It is truly amazing what a bit of cold weather can do to shatter my motivation levels. During winter I was satisfied with infrequent workouts, and excuses seemed to magically appear to eat all and every single comfort food available. Vietnamese noodles two nights in a row? It’s too cold not to use Seamless! Grilled cheese for dinner? It would be rude to expect someone to deliver in this weather! Dessert, again? Why not? Wouldn’t make a difference at this point.
So in spring, while attempting to hit reset on my diet/exercise/life, it’s useful to lock down some actionable nutrition and fitness tips from women who are busy living the healthy life. Today, that woman is “Vampire Diaries” star Kat Graham, who shared the fitness apps and Instagram accounts that fuel her at-home workouts, the foods she eats every day, a superfood smoothie recipe, and more insight into how she keeps a healthy balance.
For breakfast I had: A yogurt parfait. Usually I’m traveling between different time zones, so meal time always varies; but I [normally] like to start my day with a fruit smoothie and protein, usually eggs or a veggie omelet.
For lunch I had: Since we’re at an event, my lunch today has been snack-inspired light bites. I’ve been loving the truffle mac and cheese and tuna tartare.
For dinner I had: Last night for dinner I went to Momofuku and had their amazing ramen noodles.
Today I snacked on: Protein bars, granola bars, and I’ve been making sure I hydrate with plenty of water.
The one thing I would never eat is: Pork.
Some of the fitness blogs/websites I follow include: Most people don’t know this about me, but I’m a big foodie at heart. I follow more food blogs than anything. When it comes to fitness I like the following IG accounts for motivation.
My favorite Instagram accounts are: @home.exercises, @home.abs, and @fitnessgirlsmotivation.
The health app I couldn’t live without is: SWORKIT.
Each week I usually work out: Four or five times a week. My workout often includes running two to five miles.
My all-time favorite workout is: Dancing my butt off.
I think the health and fitness trend that will dominate in 2016 is: App-at-home workouts.
The health trend I just can’t get behind is: Anything that promotes an unhealthy body image.
My favorite healthy restaurant is: Crossroads Kitchen in Los Angeles. Everything on the menu is good.
My favorite healthy snack is: Wasabi snap pea crisps.
My go-to smoothie ingredients are: Kale, spinach, apple, banana, cacao, and coconut oil.
MORE: A Case for Working Out Like a Dude
The three ingredients you’ll always find in my kitchen are: Truffle oil, gnocchi, sage.
My signature healthy dish is: Watermelon and mint salad with feta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.
The top three songs on my workout playlist right now are: “Work Bitch” by Britney Spears, “Spark the Fire” by Gwen Stefani, and “Black Skinhead” by Kanye.
The best part of my job is: Connecting to people.
At the beginning of most days I: Play with my dogs! My day starts off with drinking a bottle of water—I’m always hydrating. I like to shower in the morning too using the Caress Forever collection—the fragrance in the body wash is touch-activated. So, I just touch my skin (like a rub on the wrist) throughout the day to reactivate the scent. The fragrance lasts for up to 12 hours, which is amazing for me since I’m running to a million appointments on any given day. I’m also really big on moisturizing. I like to put on my moisturizer and let it sit for a while before applying my makeup.
At the end of most days I: When I get home I’m diligent about removing my makeup, and if there’s time, I also like to unwind with a bubble bath. I keep it simple.
My career highlight so far has been: Seeing myself in stores and on shelf. Blows my mind!
My career low has been: It was an end of an era for me when A&M Records folded. And being an extra wasn’t much fun either.