‘I Don’t Work Out to Fit Into a Dress, the Dress Has to Fit Me’ and Other Wise Words From Lea Michele

Lea Michele has sung her way from a Glee princess to a Scream Queen, and in between all that she’s managed to have a great balance with work, working out, and a lot of TV. We caught up with Michele at the Kohl’s Motivation Market event and found out what workout kicked her ass, what is her idea of a perfect night, and what she wants to achieve in 2017.

Yahoo Style: How much do you work out before a shoot or an awards ceremony?

Lea Michele: No events or photo shoots will ever make me work out extra or amp anything up. The only reason why I am working out a little more right now or being a little more conscious is because I am singing soon, and in order to have the stamina to perform, I really need to be in good shape. But I don’t work out to fit into a dress, the dress has to fit me! That’s the truth — I work out to feel good, especially if I know I have a grueling work schedule coming up. I really started getting into working out because of Glee, because I realized in order to be able to keep up with the hours, the dance numbers, and feel and look good on camera, I needed to take good care of myself.

Does the perfect night involve mind, body, and soul, or chilling with some red wine and The Bachelor?

I started working out more when I was 26 and I am 30 now, and I have really found I am at a great place with my body, and taking care of myself and beauty and wellness starts from inside out. So it starts from what you eat and what you put in your body. My mother always told me your body is a temple, it’s not a garbage can, and you really want to give your body the best! Now that doesn’t mean I don’t like to sit in front of the couch with a pizza, pasta, and a glass of wine while I watch The Bachelor — I mean, that is the best night of my life! But I work out to feel good. My workouts are not with fluorescent lights in a gym with music pounding, but that’s just me. They have to have some sort of spiritual aspect to them as well, which is why I love hiking, I love yoga and even soul cycle. There is such an incredible motivation and positivity behind it, so my workout has to be good for my soul as well as it is for my body!

The last workout that kicked your ass?

I recently did Body by Simone, and it was really hard because you are doing a lot of different things, and afterward I was like, whoa, that was really hard! Second class, felt great!

Tell me about your workout style. Do you favor a particular brand or style?

I am huge fan of Nike and Under Armour, and I think the great thing about fitness looks these days is that you can get great looks for less! Like at Kohl’s — you don’t have to spend a ton of money to look great while you work out. I like to look good when I work out, I like to have cute styles, and it makes me feel good. That’s what’s great about Kohl’s — you can go and buy any of their amazing workout line and look good for a good price!

Do I hear a potential workout collaboration coming in the future?

I would love to have my own workout line! For me it’s really important, and if you’ve noticed, I work out, and then I wear those styles for the rest of the day. Even when I come here, and am relaxing. So I think the great thing about what I would be interested in doing is having a line that I can wear when I am working out and then also I can wear in my everyday life at home and be comfortable in. Let’s put it out there in the universe and see who and what comes back!

New Year’s Resolution?

I really need to read more books! I am addicted to TV — I watch every new television show! I just finished The OA and I can flip this table over, I literally am so obsessed; I got all my friends to watch it. I just watched the O.J.: Made in America documentary and Leah Remini’s Scientology documentary, and I just started Taboo the other day! And duh, I watched The Crown, of course! So as you can see, more books, less TV.

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