Alicia Minshew’s Healthy Habit How-To

Unspoiled comes to mind when you meet Alicia Minshew: Unspoiled by the ravages of processed foods, fad diets, the latest beauty products and exercise trends. And equally unspoiled by the growing celebrity she so graciously enjoys as Susan Lucci’s TV daughter on ABC’s “All My Children.”
Minshew is as natural as the day she was born. That’s what makes her vibrant and healthy. It’s also what keeps her grounded and likeable. She credits a solid and sensible upbringing for her healthy habits but maintains you don’t have to be born with it.
“I really think how you’re brought up has a huge influence on the way you live, but I definitely believe you can change later in life,” says the natural beauty as she sips a cup of antioxidant-rich green tea while visiting her mom, a Pilates instructor who works her daughter hard even when she visits for some R&R.
“Mom was always adamant about eating fruits and vegetables and taking vitamins,” remembers Minshew adding there were never any processed foods or soft drinks. “Instead of Twinkies and chips, we would have apples and peanut butter and I always drank water. I felt like the boring one,” she explained. “Now I’m really glad because it stuck with me.”
Minshew’s advice for those who want to make changes is tweaking things a little at a time, especially when following the example of those we perceive as healthy. “My boyfriend now eats vegetables, doesn’t have soft drinks and takes vitamins,” she says victoriously. “He sees what I eat and the way I live my life and how good it makes me feel. I have a constant flow of energy.”
There was a period when Minshew did slack off, she’s quick to point out. Around the time she turned 21, the would-be actress spent about two years partying before she realized it didn’t make her feel so good. That’s when she decided to take the organic route.
“I really believe fruits and vegetables have a much higher nutritional value without pesticides,” she says. “You can really taste the way the fruit or vegetable was intended to taste.”
Fresh organic fruit along with a bowl of energizing oatmeal, dotted with raisins, nuts and a swirl of honey, is the start of a typical day for the health-conscious actress. To maintain her high energy, as well as to feel satisfied rather than full, she eats about six small meals throughout the day. Minshew says she most often eats fish, turkey, brown rice, yogurt and nuts, along with fresh fruits and vegetables, and absolutely can’t live without the peanut butter she’s snacked on since childhood. But she also believes in eating mostly everything in moderation as long as it’s not damaging.
“I’m not a huge red meat eater, but I do have it occasionally because I know I need the iron so I’ll have a nice lean cut of organic beef,” she says, noting that we all have to splurge every now and then.
Other foods she considers splurges are baked ziti and macaroni and cheese. “You can’t go wrong with carbs and cheese,” she says, also mentioning lasagna and fettuccine alfredo. “I haven’t had any of those things in a very long time,” she admits, but does own up to eating pizza and ice cream recently.
“Being half Italian, when I come home for Christmas, my 96-year-old grandmother and my mother cook all the food I was raised on. Yes, we have the pasta and all that good stuff,” she assures, “but we also have things like spinach with the fun, yummy stuff.
“If you take care of yourself, it’s good to stray for a day or two and switch up from what you normally eat. Then you can go right back to your routine. If your body is in shape it will respond in a good way,” she says.
There’s no denying Minshew’s body is in shape. She has always been a sports fan who also participates. She swims and runs for enjoyment as well as exercise. She also danced for many years. But when she landed the role of Kendall Hart on “All My Children,” she wanted a more challenging workout. Enter trainer Louis Coraggio who focuses on strengthening her core.
“Louis says everything comes from your core, even your voice and all your movement comes from your core,” she says. “If you have a strong center everything is easier. We do a lot of Pilates-based exercises and resistance training,” says Minshew. “It seems to work out great for my body,” she adds noting she tries to work out four to five times a week, but opts for sleep when she’s tired. “The best thing for a good workout is making sure you’re rested. You’ll certainly look and feel much better if you’ve had sleep.”
A lot of fans ask Minshew how she stays in shape and now she is sharing downloadable workouts at pumpone.com/alicia. “Louis has shown me so many exercises you can do with a chair or a minimum of equipment and this is a cool way to show them what I do in a way they can get because it’s fun and easy to follow,” she says. “It’s about reaching out and telling people to try something that may help.” Fans have been giving great feedback, she notes.
But that’s no surprise. Minshew is fan favorite as evidenced by the crowds waiting for her before dawn as she enters the studio. “Some mornings I’m cranky, but as soon as I see the smiles on their faces it sets the tone for a really nice day,” she says. “I’m very lucky and blessed to be in a position to have this job. It puts my crankiness in perspective.”
Minshew also says it’s a blessing to play a character that gets so much airtime. “Sometimes soap operas don’t write for you and you’re locked into a contract,” she says. “They have written for me non-stop so I’ve been working consistently for five-and-a-half years.”
That experience has taught the actress so much about herself as well as her craft. “I’ve grown as a person and I’ve been growing with my character,” she says. “My interaction with Susan [Lucci] is very cool. Our characters hated each other in the beginning, but now they have grown very close. It’s so nice to go to work.”
Fresh from posing for photos with her adoring fans while apologizing for showing up au naturale, Minshew is whisked off to hair and make-up where she is readied for the set, sometimes taking up to two hours to transform her from the natural look she prefers to conniving cosmetics exec Kendall Hart.
“Because of the heavy TV make-up I wear, when I’m not working I wear minimal make-up,” she says. “I’m very adamant about SPF50 on my face if I’m outside for a long time. I just don’t want to mess with the sun.” She balances out the chemicals contained in sunscreens by choosing organic skin care products. For healthier hair, the actress prefers to let her curly locks dry naturally on and off the set to avoid the damaging effects associated with overworking it on a daily basis.
“I take great care of myself, but I feel it’s important for everyone, not just for your job, but in your day-to-day life and with every relationship,” she says. “I’ve learned if you take care of your body, your mind will take care of itself,” she reasons, adding she wouldn’t be able to memorize all her lines and get through her long and grueling days on the set without the energy level her healthy lifestyle affords her.
Taking good care of yourself is a choice, according to Minshew. “I come from generations of women who just believe in feeling good, but you can create that if it’s not your foundation,” she says.
“You’re in charge of how you feel,” says Minshew. “You just have to choose to be the best you can be.”