Nina Dobrev covers Self November 2020. In the interview with the magazine, ‘The Vampire Diaries’ star talks about exercising, diet, and how to celebrate in style. When it comes to exercising and her body, the 23-year-old actress says she has no six-pack abs. “I have a flat tummy, but I’m not rock hard. If I’m going to be in a bikini, I’ll train more and skip desserts for a couple of weeks. But usually, I work out to feel good,” she explains. “Exercising gives me endorphins and energy. I do it four days a week. I Spin with Candice Accola and Claire Holt from the show. Running is my solo time; working my muscles outside in fresh air is therapeutic,” Nina added.
Still, Nina says that yoga is extremely efficient when wanting to get a sexy bod. “Yoga changed my body 100 percent. It tones everything and leans you out. Dancer’s pose is amazing. It works every muscle! And you have to focus. If your mind is somewhere else, you’ll fall,” the lovely actress told Self. “If you can’t quiet your mind, try Downward Dog. It makes you concentrate on your breath, which resets you,” Nina says. She also shares the move for a happy mood. “Savasana is the easiest and most important yoga move because it’s so simple. Lying there is meditative,” Dobrev added.
On her diet, Dobrev admits that eating is important as it influences her mood. “Starving to be skinny isn’t my thing. When I don’t eat, it affects my mood! On-set, I fuel up with small meals and I’m always grabbing high-protein snacks, like almonds. Chai lattes with espresso also keep me going,” the beautiful actress confesses.
Nina also says that she indulges in dessert, probably more than she should. “I just got an ice cream maker, and I’ve been making coconut-milk ice cream topped with shredded coconut. So yummy,” she told the magazine. “I’m a health nut and eat organic, but I also enjoy eating at restaurants and, recently, cooking. I love having dinner parties at my place in Atlanta, where we film.”
In the interview with Self, Nina says she wants to keep growing, therefore she makes vision boards saying ‘Learn. Excel. Succeed’. “Using my imagination, spelling out what I want to achieve and creating a reminder of those things helps me move forward,” the actress explains. She also says that her roots and family are extremely important. “Remembering my roots matters to me. We were on a tight budget growing up, and my parents gave so much to get me where I am. Now, at Christmas, I rent a house in the Rockies and take my family snowboarding,” Nina reveals.
When travelling, the actress says she’s like George Clooney in ‘Up in the Air’. “When I fly, I never check my bags. I bring a carry-on, an eye pillow, noise-canceling headphones, a big pillow and a blanket. I usually travel with a castmate and fall asleep in the most contorted positions, with my leg splayed out on the lap of whoever is next to me,” Nina says.
Read Nina Dobrev’s complete interview in the November 2020 issue of Self Magazine.
Photos courtesy of SELF