Emily VanCamp covers Self's October 2012 issue. In the accompanying interview, the 'Revenge' star shares some of her diet and slimming secrets, but also talks about how to get peace of mind and flat abs.

Emily VanCamp covers Self's October 2012 issue. The 'Revenge' star sits down for a chat with the magazine and reveals some of her diet and slimming secrets, but also how to get peace of mind and flat abs.
"Pilates is my favorite core strengthener. I do it three or four times a week. With all the strengthening and lengthening, it's like ballet. Plus, you get to do it lying down! The Hundreds move is a killer. I can't say it's my favorite, because it's not easy, but it works," she says.

Speaking about body image, the actress told Self that people should forget about the stick-thin thing. "Women are hard on themselves. I'm trying to stop focusing on my flaws and appreciate what I love about my body. It's tough — the need to be perfect was drilled into me when I did ballet. But I think people are sick of stick-thin actresses. I mean, it's not real," she admits.
"People have said to me, 'Wow, you look so much bigger on TV.' I can't let that hurt me. You have to be comfortable enough with yourself to say, 'Screw off. I like how I look, and I'm not going to starve myself,'" Emily added.

When it comes to healthy eating, Emily confesses that she has to keep up the strength due to her job. "I'm on-set 12 to 15 hours a day, and I make sure to eat every couple of hours to stay high-energy. I love my carbs, but I try to balance them with protein, like fish or chicken, and plenty of vegetables — and not nibble too many doughnuts. My chicken souvlaki is easy, healthy and great with a Greek salad," she says.

Well, the 26-year-old actress is aware that deprivation can be boring and explains how important it is to have fun and be happy. "I don't deprive myself — that's so boring! The best revenge? Being happy," she says.
"The best therapy is surrounding yourself with people who make you laugh. My sisters — especially my older sister Katie — and my close friends and my boyfriend make everything seem funny. My ideal day would be hanging out with people I love, swimming, laughing and barbecuing," she told the magazine.

What about fashion? Emily believes that, "It's about balance. If I'm showing a lot of leg, I'll put on my leather jacket to be more covered up. If you're not sure, ask your girlfriends. I tried on a red dress recently, and the girls were like, 'No, you can't wear that!' Of course, when I asked some guy friends, they were like, 'It's great! You have to wear it!'"

As on her personal life, the actress confesses she was a lucky girl. "I've been fortunate — I've had great relationships. Well, there was one not-so-good one, but I probably learned the most from it. It's important to explore, because someday you will find the person who completes the equation. When you're that in love, you want to gush to the world! But I gush to my family and friends instead. No one should jump on the couch on TV — ever," Emily says.

Photos courtesy of SELF