Jessica Biel Shares the Strength Routine Behind Her Athletic Body

Starting with 7th Heaven, then moving into roles in films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Illusionist, Jessica Biel is a producer and actress in Hollywood. Not only is her career impressive, but her ability to stay at the top of her health and wellness game with a busy schedule is also incredibly admirable. Here are five things Jessica does to stay healthy, strong, and fit.

When Jessica was trying to discover herself, she fell into practicing yoga. “I was searching for my identity as a person, and what defines me,” Jessica told Women’s Health. “And yoga became a space where I can really touch back into myself and my spirituality.”

She’s open to classes, not for the competition, but for the sense of community within the yoga space. “To me it’s not a ‘competition’ class. It was part of a community, which is something I loved,” she said. According to the Baylor College of Medicine, “regular exercise results in ample physical and mental health benefits. People who struggle with stress, anxiety or depression can benefit from exercise as it helps regulate the emotional state. Group fitness helps motivate people to work harder while lifting your overall mood.”

She designates time to what makes her happy. It might not be much time, but it’s a little each day (she aims for about 20 to 30 minutes to relieve stress). “It’s become so much more than an exercise—more of a stress reliever and a life calmer. It just helps me with everything that I have to do in my life. I feel completely rejuvenated and ready to step back into the practice of real life,” she said.

In addition to yoga, Jessica ties in other fitness regimens. “I love working out with a trainer, doing circuit work and strengthening. I think the lengthening and internal breathing you get from yoga, [in addition to] strength training of weights and circuits and cardiovascular, to me that’s the perfect combination,” she said.

Jessica enjoys breaking a sweat and getting in workouts with others. “I love working out with friends, and partners, and my husband—it’s so much more fun to do it with someone else, you feel like you have a partner in crime, and you’re not there alone,” she said. She ties fitness in with social gatherings when possible.