‘It’s helped my anxiety’: Alexandra Burke reveals working out helped her cope with mother Melissa Bell’s death as she shares empowering mental health message
She was left devastated following the death of her mother, former Soul II Soul singer Melissa Bell, in August 2017.
And Alexandra Burke shared that working out has helped her cope with her resulting increased anxiety, when she took to Instagram to share an inspiring message about mental health as posed in her home gym.
The X Factor winner, 32, looked incredible as she posed in a black sports bra with matching leggings as she wrote about ‘finally putting [herself] first’.
Healthy mind, healthy body: Alexandra Burke took to Instagram to share an inspiring message about mental health as posed in her home gym
Captioning the image, the north London native wrote: ‘I get asked so many times why I work out so much… Well, truth be told, it’s not about how it makes me look – it’s about how it makes me FEEL.
‘I turned to fitness as a way of an escape in 2017 when my mum left.. it’s helped with my anxiety and I haven’t had a panic attack in what feels like a long time.. that’s a big win for me.
‘The best therapy for me has always been either writing in my diary or working out. And of course long walks with my doggies…
‘I’m on a mission of self love and finally putting myself first… I choose happiness and joy because that is the ultimate win in life.’
Devastating loss: She was left devastated following the death of her mother, former Soul II Soul singer Melissa Bell, in August 2017. Pictured together in 2012
Melissa, who was one of Soul II Soul’s lead singers between 1993 and 1996, passed away aged 53, after suffering from hereditary diabetes mellitus and kidney failure.
In honour of her mother – who worked with such stars as Liza Minnelli, Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder – Alexandra set up the Melissa Bell Foundation.
The foundation supports youngsters wishing to attend London’s prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School.
On Thursday, Alexandra shared a post discussing the power of being single and content, five months after her split from footballer Angus MacDonald.
Alexandra is no doubt seeing 2021 as a fresh start after it was exclusively revealed by MailOnline that she had split from Angus in October after 15 months together.
Love yourself: On Thursday, Alexandra shared a post discussing the power of being single and content, five months after her split from footballer Angus MacDonald
The Bad Boys hitmaker deleted all trace of the Rotherham United defender, 28, from her Instagram page.
An insider confirmed that Alexandra and Angus had ‘amicably split’ and ‘remain good friends’, despite having gone their separate ways.
The source told MailOnline at the time: ‘Alexandra and Angus both have busy careers and it’s been hard to see each other during lockdown.
‘It felt like the best decision for them to cut ties and for Alexandra that involved removing any pictures of them together from her Instagram.’
The couple went official in a now-deleted black-and-white snap that was taken during a romantic meal in July 2019.
Ex: Alexandra is no doubt seeing 2021 as a fresh start after it was revealed by MailOnline that she had split from her ex-boyfriend Angus MacDonald in October after 15 months together