As I sit across from Ginnifer Goodwin in the Hollywood Café, the thought occurs to me that she could easily pass for a French ingenue. Honestly, because of her simple chic, t-shirt, cardigan and hairstyle that makes her look like a fairy, I wouldn’t be surprised if she said bonjour as a greeting… But as soon as the 32-year-old actress says “Hi!” with its southern accent, it immediately brings me back to reality… She is currently on HBO’s Big Love in its fifth and final season (her character Margin is the third wife of a polygamist). And before her iPhone rings (the tune of “All You Need is Love”), Ginnifer has time to talk about how she manages to always stay in good shape, about her unchanging love for dancing, and about the secret to always feel wonderful that she learned from your mom. You are from Memphis. How does your background help or, conversely, hinder you in your healthy approach to life? – I guess it helps me … Although my statement is somewhat at odds with the fact that when you come to the South, you find that all the vegetables there are well fried. When I was little, for some period of time I sincerely thought that vegetables grow right in the fields in this form – already fried. I changed my eating habits when I was in the 4th grade of school because I was an obese child and felt unhappy. The first time my mother cooked dinner for me according to the new rules, I burst into tears because the vegetables were green, and I suddenly thought that my mother decided to starve me to death. You have a very busy work schedule. What’s your favorite healthy snack food? “Joanne Tripplehorn taught me this recipe: take oatmeal, add a small teaspoon of peanut butter, the same amount of veggie jelly and mix until you get a homogeneous mass. It turns out brilliant and very satisfying! Do you have a favorite way to stay in shape? — For 23 years I was a member of the organization “Weight Watchers” (“Controllers of weight”), and now I go there again. It’s the only thing on the planet that doesn’t just make you feel miserable. In general, I have never had too serious problems with being overweight, but it can be hard for me to deny myself something. Then I need help getting back on track and zipping my jeans again. – How do you determine that now you are in your “happy weight”? – I have a very specific figure. I know many people say that this is not a very good criterion. But for 12 years now I have this specific figure, and when I weigh this much, I feel good, I am full of energy. I also call it my “shooting weight” because then I don’t lose my temper when I see myself on the screen. They say you do ballet, is that true? I just love ballet! I do ballet when I feel good enough to wear a leotard (laughs). My coach once performed at the New York Ballet, and she has a kind of hybrid of ballet and Pilates. I also go to Valley Gym now. What is your favorite type of cardio workout? — I like the elliptical trainer, because when I work out on it, it feels like I’m dancing. I also love brisk walking outdoors. For example, I can walk a couple of miles, then have a couple of cups of coffee and walk those couple of miles back. It’s easy. You just need to give yourself a short break between two runs. Are there any problem areas on your body that you have to work on? – These are my thighs. Even when I get so skinny that I look at myself in the mirror and say, “Ginny, you’re too skinny!” my hips are still with me… So I’m thinking, maybe this is forever? (Laughs). But in fact, when I was young, I was engaged in figure skating, ballet, horseback riding … And when in figure skating you make all these breathtaking jumps, then your hips pump up a lot. When do you feel confident about your body? – Is always. Even when I gain extra pounds, I still have confidence in myself, because, in fact, I know that I still never go crazy. I can give myself a slack for 6 months and gain extra pounds, but, to be honest, because of this, I never feel unhappy or depressed. Also, I have an absolutely amazing stylist, and I’m just a magician when you need to hide something that you don’t want to show … So I always have confidence in myself. The only exception is one thing – a swimsuit. No matter what my body looks like, I hate wearing a swimsuit in front of other people. – In general, this is understandable, because it is almost underwear … Yes, it’s underwear! And it was different before! About 80-90 years ago, women bathed in very pretty dresses. You seem to like fashion… — I bow to French designers. It’s funny, but at the same time I have, rather, an Italian body type – I’m a curvy girl. “And you also like to wear bright colors…” “Or maybe I just don’t have enough black things. For me, clothes are like an extension of myself, and the truth is that I am, by definition, quite a cheerful person. I am a multicolored person and bright colors make me feel good. – If you decided to stick a photo of a celebrity whose figure inspires you on the refrigerator, who would it be? — I met Jessica Biel once, she is just amazing! And Jennifer Aniston. They are probably the only two women on the planet with such bodies. And I’m really happy that they chose a profession, thanks to which we can now admire them all the time. What does the concept of “healthy” mean to you personally? Healthy means beautiful. Because with health comes clarity of mind and a healthy mind. When I am unwell, I lose the ability to think normally and feel miserable. When I feel emotionally out of balance, it means to me that my body is dehydrated. When I’m cold and sick, it’s because I’m not exercising and my circulation is poor. – You have amazing skin. What is your secret? – To be honest, even as a child, my grandmother told me that you need to wash your face only once a day, because the protective fatty layer on the skin is present for some important reason. And my grandmother’s skin is incredibly beautiful! So I just started washing my face only once a day. Who gave you the best health advice? “My mom always taught me to listen to my body. If I suddenly felt bad, then I was not forced to go to school no matter what. And my mother encouraged me when I slept until I felt that I had slept. And then I didn’t get drunk, because I knew that the next day I would feel terrible. So I always had good feedback with myself. And I am sure that this is a good contribution to all aspects of life, not only health and appearance. – You once said that male actors are by no means ideal candidates for the role of a boyfriend. But your current boyfriend – Joey Kern – is just an actor! “Actors are professional liars and we often find ourselves in more than seductive situations. And male actors are often the most charismatic people on the planet. (Laughs). But I try to live very ethically, I consider myself a monogamous person. And somehow I realized that I can give other actors a chance. Do you think healthy relationships lead to a happier, healthier life? Well, I’m a hopeless romantic! When I am in a healthy relationship, I feel more secure, more alive, more capable, and more… open. When do you feel most relaxed? When I watch movies at home with my cats. They wash each other, and I watch something from the classics. Sourced from health.com
2022-11-11