Connie Britton would rather be outdoors.

“I don’t love the gym. For a good part of my 20s, while I was pounding the pavement auditioning for acting roles, I taught aerobics in New York,” says the star of Bravo’s Dirty John, 51, who is gracing the cover of Health‘s January issue.

“I did step class or good old high-impact aerobics and calisthenics. I spent a lot of time in gyms, but now I really love a mind-body-spirit kind of a workout, and that’s more easily done outside— swimming, hiking, or yoga.”

Britton says meditation has also played a large role in her adult life.

“Meditation, breathing, and connecting to whatever is my own version of my center,” she says. “It can be 10 minutes; it can be in the car while I’m driving or just taking a deep breath before I’m about to shoot a scene. It’s about going deeper than the external noise. To me, that’s a really important tool. And I really believe it helps with wrinkles. We can change our body chemistry through meditation.”

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When it comes to her diet, the Friday Night Lights alum has tried several different methods, including cleanses, but as she gets older, she switches up her routine.

“Raw food really worked for me, and so did the Blood Type Diet,” she says.

“But now that I’ve turned 50, it’s not so easy. I used to be able to exercise or change what I eat, and in a few days I was good, but that doesn’t happen anymore.”

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She continues: “I’m in a new phase, and I haven’t figured it out yet. But moderation is important. I eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and clean proteins. And I try to stay away from sugar—it really is a drug forme. It not only impacts my weight, it impacts my body chemistry.

“Though if I could have a chocolate chip cookie or really anything that is chocolate, I would be a very happy camper.”

To read the full story, visit Health.com.