How Brittany Snow Learned to Stop Fighting Her Body Type

Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Actor, singer, and dancer Brittany Snow has a demanding job, so over the years she's learned to take self-care seriously. The Pitch Perfect 3 star has her priorities on point: Eat well, embrace your strengths, and never, ever body compare.

Her Body Awakening

"When I turned 30, I looked at my life and realized that I'd always been on a diet and working out to be the size of a model. I thought, I'm 5'3", and I inherited my mom's beautiful muscular body-it's just not going to happen. So I began eating well to take care of myself-I'm almost 100 percent vegan, and I'm off dairy and gluten. I realized that my health and happiness were way more important than being at the gym all the time."

Social Sabotage

"I think that as a society we're always looking to social media to compare ourselves with how other people look and eat. I put Instagram and Twitter in a separate category in my phone, so I don't check them all the time and am not constantly aware of what other people are doing. I think people use social media to compare themselves with others too much, and it has really negative effects on the psyche." (Having too many social media apps increases your risk for anxiety and depression.)

Energizers

"On days when I need to keep my energy up, I try to eat really clean. I try not to have too much caffeine besides coffee in the morning. In the past year, I've started meditating for 10 to 15 minutes a day, which is super important to me. I'm not a morning person, but I force myself to workout before work, which gives me an energy boost."

Trading Places

"When I was growing up, I had a big issue with working out and dieting. I wanted to be like the girls I saw in fitness magazines so badly. I thought that was the ideal of happiness. Now people look to me like that when I do photo shoots. I wish someone had told me back then that the way a woman looks in a photo has nothing to do with who she is."

Self-Help

"Self esteem is figuring out what really matters to you, which often has nothing to do with the way the world sees you. It's hard because everyone feels pressure to fit in. I derive my validation from spirituality, friends, meditation, working hard, and being creative, not from looking a certain way for other people."

You Bet I Love My Shape!

"It's strong not only physically but also emotionally. I used to be frustrated by my body type as a kid. I had muscles without trying and failed when I attempted to lose weight. Now I've come to appreciate the fact that I'm an athlete."