“I was cranky, I was irritable,” she says of the downsides

Dec 19, 2014 10:44 GMT  ·  By
Jennifer Aniston tells Dr. Oz that not working out made her "cranky" and permanently hungry
8 photos
   Jennifer Aniston tells Dr. Oz that not working out made her "cranky" and permanently hungry

Jennifer Aniston looks very different in the movie “Cake” than she does in her everyday life or on the red carpet, when she’s all glammed up and wearing the best in designer clothes. She’s not wearing any makeup, she’s heavier, and she’s wearing very baggy clothes – but the actress says it was the not exercising that eventually got to her.

Actors are often expected to lose themselves in a part physically as well, so they either have to bulk up or lose / gain weight. Examples of dramatic physical transformations for a film are not few, and a handful of them are truly memorable and are considered the perfect example of the utmost dedication.

Aniston too had to gain some weight, so she stopped exercising daily like she usually does so she could achieve this “regular” look. The consequences were very frustrating, she admits to Dr. Oz in a new interview (video below).

Exercising is as much for the body as it is for the soul

Jennifer Aniston leads a very healthy life, as per her own words. Sure, she sometimes indulges in a cocktail or glass of wine with friends or the occasional splurge on less-than-healthy food, but she works out regularly. She has the body to prove it, by the way.

To play Claire, a woman who is not famous and who, to boot, suffers from chronic pain from a car accident she was involved in a while back, she stopped working out completely for a short while. She didn’t like the person she became, she says.     

“It’s interesting when you stop exercising. It really was interesting how my serotonin levels went down. My stamina was shot. I was cranky. I was irritable. I’m usually really not any of those things. I found myself short. I was hungry like crazy,” Jennifer explains.

This is how she came to the realization that staying active isn’t just something you should do so you could look your best and look amazing in your favorite outfit. “[It’s]just so important to our soul. Not just being able to fit into skinny jeans, to your state of mind, your soul, all of that. I surrendered into it. I actually didn't fight it. I didn't think oh this is horrible. It was such a part of what I enjoyed about mining this character,” she says.

Jennifer Aniston’s usual routine

The former “Friends” star has made no secret of how much she loves to do yoga and Pilates because they not only help her to stay toned and strong, but also to unwind and meditate. She works out almost daily if she can but never for less than 4 times a week, usually for almost 1 hour.

Besides the regular exercise, Aniston also eats healthy, steering clear from over-processed meats and sugary treats.

She admits that her body has changed a lot since she went into her 40s, but she loves it as much as she did before, even if she sometimes puts in twice the work she did when she was younger. In return, this has allowed her to become, at 45, one of the most beautiful women in showbiz, with an enviable figure and great skin (and hair, of course).

Jennifer Aniston on Dr. Oz, 2014 (8 Images)

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