How 'Scream' Star Sonia Ammar Built A Fitness Routine From The Ground Up
Sonia Ammar, 22, makes her feature film debut in Scream today.
The model-turned-actress sat down with Women's Health to talk all things fitness and mental health.
Sonia says her fitness routine is always shifting. "I try to make it fun and do something different every day," she explains.
Sonia Ammar may only be 22, but she's already beginning her second career. After years of modeling, her starring role in the movie Scream marks her official transition into acting.
Sonia says the switch was exciting (she's always had a passion for theater), but unexpected. "You never have an order for things that are going to happen," she tells Women's Health.
But with her big, new role came unexpected challenges—like completely revamping her relationship with exercise. "When I was younger I assumed exercising was for physical reasons only, to lose weight, to stay fit or strong," Sonia shares. "And now I’ve completely changed my perspective on health. I move so that I can mentally feel good.”
Here's how Sonia built a flexible fitness routine that keeps her happy from the ground up:
Sonia changes her workouts often.
“I think you got to really alternate and try different things," Sonia tells Women's Health, "and that’s why I try to make it fun and do something different every day.”
Pilates classes are one of her favorite ways to break a sweat. She says machines, like the Reformer and the Chair, help her tone her entire body. On other days, she turns to hand weights and resistance bands for a full-body workout.
Even the amount of time she spends exercising changes. Sometimes it's an hour of interval training or a long hike, while other days she might move her body for a quick 20 minutes. That baseline “has really impacted my mental health,” Sonia adds.
Food-wise, Sonia is a fan of intermittent fasting.
While filming Scream, Sonia noticed that her eating habits started to change. “I found that I wasn’t very disciplined with my food,” she says. Between eating whatever was available on set (at all times of the day) and “drinking way too much coffee,” she wasn't feeling her best.
Since then, she's given up coffee completely and now sticks to a flexible intermittent fasting schedule.
She starts eating around noon every day, then has a meal whenever she's hungry after that. “I’m still finding that balance," she adds. "I don’t think I’ve found the perfect strategy.” Sonia also says she'll make some breakfast if she wakes up feeling extra hungry—it's all about “listening to my body and what I need.”
And, she's working on her skills in the kitchen. “I am the worst chef,” Sonia admits. “I love food and I love eating out but I have definitely been embarrassed of my cooking skills.”
So, she challenges herself to cook dinner at least twice a week. Usually, she's whipping up a plate of marinated chicken with rice and some veggies, like sweet potatoes or zucchini (yum!).
And, she's been working hard on improving her mental health.
First thing's first: Sonia wakes up with the help of an alarm clock, not her phone. Then, she meditates for five to ten minutes. This brief a.m. routine helps Sonia start the day off right.
As the day goes on, Sonia likes to set aside some time for reading, watching TED talks, or going for a walk.
Prioritizing her mental health is new for Sonia, but she says it's made a huge difference. She is honest about her past experiences as a model: The industry often made her feel objectified, since so much emphasis was placed on her body.
Now that she's transitioned into acting, she's focused on her own health by revamping her daily routines. The result? “I think the best thing for me that I realized is that accepting your body and accepting the way you look" is key, "but the most important is to fix the way you feel," she says.
Say it louder for the people in the back!
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