Ulla Kock am Brink
The presenter discovered sport for herself
Ulla Kock am Brink gives everything during training.
© Getty Images for Salvatore Ferra
Ulla Kock am Brink is sportier than ever. In her new home on Sylt she has even set up her own fitness room.
Sylt has been the new home of Ulla Kock am Brink (60) and her husband Peter Fissenewert (60) for a few months. “We now live here in our favorite place,” enthuses the presenter in an interview with spot on news and gives an insight into her new life on the island. This includes a lot of sport at the moment. “I’ve been training with a personal trainer for three months,” reveals the 60-year-old. However, losing weight is not their priority. Ulla Kock am Brink will return to TV later this year with her former hit show “The 100,000 Mark Show”. Also on Instagram and Co., the moderator is now back after a break.
Do you sometimes miss the big city life on Sylt?
Ulla Kock am Brink: We now live here in our favorite place. But my husband is in Berlin from time to time to attend appointments in person at his office. Then I come along, visit my friends, go to the theater or to my favorite place, the “Bar of Every Reason”. And if things need to go a little faster, we take the train to Hamburg. So we are zero out of the world.
What do you particularly enjoy about your new home?
Kock am Brink: The North German serenity is good for us. There is top gastronomy and organic farms with great regional products. And of course we enjoy the time with our friends who live here. Luckily, what I still lack is an oven for my stews, I’ll have to be patient for that.
What is your everyday life like on the island?
Kock am Brink: First of all, we had to learn that it makes a difference whether you go on holiday here or live here. Now we only go out once a week longer. We get up early, my husband works, I also have phone calls and prepare for “The 100,000 Mark Show”. We like to meet up with friends at home to cook together – but only in a very small circle because of Corona. So far we have all come through healthy.
Among other things, you have set up a fitness room in your new home…
Kock am Brink: Yes, with a mat, weight bench and weights. Everything on a small scale. I have been training with Rainer Grunow for three months, he is a chiropractor and personal trainer. And since he’s in my age group, he’s a good judge of when the limit has been reached. The training is really good for me, my weaker self has shrunk and my muscles have grown. It’s not about losing weight for me, it’s about building more muscle strength. In between we go on long bike rides and explore the island. There’s always something new to discover – for example, I’m toying with the idea of taking a kitesurfing course. If I can’t do that due to a lack of talent in dealing with the wind, stand-up paddling will do, too.
As a welcome side effect, you’ve lost a few kilos…
Kock am Brink: I don’t own a scale because I don’t like being terrorized. But I notice from my reference pants without elastane that I have probably lost one or two dress sizes. The regular and varied exercise makes me feel tighter and stronger overall. Let’s see if and when the sloth in me wakes up again! My goal is not to lose weight, but to be fit. Enabling the muscles to better support my bones and train mobility – mentally and physically – that’s my motivation.
Have you changed your diet too?
Kock am Brink: In combination with exercise and muscle building, I have actually completed a so-called metabolism cure. Three weeks of strictly no fat, no carbs, no sugar, no alcohol. That was hard and good at the same time. Now I eat as low carb as possible, but I also treat myself to a pizza every now and then – just less often. This works well for me right now, also because I want to avoid the yo-yo effect. But I already know that when autumn comes, there will be more exceptional days again.
What is your tip for all women over 50 to feel attractive and desirable?
Kock am Brink: Above all, I treat my age with humor and forbearance. I just don’t want to compare myself to women in their 30s or 40s – I can’t and don’t want to win that game. So all I can do is smile at myself in the mirror in the morning, accept one or the other – deserved – wrinkle and be proud of what I’ve achieved. I believe in radiance from within for self-protection reasons alone! And I realized for myself that there are damn beautiful sides to getting older. You should always remain flexible, this includes lifelong learning, staying informed and curious, cultivating friendships and looking for new ones, going through life alert and, for me, very important: staying optimistic, learning from mistakes, but not yourself fully to blame for mistakes.
Have you ever thought about cosmetic surgery?
Kock am Brink: You can hardly avoid the topic. I like to ask men about the topic, but I only get mumbled answers. Everyone should decide that for themselves – if I should consider such an operation, then only if I do it exclusively for myself, not for supposed demands from outside. A not-so-serious condition to RTL for a commitment to moderate “The 100,000 Mark Show” was that I was allowed to present it without surgery.
How excited are you before your comeback with “The 100,000 Mark Show”?
Kock am Brink: Let’s replace the excitement with “anticipation”, because that’s more accurate. I recently had an update video call – the Endemol Shine editorial team did a great job – this will be a highlight for all of us!
What projects are still pending this year?
Kock am Brink: There’s something in the pipeline, but I can’t say anything about it until the ink is dry.