Already have an account?
Get back to the

INTERVIEW

Cynthia Watros Shares Her Fitness Secrets

What do you do to stay fit? “Yoga has been with me for 15 years, off and on, not only because it makes me stronger, but what it does to ease the thinking — I have a very overactive mind. But one of my favorite things to do is hike. I hike in places that I’m really familiar with because I find that I can connect not only with nature, but with myself. That’s right up there for me with yoga. I used to do the whole thing with the gym and spinning classes and I loved it, but with [Covid], I can’t go to the gym, so I’m really back in love with yoga, which I do from home, and hiking. When I was going to the gym, I’d do a bit of everything so I didn’t get bored — weight-lifting classes, Zumba, Pilates. It’s probably four days a week that I’m doing something to move my body, even if it’s just a walk.”

What is your approach to nutrition? “If I’m hungry, I eat. I do small meals throughout the day, and eat as healthy as I can. I don’t eat a lot of meat, and I got into the habit of staying away from bread and anything that would be considered fast food. I’ve come to a place of just wanting to feel good in my body. I don’t have a scale. Stepping on a scale, for me, was just making me feel bad, so it went into the garbage.”

Have you ever struggled with your weight? “In college, I gained about 20 pounds — which is fine — but unfortunately, being in the industry I’m in, agents and managers would tell me, ‘You really need to lose the weight.’ I said to myself, ‘I just have to move my body.’ So that’s when I stepped up my working out. I was fortunate not to have an eating disorder, but I was really close, I think, to not eating enough and working out too much.”

What simple changes do you think can help someone kickstart a healthier approach to eating? “Drink more water. Eat a salad a day, your favorite salad to fill you up with something nutritious. If you’re someone who loves fast food, maybe only do it one meal, one day a week. Think about how you’re going to feel after you eat something. Is it going to be worth it if after, you’re going to think, ‘Ah, I shouldn’t have done that’? My weakness is tortilla chips and salsa. So, instead of bringing the whole bag into the living room when I’m learning my lines, I’ll grab some, put it in a bowl and bring the salsa. If I have the whole bag, I’ll eat the whole bag! So, you don’t have to deny yourself, but you can be smart about it.”

Cynthia’s Top Three Tips

• “I find yoga to be very approachable. There is no good or bad yoga, no right or wrong. Any amount of a yoga pose is still the pose. You can do it a little bit, the medium amount or all the way and you’re still doing yoga. Just do whatever your body can do at that time. You don’t have to be able to stand on your head!”

• “Take a walk around your neighborhood! It doesn’t have to be a jog. Just do something to move your body. Zumba is another great way to exercise. You can’t do Zumba and be in a bad mood!”

• “Don’t starve yourself. That is just going to throw your metabolism all out of whack. Eating small mini-meals throughout the day will stop you from feeling famished, which leads to overeating.”

Comments