Actress
Jennifer Aniston says that it’s easier to embrace flaws than to fight
them: “I have a scar on my nose and that’s beautiful.” (Photo: Corbis)
Balance.
It’s an idea that is downright daunting when it comes to keeping up a
half-decent fitness and beauty regimen in a crazy-busy life. But Jennifer Aniston,
46, has nailed it — regularly incorporating everything from Bloody
Marys to Transcendental Meditation into her frenetic schedule.
“You
have to think about the long run and bigger picture,” Aniston tells
Yahoo Health about her approach to wellness. “We have a choice. We can
be really good all the time and be around for a really long time. But it also feels good when you give yourself some breaks and self-tending.”
Amen, sister.
Her
realistic, relatable attitude is a big reason the actress is so adored.
Consider her take on unrealistically curated social media feeds, for
instance. “Things can look picture perfect, and it just isn’t that way,”
she says.
Related: The One Thing Jennifer Garner Always Keeps in Her Purse
Aniston (whose next film is Mean Moms,
out in 2016) often finds that the most beautiful moments in life happen
when she least expects them — like when she’s hanging with her beloved
dogs.
“Every
morning I get to take them on a walk, and it’s just never the same
morning. Something will surprise you as if you’re seeing it for the
first time every day,” she says. “It’s also about the flaws. … The more
we love what is natural and beautiful, the easier it is for us as
women.”
Here, Yahoo Health asks Aniston — who’s a spokesperson for Aveeno and the brand’s new Unscripted Beauty social media campaign — how she maintains a healthy mind and body, plus, the beauty and exercise hacks she turns to while traveling.
What are some airplane drinks and snacks you pack or pick up?
Water,
water, water, on an airplane. If there is a drink happening, it’s
usually a Bloody Mary, which I don’t ever order [except] when I’m on an
airplane. I usually bring my own lunch of a packed salad just in case
they don’t have something I want. I get nervous about ordering fish on
an airplane — it’s terrible for the guy next to you! The smell just
lingers and you’re like “Sorry! So sorry. The fish was a terrible
choice.”
How do you stay motivated to work out on the road?
I will bring a DVD of something like my friend Mandy Ingber’s yoga
or Cardio Barre, where I hold onto a chair and do the moves. I might
bring [resistance] bands, which I put on my legs around my knees and do
different leg exercises. Or I might find a great gym wherever I am. I am
a runner, but sadly right now have a hip injury.
Do you prefer to work out with other people or solo?
Both!
I love the energy of a class. I have a great [home] gym with a ballet
barre and will sometimes have two or three girlfriends come over and do a
class, that’s fun. But mostly, I pretty much like to be left alone, put
my earphones on, and get in the zone.
Do you have any go-to stress-reducing practices — things you do to chill out?
Massages are amazing. I also do Transcendental Meditation morning and afternoon. It’s so helpful to me, especially in this crazy industry.
I
love an infrared sauna. A girlfriend turned me onto it, and I ordered
one online. When I was building my new house it had a sauna and we
turned into an infrared. The health benefits — like detox, relaxation,
weight loss — are amazing. I usually do it after I work out, which is
five to six times a week. I’ll bring a script in, so I’m also getting
work done.
If you only have a small piece of luggage, what are your skincare essentials?
Some makeup wipes, whatever serum I’m using that week or month, and my Living Proof goodies.
Also, Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion — I have to have that on an airplane. And Aveeno 30 SPF sunscreen. I actually don’t leave the house without that. I even have a bottle in the car.
You travel a ton. Any jet-lag cures you’ve discovered?
When
you land after a long, long flight, go hit the gym and do a 30-minute
run. It has worked for me — when I’ve actually had the energy to go and
do it!
