Diet
“When it comes to eating right, you have to find what works for you. As I get older, I understand my body more and when it comes to nutrition, what works for some doesn’t work for others. I’m lucky; I get to eat carbs. But you need to eat in moderation. Food is tricky and it’s a part of our culture. I try and eat as healthy as I can during the week but I definitely have Saturdays where I have my pizza. You need to reward yourself, as well. Usually, I like to have a high-protein breakfast; that works for me. Eggs, peanut butter, stuff like that. For lunch, I’ll go with something lighter, like maybe a salad. For dinner, it’s protein, maybe some chicken and lots of vegetables. Every once in a while, I’ll throw in a vodka [sauce] pasta if I’m feeling fit and had an extra-hard workout that day. I’ll actually push myself to do that extra rep so I can have one of those tiny ice cream cones later. I do snack occasionally and SkinnyPop popcorn is my favorite. I love it and it is low [in calories]. For shirtless scenes, I’ll eat a little cleaner, do more salads, more fruits and vegetables and I might not reward myself with that ice cream, and I’ll incorporate some chicken in my salad for the protein.”
Fitness
“Goals are important, but set loose goals. Some days, your body is really on and you can feel it right away. Other days, maybe you didn’t have a good night’s sleep and your body isn’t interested. You have to know what you’re asking of it in that day and don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t make excuses. Be accountable but flexible. For me, I like to do high-intensity interval training. I go to this place in L.A. called Training Mate and the instructors encourage me to keep it up. I’ll do a hard hour there and do my best and forget the rest. I’m not very good at going to the gym on my own. I’m better having people around me. I like the class environment because it gets my competitiveness going. I find if you say you’re going to be there at 8 a.m. for the class, you’ll be there. Creating a time and sticking with it is important because it keeps you accountable. There are a lot of great apps and online workouts you can use. Definitely take advantage of the warmer weather. Take more walks or go on more bike rides. But what’s most important is, listen to your body. You know your body best and your body is resilient. Sometimes it gives you the results that you need and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s an ebb and flow but take small steps. Be comfortable and when you’re having a good day, maybe push a little bit more and get a bigger reward.”
