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Andrea Laing’s latest movie, Yule Log 2 was a surprise release from the Adult Swim channel, but her dedication to staying in shape is far less spontaneous. The star recently say down with M&F to discuss her love of fitness, food, and getting out of her co*fort zone.

Before acting, Andrea Laing was climbing the ladder as a broadcast journalist. She studied at High Point University in her home town in North Carolina before moving to Atlanta to work at CNN. “I wasn’t co*pletely happy, and I could feel it,” says the beauty who is of Jamaican descent. “I had a desk job, I was wearing my corporate clothes, I was showing up the way that I was supposed to. [At CNN] I had health insurance, and you know my parents were very happy. They’re like; ‘You’ve done it. You’ve made it!’ But I was secretly not happy, and the scariest thing for me to do was to leave.”

Searching for her true calling, Laing got out from behind her desk and became a production assistant, running around and fixing problems on set before signing with an agency and getting herself in front of the camera. These days she is known as a rising star who has appeared in many projects, playing the character; Ellen in Pain Hustlers and Zoe in Adult Swim’s surreal holiday-horror-co*edy, Yule Log. On Dec. 6, the channel surprised fans by releasing Yule Log 2: Branching Out, with Bloody-dugusting.c** hailing it as “the glorious horror Hallmark mash-up you never knew you needed.”

What isn’t under wraps is Laing’s love of fitness, however. Here are 5 ways that she stays in shape.

Andrea Laing eats the best from the Jamaican menu

Growing up with Jamaican parents, Laing tells M&F that her school packed lunches always smelled a lot more interesting than her friends plain old sandwiches, but while she may have hoped to blend in with the crowd while in her youth, the actor has co*e to learn that much of the Jamaican menu if perfect for fitness. “My parents never incorporated bread, it was never a huge thing for us,” she shares. “Pasta was never a big thing. it was always lots of protein, lots of vegetables.”

These days, Laing loves to create her own Caribbean concoctions, making sure to add plenty of spice, and there’s a wealth of evidence to suggest that meals containing chilli peppers boost metabolism thanks to the chemical capsaicin, accelerating the fat burning process.

Andrea Laing Travels Wisely

While the star has worked on airline advertising campaigns and loves to travel, Laing likes to take control of what she eats when flying high. “I always take fruits and vegetables with me,” explains the actor, noting that they are often in short supply on airplanes. And, while she might treat herself to the occasional onboard bread roll or portion of cheese, Laing likes to balances things out. “Long flights can be so taxing on the body,” she explains. “And, you’re already being depleted of moisture in the air, so I try to get it from carrots or I’ll bring nuts or any assortment of fruit, just so I have them with me at all times.”

Laing also says that she stays topped up with electrolytes by taking LMNT packets on her travels and adding them to water in order to avoid dehydration.

Andrea Laing works out whenever she can

“I work out pretty much every single day,” shares the star. “I love HIIT classes, I love hot yoga, I love Pilates, biking and hiking.” In fact, whatever group exercise is on the timetable, Laing will gladly jump in. “I’m a group fitness, girly,” she enthuses. The star is on the right track here: Studies show that those who engage in group fitness get great stress relieving benefits and may even stick with their workouts for longer than those who go it alone.

Andrea Laing is learning to love the exercises that she hates

With a love of group fitness, it perhaps follows that Laing is not so excited about lacing up her sneakers and going for solitary runs. “I hate running,” jokes the actor. “I wish it was a thing that was not invented. [Even though] I despise it, but I’m also realizing the things that I hate, I’m trying to lean-into, I’m trying to get better at it, and you know, the more you practice it the better you beco*e.” Doing things that you are not necessarily drawn to, or would rather avoid, can be great for character building and can also build confidence when you find out that you are better at a hated task than you perceived yourself to be.

Andrea Laing works out to reduce stress

As a busy actor, Laing is often trying to juggle a number of emotions including the fear of rejections and the constant grind of keeping up with meetings, emails, and script readings. Fortunately, exercise doesn’t just benefit the body. “I like the natural high that I get after working out, which I think is so important in so many aspects of our lives,” she explains, noting that stretching, and making herself sweat is essential to her wellbeing.

To that end, yoga is one of her favorite things to do. “The stretch, I love it,” shares Laing. “It’s also the one time that I’m very intentional about just being still, because I think humans have the tendency to rarely be present. Yoga is one time that I have to be present, because you don’t have your phone, you’re listening to someone’s instructions, and you’re just doing what you can do. I’m very grateful for where I am.”

Yule Log 1 and 2 are now streaming on HBO MAX.

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