Cookie Policy Feedback Thursday, Jan 30 2014 6AM 3°C 9AM 4°C 5-Day Forecast 'Why punish myself for something I'm not?': Cameron Diaz opens up about life, love and learning to accept herself as she graces the cover of Self

She's a recently published author of The Body Book, inspiring women all over the world to 'feed, move, understand and love' their 'amazing' bodies.
But Cameron Diaz admits even she isn't immune from the occasional slip-up as she tells the February issue of Self magazine that she's 'definitely not in the best shape of my life' right now.
Fans of the statuesque 41-year-old may beg to differ, however, with the star certainly cutting a trim and toned figure on the cover, clad in a miniscule pair of white cut-off denim shorts and a cosy matching knit jumper.

'I'm definitely not in the best shape of my life': Cameron Diaz shows off her amazing physique at 41 on the February cover of Self magazine as she insists she recently 'put weight on and loved it'

Citing action movie Charlie's Angels as the inspiration she needed to get into shape at the age of 27, the former smoker says she developed a new appreciation for her body
and what it's capable of after learning to listen to it and work with it, rather than against it.

'We trained eight hours a day, seven days a week for three months, and I was dying. Crying every day,' she says of the intensive training required for the role.
'On Monday, I wondered, "How am I ever going to do this?" but soon enough, I had a six-pack. At
27, I wasn’t consciously saying, "I’m doing this for when I’m 41." But at 41, I’m saying, "Thank God
I started at 27."'

Taking six weeks off over the summer to recover after having 'a couple of hernias fixed', the health-conscious star happily allowed herself to indulge.
'[I decided to] see what happens if I have a litre of olive oil a week. It was sort of an experiment,' she laughs. 'If I wasn’t cooking, I was eating. It was amazing! I put weight on and loved it.'

'At the end of all of this, I want to be able to say, "I did the best I could"': The actress reveals her secret to happiness is to live in the present, while when it comes to her health, 'taking care of myself' is her priority over a 'ripped stomach'

However, upon returning to her regular diet and exercise routine - making daily workouts a priority even if she only has a spare 15 minutes in her busy day - she saw the excess weight steadily begin to drop of.
'At the end of all of this, I want to be able to say, "I did the best I could." It’s not about having a ripped stomach; it’s about taking care of myself. If you don’t have your health and if you’re not in a strong, capable body, you don’t have anything.'
While she's much stricter about the quality of produce that she puts into her body these days, Cameron admits she didn't have the same discipline as a teenager in high school, frequently chowing down on unhealthy fast food.
'I saw a Taco Bell yesterday — it made my stomach scream. If I had nothing else to do, I would be like, "Three bean-and-cheese burritos and give me some nachos with extra cheese sauce!" I would so kill that s***,' she reveals. 'But what I’ve learned is that just ’cause you can chew it and swallow it and poop it out doesn’t mean it’s food.'
While she may be an A-list Hollywood star, Cameron concedes she has moments of self-doubt just like everyone else - which is likely the reason fans relate to her and admire her so much.

'Why punish myself for something I’m not?': The star shows off her natural beauty - enhanced only with minimal make-up and framed by beachy blonde curls - and enviably toned pins in the shoot, clad in tiny white denim shorts and a knit jumper

'Absolutely! It’s really important to have moments of fear - they push you forward,' she says wisely. 'You have to be willing to fail. If you’re not, then there’s no ability to grow.'
Of course, part of that growth comes from accepting yourself for who you are, not who you think you should be - which is a lesson the actress had to learn in her own good time.
'I spent a lot of time wishing I was more voluptuous, but eventually I realised it’s not who I am. Why punish myself for something I’m not?'
Admitting she's most 'out-of-my-mind terrified' in her current role playing Miss Hannigan in the big-screen remake of Annie, it's apparent that the star does indeed practice what she preaches when it comes to putting herself out there for potential failure.
'I could be so s****y. I’m gonna just cross my fingers,' she admits. 'What else is there to do in life but take chances? You just say, "F*** it!" and do it. What’s the worst that can happen?'
Having begun her career at 22 with a starring role opposite Jim Carrey in The Mask, Cam has a ton of experience living under a microscope the past 19 years.

Another string to her bow: The author has been busily promoting her inspirational tome The Body Book - seen here in LA on January 16 - proving she practices what she preaches when it comes to being 'willing to fail' in order to find success

However, she believes she 'would not have a career' if she was starting out in today's high-tech world as a fresh-faced 20-something.
'If the tabloids were what they are now when I was 22, I would not have a career,' she tells the publication. 'Hella f***ing yeah! What I did wasn’t seen, and it will not be known. Every 22-year-old does something stupid, and no-one needs to see that. It’s part of growing up and part of understanding who you are.
'These young girls are all going to make ridiculous fools of themselves, and who cares what other people think? But at the same time, they shouldn’t play into it or do it to spite people,' she advises. 'That’s the worst high school mentality: "F***you, I’m gonna do it because you don’t want me to!" You can’t win on the scale of the world against you.'
Investing in her relationships - both romantic and otherwise - keeps her grounded, while she naturally gravitates towards friendships with strong women, many of whom - such as Drew Barrymore and Gwyneth Paltrow - continue to play an active part in her life several decades on.

'I’ve invested in my people and they’re invested in me': Cam says she gravitates to 'strong' women, with Gwyneth Paltrow (left) and Drew Barrymore among her most enduring celebrity friendships

'I’m still friends with my [ex] boyfriends, too': The star reveals she's still on good terms with former loves including Justin Timberlake, whom she dated from 2003 to 2006, even reuniting on-screen for 2011 comedy Bad Teacher

'I’m still friends with my [ex] boyfriends, too. I feel like all my relationships are strong - friends, family. I’ve invested in my people and they’re invested in me.'
When it comes to looking to the future, the beauty says her secret to happiness is to live in and concentrate on the present, 'one thousand per cent'.
'I don’t look forward like that. I never have. Look back at my very first big press junket for a movie, and in one interview I was asked, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" And I said, "I don’t know. Happy, hopefully."
'I’m not going to say that I don’t worry about the future or the past. But the things I’m most successful at in my life are the things that I’m totally present in,' she continues. 'The more I realise that’s what makes me happy, the more I’m able to live in the moment. It’s like, "This is where I’m at. Here I am. And I’m f***ing happy. This is awesome!"'

'It’s exactly how I thought it would go': Previously engaged to actor and Thirty Seconds To Mars lead singer Jared Leto, whom she dated from 1999 to 2003, the 41-year-old has been happily single the past two years

Source: DM