Over the past few years, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards, 55, has been on a serious fitness journey -- and it's not slowing down anytime soon.

"My next [goal] would be a half-marathon," she exclusively tells Women's Health ahead of her show's season 14 premiere. "I haven't had the schedule to do it, but I know that I could do that easily. For me, being able to do something like that -- pushing myself while being outdoors with a friend or two -- is actually my idea of really enjoying myself."

Although the California native has been working out since she was 15 years old, Kyle began seriously upping her game about two years ago after seeing a paparazzi photo of herself that she didn't like.

"I was like, 'Oh my gosh, no, no, no, no, no, no. I am cutting out all alcohol, sugar, any of the crap,'" she recalls. "I did that and I noticed such a huge difference."

Since then, Kyle has incorporated heavy weights into her sweat sessions, wowing fans on Instagram in the process. Here's what to know about her workout routine.

When Kyle first shifted her diet in 2022, she immediately noticed a reduction in inflammation. But soon, her progress plateaued, so she made some tweaks to her longtime gym routine.

Now, Kyle lifts "heavier" weights and runs, either on the treadmill or outside. "I try to run five miles," she says. "Depending on my schedule, it can be three to four, but really any less than that, at this point, doesn't really do enough for me because I'm used to doing so much."

Whenever Kyle notices her body getting used to a routine, she changes it. "I will get in a rut sometimes of doing the same weights and routines, like I'm on autopilot," she says. "I'm constantly evolving so that my body doesn't acclimate and get stuck."

When she feels herself getting in a rut, Kyle contacts her trainer, @corygfitness, who will send her a new routine. "He'll switch it up -- I'll do my cardio, then jump to the floor, do weights, and then go back to cardio," she says.

Sometimes when she feels herself plateauing, Kyle will "give myself some grace and eat what I want for a little bit." That way, when she hits the gym again, she feels a renewed sense of motivation.

In the past, Kyle's dealt with injuries, including a "tweak" to her back, shoulder, hip, and bottom of her foot. "When you're working out like I do, you're going to have injuries," she says. "It's impossible not to."

To combat her injuries, Kyle loves to stretch and do physical therapy. "That's what keeps me from not getting too crazy, because I don't want to hurt myself where I can't work out and undo all the hard work I've done," she says.

"If I start noticing one little thing off, I'm like, 'Okay, I need to stretch. I need to get a massage. I need to do all these things because otherwise it's going to take me down,'" she adds.

While Kyle has been open about giving up alcohol and sugar, she's also big into getting protein to keep her full and maintain her energy levels.

"I'm just trying to get protein at every meal," she says. "I've tried to [count macros] and it's hard for me to do that, so I just simplify it as much as I can."

Kyle struggles to have protein at breakfast, "unless I'm on vacation and can get a great omelet." So she'll grab a protein shake, a handful of raw nuts, or an apple.

More than any specific fitness or weight loss goal, Kyle works out for her mental wellbeing. "I just could not handle if I couldn't work out for a while," she says. "I need that. I need the endorphins, I need the release, I need all of it."

When Kyle was younger, she used to work out to lose weight and "be as thin as possible." But in time, she's realized that that mentality wasn't healthy for her.

"Of course, looking good at my age after having four kids, it feels good to think, 'Wow, I didn't know I could get to this place and after carrying four babies.' That's obviously a big perk," she says. "But just feeling good mentally -- especially with what I do and what I'm going through -- if I miss my workout, I notice such a difference."

If you don't have a consistent routine -- but are interested in beginning one -- Kyle recommends "starting smaller."

"It sounds like such a cliché, but I can't stress it enough to people who have anxiety or are going through a difficult time," she says. "Grab a friend to go on a hike outdoors for an hour or take a class. It's just honestly the best medicine."