Lily James in Bathing Suit Enjoys "a Summer Working (Mostly) in Italy"

British actress Lily James spent the summer filming her upcoming movie Finalmente l'alba in Italy, and is sharing some gorgeous photos from the experience. James, 33, posted a series of pictures, including one of herself in a beautiful green two-piece swimsuit. "A summer working (mostly) in Italy," she captioned the post. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways James stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

James's trainer Matt Bevan was responsible for getting her into beach-body shape to play Pamela Anderson in Pam & Tommy. His aim was for James to drop weight while also building muscle. "We had to get creative and made use of light dumbbells, resistance bands, sliding discs and towels—yes, the ones you use to dry yourself!" Bevan says. "Then we adjusted variables, such as the tempo of each exercise, stability and range of motion. After that, we moved into full body strength, circuit-based workouts, increasing her strength and aerobic conditioning. It's tough—your cardiovascular system is being worked and you're also stimulating the muscles."

James did plenty of yoga while training for her part in Cinderella. "I did loads of yoga," she says. "It was brilliant for strength and posture, and also mentally, it kept me sane!" "All exercise can boost your mood by lowering levels of stress hormones, increasing the production of feel-good chemicals known as endorphins, and bringing more oxygenated blood to your brain," says Harvard Health. "But yoga may have additional ben­efits. It can affect mood by elevating levels of a brain chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is associated with better mood and decreased anxiety."df44d9eab23ea271ddde7545ae2c09ec

James prefers to ride her bike around the city, as it can be faster than a car or public transport. Being outdoors offers many physical and mental health benefits and as a huge bonus, she gets a low-impact workout in the process. "Cycling is way faster. I love getting to see London as I ride by, it's such a beautiful city, and it keeps me fit while I'm at it," she says.

Bevan encouraged James to eat a healthy, balanced diet while training—no calorie counting allowed. "I believe it often leads to a bad relationship with food," Bevan says. "Instead, we used a macro split, with a balance of protein, carbs, fat and veg. Lily stuck to this philosophy and cooked her meals herself." James also made sure to get plenty of sleep. "Having a balanced diet and cutting out alcohol was hugely beneficial – I slept better and woke up feeling fresh," she says.

James starts the day with a protein-packed breakfast of eggs, salmon, spinach, asparagus, and rye bread. "Having protein with breakfast can optimize your brain's ability to send messages to the rest of your body, helping you wake up," says NASM-certified personal trainer Maia Appleby. "If you combine protein with carbohydrates, your body will gradually digest your breakfast, staving off hunger and keeping you energized until lunch."