Connie Britton's Diet and Exercise Routine: Yoga and Self-Love

We don’t blame you for wondering about Connie Britton’s diet and exercise routine. At 52, the actress has a youthful glow, that begs the question, “What is her secret?” It turns out the answer is refreshingly simple.

When the former Nashville star discussed her outlook on health, beauty, and exercise with Health, she revealed she doesn’t love the gym these days. (We feel the same way, girl!) But she wasn’t always so gym-phobic. “For a good part of my 20s, while I was pounding the pavement auditioning for acting roles, I taught aerobics in New York,” she said. “I did step class or good old high-impact aerobics and calisthenics. I spent a lot of time in gyms, but now I really love a mind-body-spirit kind of a workout, and that’s more easily done outside — swimming, hiking, or yoga.”

Britton also shared her love for meditation, a whole different kind of mind-body-spirit workout. “Meditation has been a big part of my adult life — meditation, breathing, and connecting to whatever is my own version of my center,” she said. “It can be 10 minutes; it can be in the car while I’m driving or just taking a deep breath before I’m about to shoot a scene. It’s about going deeper than the external noise. To me, that’s a really important tool. And I really believe it helps with wrinkles. We can change our body chemistry through meditation.”

As for what she puts in her body, Britton says she’s dabbled with a few fad diets in the past, like the Blood Type Diet. However, the 9-1-1 star says her old weight-loss methods became less effective after she turned 50 — which may be an experience you’re familiar with, too. As women age and lose muscle mass, their metabolisms slow, making it harder to lose weight.

These days, Britton’s learned to approach food differently — but she still struggles sometimes. “I’m in a new phase, and I haven’t figured it out yet. But moderation is important. I eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and clean proteins. And I try to stay away from sugar — it really is a drug for me. It not only impacts my weight, it impacts my body chemistry. Though if I could have a chocolate chip cookie or really anything that is chocolate, I would be a very happy camper.”

But even if she flubs her diet or forgets to exercise, Britton never gets too down on herself. “It’s true what they say — your body really does change. And I do for sure have those times when I don’t feel good in my skin. In your 40s, you have this genuinely acquired grounded wisdom, and your body is still recognizable. In your late 40s, it’s like, “What is happening?” But I’m not super hard on myself, and I allow myself to feel sexy. We have to be patient with ourselves. We are constantly evolving.”