Ellie Goulding in Bathing Suit Shares "Some Random Thoughts"

Ellie Goulding is sharing some “random thoughts” on her birthday, in her swimsuit! This week, the British singer took to social media to show off her washboard abs and offer some insight into her head. “Slightly delayed post but do allow me a birthday shot in quite good lighting. Some random thoughts today now I’m another year older,” she wrote. “Staying in the glow of everything I’ve accomplished (including the teeny things like getting out of bed) and not constantly downplaying things to myself to exhaustion. Accepting it’s ok to be proud of yourself.” She also revealed a few of her top health habits. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 7 ways Ellie Goulding 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!

1. She Was Addicted to Exercise

Karwai Tang/Instagram

In her book, Fitter. Calmer. Stronger, Ellie reveals that she became dangerously addicted to exercise. "I wasn’t just super-fit but running myself into the ground," she writes. First, exercise helped her treat anxiety. “As I began to recover from my panic attacks, fitness became my sanctuary,” she said. However, she took it too far. “It seemed all I could think about was when my next workout was going to be. I didn’t realise it at the time, but I was clearly using exercise as a crutch. I couldn’t control many things around me, but I could control how much I exercised. Exercising too much led me to start eating poorly as well. Rather than seeing food as fuel and making wise decisions, I’d eat rubbish and think I could just burn off the calories (rather than thinking how I was going to use them). I didn’t see the value of food or even consider how my eating could benefit my training or help me to train better.” She ended up getting help, and now has a healthier relationship with fitness.

2. She Loves HIIT Workouts

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Ellie loves high intensity interval training. “I’ll run to Faisal’s class (at Barry’s Bootcamp) in the morning. It’s only about 25 minutes from home and it gets my heart rate up enough to go in and be ready because it’s quite tough,” she told Women’s Health UK. “I’m more of a burst girl than sustained. I like it when the treadmills on dynamic and I do sprints. I prefer using my own body as weight, so press-ups, mountain climbers and burpees.”

3. She Cut Carbs From Her Diet

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

Ellie told Jessie Ware on her Table Manners podcast that she avoids carbs. "I think the last time I had pasta was on my honeymoon, which was last year in September. I can't remember the last time I ate bread either, honestly," she confessed. "When I eat carbs - it's not just a vanity thing - I genuinely don't feel great when I have them. I feel like I'm someone who's naturally quite active. When I have big bowls of pasta and things like that I do feel like I've eaten a blanket or something really heavy."

4. She Eats Veganish

Getty Images

Ellie, a one time vegan, views food as fuel. "I eat a lot of things for their nutritional value. The things I love for my taste are sweet things," she said on the podcast. She opted to add dairy back into her diet, but doesn’t consume red meat. "I'm all about dairy….I'm not mad about coconut yogurt and all those dairy-free alternatives,” she added. "In the morning, I'll have a messy bowl which is yogurt with lots of goji berries and nuts and I love prunes and dates."

5. She Does a 40-Hour Fast Every Week

“I built my way up to 40-hour fasts over time (started with 12),” Ellie told The Mirror. “It helps blood sugar control and helps fight inflammation – the mother of ALL health problems.” She claims she does it “very safely by having a purposefully nutritious food day the day before and after,” she added. “On the fast day, I drink high-grade electrolytes and a LOT of water,” plus tea and coffee. “Fasting is safe and beneficial unless you are diabetic or have serious health issues,” she continued, adding it helps give her “digestive system a break.”

6. She Does Yoga

In her latest Instagram post, Goulding reveals that yoga helps her treat anxiety. “I think ashwagandha has genuinely proven to be most effective for stress,” she states. It’s also a great method of fitness, explains Harvard Health. “Researchers found that people who practiced yoga for at least 30 minutes once a week for at least four years, gained less weight during middle adulthood,” they said. “People who were overweight actually lost weight. Overall, those who practiced yoga had lower body mass indexes (BMIs) compared with those who did not practice yoga. Researchers attributed this to mindfulness. Mindful eating can lead to a more positive relationship with food and eating.”

7. She Prioritizes Sleep

Another self-care method Ellie swears by? “Sleep is crucial too. Lots of sleep,” she writes in the post. She also revealed that she takes “magnesium before bed.” "You need magnesium for many tasks. It's involved in more than 300 chemical reactions in the body. Muscles need this mineral to contract; nerves need it to send and receive messages. It keeps your heart beating steadily and your immune system strong. Most people can get enough magnesium by eating foods such as green leafy vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and fish," says Harvard Health.