Kate and Rio Ferdinand recently graced the covers of Women’s and Men’s Health UK, showcasing their toned physiques in a striking set of photos.

Having relocated to the UAE with their family last year, the couple displayed the results of their dedicated fitness routines.

At 34, Kate opened up about the challenges she’s faced since moving to Dubai, admitting through tears that she deeply misses her family.

She shared that although Dubai has been a wonderful place to settle, she finds it difficult being away from Rio’s eldest sons, Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17, who remained in the UK to pursue their football ambitions.

The couple made the transition with Rio’s 13-year-old daughter Tia, from his previous marriage to the late Rebecca, along with their own children, five-year-old Cree and two-year-old Shae.

In the March issue, Rio discussed their relocation, describing it as an exciting new chapter. He reflected on how his life has always been dictated by football schedules, both as a player and a pundit.

Kate, 34, and Rio Ferdinand, 47, showed off their ripped physiques in matching cover shoots for Women’s and Men’s Health UK

The couple, who relocated to the UAE last year with their children, flaunted their impressive gym-honed figures

‘There aren’t many opportunities in life where you get time to make a big change, have an adventure, step out of your comfort zone and explore something new. So this is it. This is what we wanted to do.’

Kate admitted she’s very in touch with what works well for her mental health, declaring exercise and therapy helps if she is ‘struggling’.

She explained: ‘I want to look good and I’m happier when I look good, I have to be honest. But I would always choose to exercise because I work out for my mental health, too. 

‘I also want to be a healthy role model for my children: they see me working hard in the gym and that makes a difference…

‘I’m quite aware of how I feel and what I need to do in order to make myself feel better. If I need help, I’ll have therapy. If I’m struggling, I’ll go outside and go for a walk, I’ll talk to people.’

Speaking about her struggle with the move last month, she said: ‘I feel like we’ve opened our eyes to a different world. But I love London, I love the UK. I love so many things about the UK. 

‘I do feel happy in Dubai, but I’m just missing a part of me.’

Kate added that the move has also helped Rio be more ‘present’ with his family, after he stepped back from his role as a pundit for TNT Sports last year. 

Kate recently admitted she had been struggling with their move to Dubai and broke down in tears as she admitted she’s ‘missing her family’

She confessed that while Dubai has been an ‘amazing’ place to live, she’s ‘struggled’ with being apart from Rio’s two eldest sons Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17, who have stayed in the UK

Opening up about their decision to move in March’s edition, Rio said: ‘I look at it like an adventure. My life has been governed by the fixture list while playing football and then, post-career, being a pundit’

‘There aren’t many opportunities in life where you get time to make a big change, have an adventure, step out of your comfort zone and explore something new. So this is it. This is what we wanted to do’, Rio added

Kate wowed in a tennis look as she struck a pose for the photoshoot

Rio displayed his strength during a desert workout

Kate looked incredible in a white T-shirt and tiny black shorts as she enjoyed a workout

Rio flexed his muscular physique in a shirtless shoot for Men’s Health UK

The full interview with Rio and Kate can be read in the March issue of Men’s/ Women’s Health UK, on sale from 10th February

She added: ‘I think it’s an amazing place to live, I think it’s amazing for the children. The children are thriving and happy and living a life of just outside freedom.

‘Rio loves it so much. I am enjoying it, but I miss home quite a lot. I get upset. I miss the big boys a lot and I’m just struggling with that. 

‘I know this decision is right for my younger children and as a family we are settled there, but the boys are following their football careers. So they’re doing what they want to do otherwise they’d be with us.

‘But it’s very hard because we’ve been through so much as a family and we’ve always been together and that’s a huge adjustment.’

Kate added that she and her family have felt far safer in Dubai than the UK, however she admitted she’s even begun to ‘miss’ the English weather.

She added: ‘If I could merge the two worlds together it would be absolutely perfect.

‘I think I miss people. I miss the rain. The cold, cool air on your face. I miss the culture of England. Certain types of people and all different types of people. 

‘That’s also something I like about Dubai, that my kids are being brought up with all sorts of cultures.’ 

It comes several days after Kate revealed she is ‘struggling’ since her move to Dubai and broke down in tears as she admitted she’s ‘missing her family’ 

The TV personality, who moved to the UAE last year with husband Rio and their children, has regularly been documenting their glitzy new life on social media

Sharing how the move has affected Rio, Kate added: ‘He’s been travelling a lot for the last three weeks, but the work life balance is better. When he’s at home he’s at home and present, whereas before he was working a lot.

‘We just go for walks and stuff. We did a lot together before, but I didn’t realise how much we were separate, because there was a lot in the diary.

‘He does the school run a lot of days. That’s a really nice thing… ‘It’s not like I’m unhappy, I’m adjusting.’ 

The full interview with Rio and Kate can be read in the March issue of Men’s/ Women’s Health UK, on sale from 10th February.