Morgan

You may recognize Michelle Morgan as

Lou Fleming on the TV show Heartland, now broadcast on GMC, where she works

on a horse ranch in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. Trim, slim, and beautiful, the Calgary native’s favorite thing about working onbthe show is not, surprisingly, getting to hang out with horses. What she really loves is the closeness of the cast and crew. “It’s like a second family to

me,” says Morgan.

Nor is horseback riding one of Morgan’s fave fitness activities. She grew up snowboarding,

surfing, biking, and practicing yoga, though these days, she and her fiancé, Derek Tisdelle, have a

new hobby: keeping up with their 10-month-old daughter, Mara, who often tags along on walks with

Morgan after a day on the set of Heartland.

Morgan is also involved with Be Heard!, a workshop she developed for Calgary women’s shelters

to help residents build confidence

. “I started doing drama workshops because I’ve found that it’s a

really fun way to get women to speak their minds,” says Morgan, who is planning to start new programs again soon.

What is your favorite way to stay fit?

Morgan: Before Mara, my favorite ways to stay fit were to ride my bike everywhere and to snowboard, and I’ve always been someone who likes to hit the gym every once in a while. But it’s changed since I had a baby. Right now I’m doing the P90X DVDs. I also go to a boxer’s workout class, and, with Mara,

it’s nice to go on walks every now and again.

What five food items are always in yourkitchen?

Morgan: Soymilk, spinach, oatmeal, apples, and imitation crab. I love oatmeal for breakfast. I eat an apple every single morning, and the imitation crab is a really quick, easy way to make a wrap, or I can put it on a salad.

What’s the top guilty food pleasure you couldn’t live without?

Morgan: Well, first of all, I don’t feel guilty about eating. I try to eat well and allow myself to eat

richer foods without feeling guilty. I can’t go to a birthday party without eating a piece of cake! If you

are just always eating the same boring food, what’s the point in that? Life’s meant to be enjoyed.

Who has been the biggest health/fitness/ food inspiration in your life?

Morgan: My naturopathic doctor, Giselle Lily Lefebvre, ND. She taught me a lot about how to

shop for groceries and incorporate fresh vegetables and other healthy foods into my life. She took me

grocery shopping and showed me different things I could try and how to eat them.

How do you fight stress or relax at the end of a crazy day?

Morgan: I play with my daughter. I like to just come home and hang out with her and take her for walk.

And maybe have a glass of wine.

What’s your favorite recipe?

Morgan: I really love quinoa with tofu steaks and stir-fried kale and broccoli. And I top that with a

nice kind of a garlicky salad dressing called Simply Natural Organic Goddess Dressing. The other sauce I use for cooking is a great gluten-free marinade and

seasoning sauce called Bragg’s. I marinade the tofu in Bragg’s and then I grill the tofu steak.

What book is on your nightstand right now?

Morgan: Steven King’s On Writing. As an actor I’m surrounded by creative people and scripts. It’s

something I want to get into and develop my own projects. I’m actually not a huge Steven King fan, but I plan on reading one of his novels after reading this.

02 fitness DRH

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KaDee Strickland

 From picking tobacco in a Georgia field to playing Charlotte King on ABC’s Private Practice, KaDee Strickland knows a thing or two about hard work and making things happen.

Strickland grew up in the small one-stoplight town of Patterson, Georgia, where she discovered her love for the performing arts while participating in a one-act play at her local high school. After graduation, Strickland attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, worked part time at a local restaurant while interning at a casting agency, and eventually moved to Los Angeles in 2003.

While she has appeared on shows such as Law & Order: Criminal Intent and All My Children and in movies such as Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid and The Grudge (meeting her husband, actor Jason Behr, on the set), Strickland finally came into her own with her prominent role on Private Practice. While she loves acting, both for the experience and the people with whom she works, Strickland says her favorite part of being on the show is trailing the director and learning about the direction process (KaDee Strickland ).

“The thing that’s been so exciting is coming in on my days off and watching the actors,” she explains. “When you sit back and watch, these guys are unbelievable.”

Strickland also likes the challenge of trying to be someone else. “The most important thing for me is that I project the character I’m given,” she says. “It’s very clear who Charlotte is. She’s been given an abrasive personality, and she’s been put through physical and emotional hell and has come back as an amazing person. It’s all about giving these characters a heartbeat and making them something that viewers can relate to.”

TD&N: What’s your favorite way to stay fit?

Strickland: Variety. For me, if I don’t do a little something every day, I can’t function well. At the very least, I try to take a light walk. I’ll do weights. I’ll do yoga. I’ll hike. A dance class is something I’d love to do.

TD&N: What five foods are always in your kitchen?

Strickland: Olive oil, almond milk, spinach, asparagus, and cilantro.

TD&N: What’s the top guilty food plea­sure you couldn’t live without?

Strickland: The one thing that I cannot resist is the vegan peanut butter cups at Jamaica’s Cakes [in Los Angeles]. I used to love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups as a kid, but these things are unreal. I can’t have dairy, and these are gluten free. When they have a fresh batch, there’s really nothing better in the world.

TD&N: Who has been the biggest health/fitness/food inspiration in your life?

Strickland: You know, honestly, my husband because we work hard and we play even harder. There’s a lot of satisfaction in taking care of ourselves If he needs to rest, he rests. But if he feels he’s got energy to burn, then he does. It’s always great to be in his company when it comes to the way he takes care of himself.

TD&N: How do you fight stress or relax at the end of a crazy day?

Strickland: A bath in Epsom salt crystals. I can’t keep enough of those suckers in my house. I love them, and they truly work for me. I’ll go to the grocery store and buy like six bags, and the lady at the counter looks at me like I’m crazy. 

TD&N: What book is on your nightstand right now?

Strickland: It’s really two. I’m looking into two different places to go in Europe—France and Italy. The Lonely Planet series is amazing when planning to travel.

TD&N: What’s your favorite recipe?

Strickland: There are so many that I make. The thing I’ve been using around this time is parsnips and celery roots. I’m really seasonal about what I cook, so that’s been my go-to these days. [Note: We spoke with Strickland in spring.]

TD&N: Do you have a favorite blog?

Strickland: There’s one for health and wellness. It’s called AshleyKoffApproved.com. It’s great! It informs me in a realistic, healthy way about how to best utilize nutrition. There are also helpful hints about food allergies, pregnancy, mothers, and busy folks who need to sustain energy—ways to achieve the best version of your body without fad diets or over restriction.

KaDee Strickland  Deborah R. Huso

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Andie MacDowell

One of the stars of the new ABC Family series Jane by Design, Andie MacDowell has always had strikingly natural good looks. She began her career as an Elite model after dropping out of college. Despite being challenged as a young actress by her South Carolina accent, MacDowell landed a role in St. Elmo’s Fire in 1985, launching a long and successful acting career. Her role in Sex, Lies, and Videotape garnered MacDowell a Golden Globe Award nomination, as did her performance in Green Card. Parts in successful films such as Groundhog Day and Four Weddings and a Funeral followed.

MacDowell is also starring as Judge Olivia Lockhart in Cedar Cove, an adaptation of Debbie Macomber’s book series. The Hallmark Channel will introduce the project as a two-hour movie and series pilot, and it will air in late 2012 or early 2013
(Andie MacDowell).

Today this mother of three, the youngest of whom is 17, lives in Asheville, North Carolina, where the southern mountains offer endless opportu­nities for hiking, one of the secrets to that still-youthful glow she radiates.

If you’re wondering what else MacDowell does to stay looking so young (she’s 54, believe it or not), it’s all about protecting her skin and her health. Little wonder then that she’s one of the faces of L’Oréal. “I take really good care of my skin,” she says. “I wear hats; I exercise every day; I drink a lot of water.” That’s right—all the “secrets” you’ve been reading about for years actually work. “I’ve used Revi­taLift and sun block forever,” she adds.

But MacDowell doesn’t think she really looks any younger than she is. “I think I’ve aged appropriately,” she says with a grin, “but I think I look good for my age.” So do we! That’s why we’ve gathered these tips on how this South Carolina native stays fit and lovely.

What’s your favorite way to stay fit?

MacDowell: I actually enjoy exercise. I look forward to it every day. I don’t feel as well without some form of exercise. Even walking the dog 3 miles is good. I like going to yoga classes that incorporate mind, body, and spirit. I like the elliptical, bike, and tread­mill. I’m an avid hiker, and where I live in North Carolina, there are 40 peaks over 6,000 feet. I’ve hiked half of them. 

 What are the top foods that are always in your kitchen?

MacDowell: A variety of nuts—I eat a few almonds, walnuts, or pecans raw in the morning. Fruit—I try to eat an apple a day. Blackberries, yogurt, honey. I’m big into vegetable soup and anything to make a salad.

 What’s the top guilty food pleasure you couldn’t live without?

MacDowell: I like sweets in moderation, whether cookies or ice cream. And dark chocolate is great.

Who has been the biggest health/fitness/food inspiration in your life?

MacDowell: One of the great features of my job is the necessity to stay in shape. It has become a way of life for me. I have my job to thank. In the begin­ning, I didn’t enjoy exercise much, but now I’ve learned to take joy from it. 

How do you fight stress or relax at the end of a crazy day?

MacDowell: I drink relaxing teas for tension or a busy mind. I like chamomile tea. I like to take a hot bath. I tell people not to give me upsetting news after 5 pm. You have to be careful when you’re menopausal not to get stressed out.

 What book is on your nightstand right now?

MacDowell: I’m reading The Story of a Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon, and I’m reading a book about Freud—A Dangerous Method by John Kerr.

What’s your favorite recipe?

MacDowell: I love good beets. I chill and steam them. I love arugula or fresh spinach. I’ll heat up goat cheese, olive oil, and a sprig of rosemary, then sprinkle on walnuts. I do a variety of salads. Beets and goat cheese complement each other well. Salads are amazing. You can be so creative.

Andie MacDowell— DRH

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