Women's Health

Christina Hendricks on Loving Your Body

Hendricks' Daily Routine continued...

Hendricks practices caring for herself from the moment she awakes, beginning with a soothing soak even if she's required on set at dawn. "I'm not a shower person," she says, "so I always start my day with a bath." And she indulges in one comforting cup of coffee. "I don't really like the taste of it, but I love the smell. It's about having something aromatic and warm in my hand first thing in the morning."

Hendricks is especially conscientious about getting enough sleep and drinking water. "Those two things really affect me daily. I like a lot of sleep, but when I travel, I can't do that, so I know I will have to make up for it later. I just try to stay balanced."

Hendricks' most potent weapon is simple in theory: Everything in moderation. To maintain her famous figure, she does sit-ups and push-ups in her trailer if she has a down moment on the set.

And on a regular basis, she and her husband of two years, actor Geoffrey Arend, schedule workouts together with a trainer, turning what might otherwise be a "have to" into a "love to." Hendricks says during these sessions she does weight training and uses a BOSU ball.

"It makes it so much more fun and makes the time go by so much faster because we're encouraging each other. And my husband is ridiculously funny, so he's making jokes the whole time we're working out, and we're getting time together."

Embracing Her Natural Weight

Before turning to acting in her mid-20s, Hendricks modeled in New York and Europe and says that after happily gaining 15 pounds in Italy thanks to indulging in local fare, she has embraced her natural body weight ever since.

That means that rather than follow a strict diet, she eats foods that please her, although with a healthy bent. For example, the couple makes soups to keep in the fridge for snacking. At the same time, she allows room for trying new foods and cooking techniques.

"My husband got a deep fryer for his birthday, so we experimented with that, but I'm not a big fan of fried food," she says. "Our new thing is we've gotten a smoker, and he's making his own bacon."

Hendricks also relishes a savory plate of pasta now and then: "Spaghetti in red sauce is always comforting."

How to Love Your Body

Actor Christina Hendricks is a powerful role model in reminding us that learning to accept --and even love -- our bodies isn't an impossible task.

Two negative forces stand between us and the mirror, Pizer says, "An unrealistic media ideal and our overly critical internal voice." She offers a few tips to help you begin to change your thinking: