Vanessa Hudgens in Bathing Suit Celebrates BFF's Birthday

Actress and singer Vanessa Hudgens, star of the likely Oscar nominee Tick, Tick... Boom!, now on Netflix, celebrated her friend GG Magree’s 33rd birthday. And she posted a stunning photo of the two of them on her Instagram story. Hudgens and Magree—an electronic music producer, DJ, and singer—posed in the pool. Hudgens captioned the photo, “What a year we’ve had together.” Read on to see 7 ways Vanessa Hudgens 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’s Comfortable With Herself

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Hudgens revealed to Glamour that the pandemic has allowed her to be a lot more comfortable with herself, and has helped her face challenges head on. “You know, I think it takes time to get comfortable with yourself, like truly comfortable. I know the pandemic – like having to sit at home with myself and really work on my shadow self; those things you don’t really want to face – has forced me to grow because it’s uncomfortable. Those are the moments that challenge you and really force you to make an opinion as to who you are and how you want to present yourself to the world. I feel like I’ve had that moment multiple times throughout my life and it’s been evolving and changing just like I am.”

2. She Puts Herself First

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Hudgens opened up about her mental health in her Glamour interview. She says that one of the ways she takes care of herself is by taking time for herself, and prioritizing her downtime. “You’ve got to take care of yourself,” she says. “It’s easy to spread yourself in a million different directions, but at the end of the day, you are left to deal with yourself.”

3. She Loves To Try New Things With Her Friends

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Hudgens tells Shape that she always challenges herself to try new activities, and her friends help her accomplish this. “We'll ask, 'Do you want to get an RV and drive to the woods and see what happens?' We won't have a game plan at all. We'll just do it."

4. She Avoids Processed Food

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Hudgens says to Shape that she loves to eat natural food and stays away from processed food. She says that she wants to know how her food is made before she eats it. “Many things are processed and contain chemicals and ingredients I can't pronounce. I want real food. If I'm in Italy, and I see them making pasta by hand, or if it grows from the earth, that's real. I stay away from the processed stuff.”

5. She Celebrates Small Accomplishments

When it comes to working out, Hudgens says to Glamour that she does push herself. However, she also says that she celebrates all her accomplishments, even the little ones. “Celebrating those small wins is so important for happiness,” she says.

6. She Lets Her Workout Gear Motivate Her

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For Hudgens, activewear isn’t just about how well she can move in it, or how cute she looks in it. She tells Women’s Health that activewear is a big motivator for her. "I don't like to wear T-shirts when I work out because it's better motivation when I can see my body.”

7. She Lets Her Instructors Motivate Her

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Hudgens tells Women’s Health that she loves to take workout classes, and that she can be a bit of a “teacher’s pet” for the instructors. "I tend to ride for the teachers," she said. "I'm such a performer. I love being in front, because I'll push myself harder and I'll give the class energy too. So it's a win-win."