Brunette Ambition Read online

  I really urge you to try everything, because the right experience can completely change your perspective on exercise and make you actually look forward to moving around. When I started the class circuit, I was initially intimidated to try a spin class, since everyone told me they were so hard. But I discovered that I loved spinning—and what’s even better, I was actually good at it! And same with Bikram yoga: I’d only heard horror stories and been told that I’d hate it, but I actually love stretching it out in such a hot room. Meanwhile, I thought I would love Pilates but found it’s not for me. So, I’ve found that the combination of hiking, yoga, and working out in my backyard makes me the happiest—with an occasional spin class with a friend thrown in for good measure. Scheduling workouts well in advance really helps me stick to them, and I ask friends to text me when they’re going to a class in case I can join, because having company is an extra incentive (also, you feel extra bad when you bail!).

  The reason I love working out in my backyard with Devon is that I can keep it extremely focused—and she makes it so much fun for me, which is the real trick of it all. If you find classes, a routine, or workout buddies that make this a time you can actually look forward to, it’s so much easier to push through a challenging hour. I can accomplish everything there that I would in a gym (without the gym fees or the travel time). I know trainers are really expensive, so that’s why Devon and I have included my favorite exercises in this chapter, which you can do in your own home with just a few tools. (I often do them on my own, though Devon pushes me harder than I can push myself!) In a good week, I try to work out three times: Devon and I will do one session in my backyard, and then we schedule in one hike and one yoga session. Finding local hiking trails and exploring your city by foot is a great way to experience your area and get your heart rate up—all without spending a dime.

  Finding local hiking trails and exploring your city by foot is a great way to experience your area and get your heart rate up—all without spending a dime.

  When it comes to fitness, it’s most important to take your own internal temperature and see how you feel: Feeling listless? As counterintuitive as it may be, a vigorous walk will inject so much energy into the rest of your day. It doesn’t really matter how often you work out or how many reps you get in; what matters most is that you’re listening to your body and giving it what it needs. It can be so hard to motivate to get up and moving—so hard!—but you’ll always feel better afterward. Now, of course, I always feel better after sitting on my couch and watching an episode of Don’t Be Tardy on Bravo. Some days, that is what your body needs—and if I’ve been diligent about getting my exercise in, I’ll always cut myself some slack and couch potato it out. But if it’s been a few days, I try to do something small: A quick walk on the treadmill is enough to get me restarted and reenergized, and ultimately back on track.

  * * *

  SWEAT ESSENTIALS

  Devon’s Five Quick Ways To Add More Movement To Your Life

  1. Always take the stairs instead of the elevator.

  2. When you go to the mall or the grocery store, aim for the parking spot as far from the entrance as possible——then do biceps curls with your groceries or shopping bags as you walk back.

  3. Do squats or sit-ups during commercial breaks.

  4. If you have a pet or a child, get down on the floor and play.

  5. Instead of using a traditional desk chair, swap it for a stability ball——this forces you to work on your posture and your abs during computer time.

  I bought a bike so that I could ride it around the Paramount lot between takes!

  I tried snowboarding and it was a crazy-good workout—I incorporate activities into as much of my free time as possible.

  * * *

  Motivation Mix/Sweat Mix

  1. “Sexy Back”——Justin Timberlake

  2. “Locked Out of Heaven”——Bruno Mars

  3. “I Love It”——Icona Pop

  4. “Womanizer”——Britney Spears

  5. “Run the World (Girls)”——Beyoncé

  6. “Starships”——Nicki Minaj

  7. “Americano/Dance Again”——Glee

  8. “Firework”——Katy Perry

  9. “Dancing on My Own” ——Robyn

  10. “Only Girl (in the World)” ——Rihanna

  * * *

  WORKING OUT THE KINKS

  There’s nothing worse than a big, painful knot in your back—it can make it hard to work, to relax, and even to sleep. When stretching isn’t enough, you often need immediate relief—without necessarily breaking the bank on an expensive spa massage. Big knots require intense pressure (more than a helpful friend can provide), so I use my own body weight and a tennis ball to really work out the kinks. You lie on a tennis ball and position it under your knot. You can move around a bit until the knot is gone!

  WORKING OUT IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD

  This is how Devon keeps me red-carpet ready—you can do these exercises with minimal equipment in your own backyard!

  Beautiful baby Juliette was born in 2013!

  Dynamic Stretch Warm-Up

  It is important to warm up with dynamic stretches, which involve moving through the muscles in the stretched position. Static stretching (think old-school gym-class stretches) should be done at the end of the workout, as it forces the muscles to relax and ultimately turns them off. While this is perfect as a cool-down, it’s not the right tactic at the beginning of a workout—in contrast, dynamic stretches prepare the muscles for weight-bearing activity.

  1 DYNAMIC LEG SWINGS — 15 EACH SIDE

  This is a dynamic stretch to get the entire system warmed up. Straighten your leg and swing it forward, and then bend it as you swing it back. Increase your range of motion as your muscles stretch and warm up. This stretches the quad, hamstring, and psoas (hip flexor).

  2 DYNAMIC ARM SWINGS—20 SWINGS TOTAL

  Swing your arms back at shoulder level, stretching through your pecs and shoulders. Then swing your arms forward so they wrap around you and touch opposite parts of the back. This stretches the shoulders, biceps, pecs, and upper back.

  3 ALTERNATING SQUATS—60 SECONDS

  Start with your feet together, step to the right, and do a squat. Then step your feet back together, step out to the left, and squat. Keep alternating the legs, doing as many as you can over the course of a minute. This gently warms up the body and gets the heart rate slightly elevated.

  WORKOUT CIRCUIT (REPEAT THREE TIMES)

  1 STATIONARY LUNGE/BICEPS CURL — 15 REPS EACH SIDE

  Place your legs in a deep lunge position (one leg in front of the other) so that both knees can get to a ninety-degree angle when bent, and hold a five- to eight-pound dumbbell loosely in each hand at your sides. Bend your knees and drop down into a lunge, then straighten your legs and lift the dumbbells into a biceps curl. This targets the glutes, quads, hip adductors, and biceps.

  2 FULL PLANK WITH TWIST — ALTERNATING, 20 REPS ON EACH SIDE

  Hold a full plank (the top of a push-up position), with your feet as wide apart as your hands. Bend one knee and twist to touch it to the opposite elbow, keeping your abs engaged and hips lifted to shoulder level (so your lower back does not sag). This targets the obliques, shoulders, and abs.

  3 JUMPING JACKS WITH SHOULDER PRESSES—60 SECONDS

  Jump your feet out and in, in a traditional jumping-jack fashion, while lifting your arms (with a three-pound dumbbell in each hand) straight overhead from a shoulder-press position every time your legs go wide. This targets the legs and shoulders.

  4 SQUAT/ROW—20 REPS

  Take a resistance band and wrap it around something very sturdy at shoulder level (ideally, use a door frame attachment). Hold the handles and move back until the band is taut. Reach your arms forward as you drop your hips back and bend your knees into a squat (you should look as though you’re sitting in a chair, and your knees should never go forward beyond your toes). As you straighten your legs to stand, pull th
e handles back to your rib cage and squeeze your shoulder blades together. This targets the glutes, core, and upper back.

  5 KICKBACKS (MODIFIED BURPEE)—15 REPS

  Start in a standing position and then descend into a squat. Place your hands in front of your feet and jump back to a plank, then jump back to a squat (keep your back flat) and return to standing. This targets the full body and is good cardio.

  6 SUPINE REVERSE CRUNCH—25 REPS

  Lie on your back on a mat with your arms behind your head in a traditional sit-up position. Lift your shoulder blades high off the ground so that your abs are engaged. Bring your bent knees in to touch your elbows, then kick your legs out straight at 45 degrees (or lower, as you get stronger), and then pull them back in to your elbows using your lower abs. Make sure that you keep your back pressed against the mat so that it doesn’t arch. If it does, kick your legs out at a higher angle. This targets the upper and lower abs.

  COOL DOWN (REPEAT ON BOTH SIDES)

  1 HAMSTRING STRETCH—HOLD FOR 30 SECONDS

  Lie on your back on a mat and lift your right leg straight up toward the sky. Depending on your flexibility, grab either at the ankle or behind the knee and pull your leg in toward your face. You can also use a towel or yoga strap to wrap around your foot.

  2 HIP STRETCH—HOLD FOR 30 SECONDS

  While lying on your back, cross your right ankle over your bent left knee and place both hands behind your left hamstring. Pull your legs in toward your chest.

  3 LOWER-BACK STRETCH—HOLD FOR 30 SECONDS

  While still on your back, keep your right knee bent, and then twist your right leg across your body so that your right knee ends up next to your left hip. Stretch your arms straight out to your sides, and look over your right shoulder.

  * * *

  The Spotlight

  1. Try as many exercise options as possible to figure out what works best for you. After all, it’s an amazing feeling to find a routine that you love and actually look forward to doing. Find a great physical activity that can be your golden ticket to a fit life and requires minimal motivation to do. Keep an open mind: You might have the most fun in a Broadway show-tunes-themed spin class or an eighties aerobic session! You never know!

  2. Figure out what you’re trying to achieve, whether it’s an increase of energy, general detox, weight loss, weight gain, or a spiritual experience. If you want to lose weight, buy a Jillian Michaels DVD and have her yell at you; if you’re looking to unwind, that may not be the best solution.

  3. Know when you’re slacking off, and don’t fool yourself into thinking that it doesn’t matter—try to just do something to get yourself moving. That said, when you need a break, take one! Taking a day off is an important part of being good to yourself, too. If you do skip the gym, then enjoy the moment and don’t feel guilty or beat yourself up about it; that can quickly make exercise feel like a chore and cause you to obsess (and avoid the gym even more). View your workouts as a treat and something positive to look forward to.

  4. Take some time on Sunday to schedule your upcoming week of exercise: When it’s in your calendar, it’s easier to mentally prepare for your workout. Don’t trust yourself to decide in the moment whether you’re going to go to the gym or not; it’s too easy to take a pass. Just make it a given.

  5. Find a workout buddy: If you have consistent plans to meet a friend for a weekly hike or a gym class, you’re much less likely to flake.

  CH 6

  EVERYDAY STYLE

  “I go by instinct—I don’t worry about experience.”

  —BARBRA STREISAND

  When I was in Ragtime, a fellow cast member named Monica told me that fabulous is twenty-four hours a day, and it stuck. In fact, you can laugh, but I’m the girl who wears nightgowns to bed. True story: I love falling asleep wearing something pretty—or at the very least, something matching, even if it’s just a black T-shirt and black shorts. I don’t wear oversize T-shirts, and I don’t wear things that have holes. Ever. And I have to say, making an effort makes me feel amazing.

  These days, I often have four a.m. call times, and it is oh-so-tempting to roll onto set in yoga pants and an oversize hoodie. But I made a New Year’s resolution that my job is my job, and that I should show it the proper respect—by putting on a real outfit in the morning. To make it happen, I’ve reverted to a tactic I used in high school that may sound crazy but actually saves me tons of time. I literally plot out a week’s worth of outfits so that I can reach for them when I’m groggy in the early morning and don’t have to spend any extra minutes in front of my closet, trying to put something together. It doesn’t mean that I’m in high heels, it just means that I’m dressed appropriately for my job. I may have “made it” in some sense of the term, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given up or ever want to take things for granted. I always want to represent myself well.

  During every magazine interview, I always get asked how I would describe my personal style. And it’s very clear that everyone who asks is always bored by my answer: My personal style is quite simple. I’m a “jeans and T-shirt” kind of girl, and prefer to express my more creative side at work, in photo shoots, or on the red carpet. In my everyday life, I don’t dress in knee-high stockings and penny loafers à la Rachel Berry, nor do I ever wear gowns when I’m not at a big event. My basic concern is that I look nice and pulled together whenever I leave the house.

  The pieces I rely on to help me look nice and pulled together generally aren’t huge splurges, either. Whenever I’m interviewed, I also always get asked about my last big purchase. But quite honestly, I don’t spend a lot when I shop: I buy really well-made things that are going to last, and only a few things at that. I’ve always been more interested in quality than quantity. I don’t believe that girls need to own eight thousand pairs of shoes and six thousand bags: I’ll usually invest in one nice bag per year. If something is great, I try to get great use out of it—and it’s hard to get great use out of anything when it only makes it out of your closet once every two months!

  FAVORITE OUTFIT AS A KID

  When I was little, my main look was black leggings, a long-sleeve T-shirt, white socks rolled up over the leggings, and flats. So, no … I didn’t have great fashion sense. I grew up in a wealthy community in New Jersey where status was key: What you wore to school was of utmost importance. Since I came from a family that was less wealthy—not in the real world, but definitely in a town where people lived in mansions and sixth-grade girls used Prada bags as pencil cases—I wasn’t allowed to splurge on the $100 jeans my friends wore. And my parents were right to set those limits. I’m so glad I didn’t get to buy whatever I wanted, because I learned to really value what I did own. And I also learned that you don’t need to have what everyone else has to fit in.

  MOST IMPORTANT PIECE

  My grandfather bought me a necklace before he passed away that I’ll always cherish. It’s a small diamond necklace, and I love it so much. I’ll also always keep Rachel’s Finn necklace from Glee.

  * * *

  STYLE ICON

  I really love Rachel Bilson’s style, because she always seems to get it right without trying too hard. I loved her as Summer on The O.C., and it’s been fun to watch her develop such a great career and establish herself as a real fashion icon. Her effortless and comfortable style is how I love to dress on a typical day.

  FIRST IMPORTANT PIECE

  When I first got Glee, I bought myself a Balenciaga bag. It was the first big purchase I’d ever made. I think it’s better to splurge on a great bag or a beautiful piece of jewelry than something like a dress. Accessories generally aren’t part of fleeting trends and they last longer.

  THE BEST THINGS I’VE EVER BOUGHT

  These are the items that marked milestones in my life—and that I wore to death.

  JEANS: These Citizens of Humanity skinny jeans fit me the best.

  HEELS: These were a gift from Cory—I thought it was so special that he bought me shoes, since guys do
n’t usually have the first clue about buying them.

  LEATHER JACKET: I bought that at my friend’s boutique, Switch, and I think it’s super-badass.