or salmon cakes. Then around five o'clock, I sit down with my kids and have some meat and veggies or legumes."

How do you stay calm and focused?

Berry: "Meditation has been my saving grace during COVID-19. I've got two dogs, so walking with them has also been really good. And bike riding with my kids."

Bracken-Ferguson: "I'm a firm believer in making sure that I get out in the sun within two hours of rising. Getting up, going outside, taking a deep breath, doing a stretch or a meditation, and holding space for myself. It's very important to have those moments to just breathe and counsel yourself and say, Everything is going to be fine. We're OK."