By learning about my body and making small subtle changes I find out what I enjoy and what is effective. I'm always finessing: adjusting my diet and my workouts. You have to figure out which exercises are fun and interesting and stimulate your brain - or else you'll never keep at them.

Far too many times over the next 12 to 15 years it was brought to my attention that people who followed my exercise guidelines exactly but ignored their diet their weight and their cigarette smoking had heart attacks at age 55.

When I was pregnant. I exercised and was healthy but it was also the first time since I was 14 that I wasn't on a diet.

You can't exercise your way out of a bad diet.

In the 20 long hungry years between my late teens and late 30s I bought in to virtually every new diet and/or exercise regime that hoved into view particularly at this most vulnerable time for those of us prone to poor body image - a new year.

The number of kids affected by obesity has tripled since 1980 and this can be traced in large part to lack of exercise and a healthy diet.

These days I travel so much it's hard to get into a routine. When I'm on the road I tend to use hotel gyms. When I'm home in L.A. I like to hike and hit the surf. All in all I try to keep a balanced diet and exercise routine which has stood me in good stead to date.

I was a vegan for two years and I really enjoyed it. Then I got to a point in my life at which I wanted to do something else so now I'm a vegetarian. You should make your diet one that best fits you and how you feel. Listen to your body. The most important thing is to exercise drink lots of water and take really good care of yourself.

There's no quick or magical way to lose weight. You just have to do it the natural way - diet and exercise and stick to it - and be able to do it at your own pace.

The medical literature tells us that the most effective ways to reduce the risk of heart disease cancer stroke diabetes Alzheimer's and many more problems are through healthy diet and exercise. Our bodies have evolved to move yet we now use the energy in oil instead of muscles to do our work.