Vanessa Hudgens reveals her secrets to staying in top shape: ‘I put cardio on the back burner’

Vanessa Hudgens has gotten into the best shape of her life, which she proved this month when she modeled lingerie for Rihanna’s third Savage X Fenty show in Los Angeles.

And in the November issue of Shape magazine, the High School Musical star, 32, revealed just how she manages to look so toned as she promotes her new movie tick, tick… Boom!

Some of the highlights of her health talk are that she has put cardio on the ‘back burner’ and she eats only two meals a day.

TOPS! Vanessa Hudgens has gotten into the best shape of her life and in the November issue of Shape magazine, the High School Musical star revealed just how she manages to look so toned

The siren also said she is very happy dating Cole Tucker, her boyfriend of just under a year: ‘I’m in such an amazing, healthy relationship.’ 

As far as exercise, she is not running on a treadmill these days.

‘My fitness has taken a turn. Cardio has been put on the back burner, and I’m very OK with that,’ shared the lingerie model. 

The things that have become the most important to her are balance and mental health. 

Lean but not mean: Some of the highlights of her health talk are that she has put cardio on the 'back burner' and she eats only two meals a day

Lean but not mean: Some of the highlights of her health talk are that she has put cardio on the ‘back burner’ and she eats only two meals a day

‘During the pandemic, when everything was paused, I created a little community. I’d get my friends together over Zoom and we would do Isaac Boots’s live workout classes. As the world started to reopen, I found myself obsessed with Dogpound,’ said the star.

She goes to the workout center with her best friend and they have become extremely competitive, she said.

‘We have the best time — the amount of dancing we do between sets is ridiculous. Everyone knows when we’re at the gym. They say they hear us before they see us,’ said Vanessa.

She does squats with a rack.

Working it: As far as exercise, she is not running on a treadmill these days. 'My fitness has taken a turn. Cardio has been put on the back burner, and I'm very OK with that,' shared the lingerie model

Working it: As far as exercise, she is not running on a treadmill these days. ‘My fitness has taken a turn. Cardio has been put on the back burner, and I’m very OK with that,’ shared the lingerie model

‘I love to see how much weight I can add to the bar. That’s empowering. And I’ve just gotten back into Pilates with a reformer. It works your muscles like nothing else,’ said the Grease: Live singer. 

‘At my fittest, I feel unstoppable,’ she said.

‘If you think, “There’s no way I can get through 30 reps.” But then you do, and you remind yourself that you can do anything you set your mind to. Those little victories should always be celebrated. That’s what contributes joy and happiness and power and strength to your life.’

Her overall food philosophy is, if it’s real, I’ll eat it. 

Hot hot hot: She proved this month she is a 10 when she modeled lingerie for Rihanna's third Savage X Fenty show in Los Angeles

Hot hot hot: She proved this month she is a 10 when she modeled lingerie for Rihanna’s third Savage X Fenty show in Los Angeles

‘Many things are processed and contain chemicals and ingredients I can’t pronounce. I want real food. If I’m in Italy, and I see them making pasta by hand, or if it grows from the earth, that’s real. I stay away from the processed stuff. I also don’t eat meat. I’m a pescatarian. What animals go through is so inhumane. That’s not a system that I support.

She eats two bigger meals a day instead of three. 

Breakfast typically has avocado, maybe vegan sausage, and a piece of healthy bread.

‘Dinner depends on my mood. I let myself have what I want. If that’s a big bowl of spaghetti with clams and a glass of wine, then that’s what I’m eating,’ she shared.

‘Sometimes I crave a salad, and I’ll make a big one with nuts and goat cheese and salmon. Other times, it’s tacos and a margarita. I’ve learned that when I try to be super conscientious of everything I put into my mouth, all I can think about is food. But when I listen to my body and eat what I want, that’s when I’m happiest.’

Happy in love: The siren also said she is very happy dating Cole Tucker, her boyfriend of just under a year: 'I'm in such an amazing, healthy relationship'

Happy in love: The siren also said she is very happy dating Cole Tucker, her boyfriend of just under a year: ‘I’m in such an amazing, healthy relationship’

Also in her Shape interview Vanessa said she is feeling very good about herself these days.

‘Over the past couple of years, I’ve really come into my own,’ shared the brunette bombshell from Salinas, California.

‘When you’re fully accepting of who you are, and you stop trying to suppress pieces of yourself, you can conquer the world. I love how silly I am. I love how excitable I am. And I love that I’m finally at a place where I can access those things. 

‘Even the quirky stuff that might have been shut down by other people in the past, like being ridiculous with my friends, those are things I’m now allowing to thrive. For some people, I’m way too much. But I love who I am, and there’s such power in that.’

A new Vanessa: Also in her Shape interview Vanessa said she is feeling very good about herself these days. 'Over the past couple of years, I've really come into my own,' shared the brunette bombshell from Salinas, California. Seen in September

A new Vanessa: Also in her Shape interview Vanessa said she is feeling very good about herself these days. ‘Over the past couple of years, I’ve really come into my own,’ shared the brunette bombshell from Salinas, California. Seen in September

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