Spoilers for previously aired episodes of Walking Dead
Lauren Cohan of The Walking Dead covers Health Magazine’s December issue (gah the December issues are out already!) and she’s a great choice because she has such a strong, aspirational level of fitness. That’s true for the actress, 34. Cohan’s character, Maggie, is pregnant and in need of medical assistance at this point, but we really don’t know how she or her unborn child are doing following her husband’s murder because the last two shows have been capsule episodes. I’m ready to give up this show, especially with the really horrible torture episode this week with Daryl, which made me mute the TV several times. This is so predictable from TWD producers and we deserve better. (Sidenote: I’ve been watching Westworld in TWD’s time slot and I just started marathoning Humans on Amazon prime. Both are worthwhile but Westworld is just beyond.)

Cohan has previously described her exercise regime as doing her own moves to prerecorded fitness classes and trying to mix it up and have fun. It sounds like she’s gotten hardcore about it as she now has a trainer and does more strength training. She has a great philosophy about fitness and nutrition and she really tries to be strong. In this interview, she talks about being skinny shamed as a kid (my words), which she’s discussed before, and about her fear of blood.

On the physical work involved with The Walking Dead
“From a physical level, it’s extremely challenging. Some scenes are much more difficult than others…. But I love the physical element because it’s a good release for a lot of the emotional tension.”

She was called names as a thin kid
“I was very skinny. You know when your knees don’t even look like they’re attached to your body? Kids at school called me Snap, like my legs were about to snap because they were so thin. I was so gangly, even sneakers looked awkward. Everybody kind of goes through some phase, and it’s hard if you’re singled out for anything. But there was this one boy in particular who made fun of me and, it’s funny, then later, when we were 18 or 19, he wanted to go out with me. “

On balance
“I didn’t have a very good balance with exercise and food. I’d be stressed-out and I’d eat too much, or I’d be stressed-out and I’d stop exercising. The last few years, I’ve been focusing on consistency and balance, and it’s made a huge difference.”

She’s afraid of blood
“Giving blood, or being near a needle, is the absolute worst. At one recent physical, I thought, ‘I’ll just look so I know what’s happening, and it won’t be bad’—and I fainted. The fake stuff? No problem. Just don’t enter my skin.”

Her vice
“I don’t drink. But pizza, I literally love pizza. And chocolate cake, too.”

Q: What are your off-screen workouts like?
“I have the best regime ever right now. I work with a trainer, AJ Fisher, and we do three to four days a week, either in person, if we’re in the same city, or on Skype. I do all core-based alignment training and strength training. If I don’t die at the end of 90 minutes, then it hasn’t been a good workout.” [Laughs]

Q; Do you legit cry?
“I get to the point where I’m just hysterically laughing, thrusting a 40-pound weight over my hips. And she has the sweetest tone of voice, like a primary school teacher, and she gets me to do the craziest things. She’s like, “Just one more,” and I’m like [fake crying], “You don’t understand!”

[From Health]

That was a great interview as she came across as very chatty and open. Personally I don’t mind the sight of my own blood but I inevitably get faint after I donate blood. I’ve tried a few times, I’ve either fainted afterwards or been wiped out for the rest of the day so I no longer give blood. That’s mildly ironic that a Walking Dead star can’t stomach the sight of her own blood but at least she can deal with the fake stuff or she’d probably be chronically stressed at work. Also I googled Cohan’s trainer, AJ Fisher, and it came up blank with just results for other people with that name. I like to try celebrity workouts so I’ll be keeping an eye out. Cohan could sell me any workout, as could Danai Gurira. (She does pilates I just checked.)

Photos credit: James White for Health