Jessica Biel has grown up in front of her fans after starring as Mary Camden on 7th Heaven — and with every evolution she’s kept it real about her health and wellness journey.

Biel told Women’s Health in April 2018 that after struggling in her 20s, she found yoga as her go-to exercise and never looked back.

“I was searching for my identity as a person, and what defines me,” she told the magazine. “And yoga became a space where I can really touch back into myself and my spirituality.”

The actress, who is married to Justin Timberlake, noted that same month that her best advice for staying fit is not to be too hard on yourself.

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“Either be really kind to yourself and say, ‘I’m missing it today and it’s not the end of the world, but I’m going to make time for myself tomorrow’ or whatever day works for you,” Biel told Self in April 2018 when asked how to balance work, life and fitness. “Or, pick something you can do in 20 minutes.”

Scroll down to see what Biel has said about her fitness journey over the years:

‘Boring’ Basics

When asked about her secrets to staying fit, Biel told Elle in June 2011, “For me, getting enough sleep, drinking lots of water, having a healthy diet, and staying away from alcohol are musts. It’s so boring, I know, but doing those things really helps.”

Yoga Brings Her Happiness

Biel found her happy place with yoga, despite hating the idea of going to a workout class. “To me it’s not a ‘competition’ class. It was part of a community, which is something I loved,” she told Women’s Health in April 2018.

Once she discovered yoga, the Candy alum said she was hooked. She now tries to carve out 20 to 30 minutes daily for the practice. “It’s become so much more than an exercise — more of a stress reliever and a life calmer,” she said. “It just helps me with everything that I have to do in my life.”

Biel confessed that it’s “challenging” to be a working parent, but yoga has centered her. “It makes me a better mom,” she explained. “I come out of [yoga] feeling prepared to deal with any situation and I feel completely rejuvenated and ready to step back into the practice of real life.”

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‘Creating a Balance’

Biel told the Los Angeles Times in January 2017 that she often looks to Paleo and gluten-free diets for her day-to-day, but nothing is off limits.

“[I’m] not all-out anything. Just creating a balance if possible … but honestly, I just feel better when I don’t have gluten or wheat or dairy,” she shared. “My digestion is better, I feel better, I have more energy.”

Biel continued: “I just try to eat really healthy. I mean, of course I have cheat-days and will go out and have, like, cookies and pizza. If I’m training, maybe I up the protein intake … I don’t do so much eating for training unless I’m really training for something specific.”

The Buddy System

“I love working out with friends, and partners, and my husband — it’s so much more fun to do it with someone else, you feel like you have a partner in crime, and you’re not there alone,” the actress told Women’s Health in April 2018.

Biel told Self that same month, “I actually love mommy-daddy workouts, they’re the best. It doesn’t always happen, but it’s so nice to have a partner when you’re doing a workout. It’s something my husband and I really enjoy doing together — we both are workout enthusiasts. When we can, we make it happen.”

Staying Well Rounded

“I love working out with a trainer, doing circuit work and strengthening,” the 7th Heaven alum told Women’s Health in April 2018, noting she incorporates all kinds of exercises into her routine. “I think the lengthening and internal breathing you get from yoga, [in addition to] strength training of weights and circuits and cardiovascular, to me that’s the perfect combination.”

Throwing Pilates in the Mix

“When I was in my twenties, it was important to me how much I could bench press and how ripped my shoulders are, and all that stuff is less important to me now,” the Summer Catch star told Women’s Health in May 2024, noting that as she’s aged, she has turned to Pilates. “What’s important to me now is mobility. I don’t want to be living with pain.”

‘Not Maintainable’

After starring on The Better Sister in May 2025, Biel received praise for her toned physique, and she got real about how hard it is to keep that look up.

“I wanted to share that that shape in that show is not maintainable unless you are living the strictest and most rigid lifestyle with your nutrition and with your fitness, which I cannot do,” Biel said in a July 2025 TikTok video. “I’m currently back on my plan to get a little bit back toward that shape.”

Biel said that to even come close to that body type, she has to do a series of exercises that include dumbbell hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts, hamstring curls, goblet step through lunges and more.

“My body is not 20 years old anymore. So, I am adjusting my workout to what I need to do,” she concluded.