Diets, intense workouts and body pressures: Ex-Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt on finding a healthy, happy lifestyle

Kimberly Wyatt has revealed she's finally overcome the pressures on her body and her diet - and she's a whole lot happier for it.

The former Pussycat Doll has admitted that despite being a professional dancer, constant criticism of her figure once made workouts "dreadful" and that her life "circled around fad diets."

"In my career, there have been so many pressures of wanting to look a certain way," she revealed.

"Sometimes workouts felt dreadful. There was definitely a point where career was coming first.

"And because body image was so important - especially when you're a dancer/singer/popstar - it meant my workouts gave me such a beating; they were so intense."

She added: "I was running for miles and miles and miles and only eating chicken breasts and vegetables.

"[In the end] I just found I was living this life that was great fitness-wise, but I wasn't finding enjoyment in any of it."

The Got To Dance judge explained that nowadays she lives a far healthier, happier lifestyle, but - like the rest of us - once battled with faddy diets to keep in tip-top shape.

"I did give some diets a try, but I found that I just couldn't implement them into my life," she admitted.

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"It became that my life circled around the Atkins or the Body For Life or the Grapefruit Diet... but the problem was they just didn't fit into my life.

"So you wind up changing everything for the diet, instead of finding a diet that works for you."

The professional dancer explained that finding that healthy lifestyle and balance has come far more easily with age, admitting she no longer chases fad diets or does workouts she hates.

Instead, she finds the healthy options of things she likes - small differences which help to make a huge difference to the lifestyle she leads.

"I have definitely found it easier to stick to a healthy lifestyle now I've gotten older," she mused.

"I have more consideration for having a better balance in my life. I'm starting to understand happiness and that balance more so than anything.

"Now, instead of workouts being something I'm trying to fit in or make time for, it's something that's part of my day that I love and enjoy.

"I still go out there and kill it when I'm doing a dance or hot yoga or what not," she smiled. "But I pride myself in the things that I really love and I don't force myself to do something that I absolutely dread."

The 31-year-old, who has been named the new face of Maxinutrition, said she now has a diet she enjoys and doesn't find herself counting down the days until a "cheat day."

Revealing the foods she typically eats opts for, she told us: "Usually for breakfast I'll have two eggs and a piece of toast. For snacks I'll try to keep it to a Protein Milk or I'll go for almonds or some sorts of nuts or raisins.

"For lunch I tend to go for a really nice chicken salad with avocado, or I'll have a hot box of chicken and rice and greens of some sort. And for dinner I'll either go for pasta - it is one thing that I love in life! - or some sort of veggie stir fry.

"I'm trying to teach myself to cook - so there are the two options I've got down so far!"

While the pressure for the star to stay in such good shape may have diminished somewhat since her days in the band, the star said she still feels scrutinised for her body.

But rather than feeling it's taking over her life, Kimberly admits she's grown to be far more comfortable in her own skin.

"I feel that pressure 100 per cent," she admitted. "But I have figured out that they're never going to go away and no matter how good you feel about yourself or how great a shape you're in, people are still going to judge you.

"You just have to know that there's always going to be negativity, but I think you just have to take it with a pinch of salt. It comes down to you and how you feel - are you comfortable with the way you look? re you comfortable with your fitness level or can you do better?

"I think it just has to become more about a personal journey than pleasing other people who are watching on TV or judging you on social media."

But how about when you find yourself in a real fitness rut?

"[I still have days where I get in a rut], but then I write down my goals so I can hold myself accountable," she told us.

"Sometimes I even leave notes around the house to remind myself to cut back on sugar etc. It's a great way to be your own workout buddy!"

Filling your fridge with healthy foods that you actually won't ever want to eat is a real no no too, she said.

"[It's so important to] find healthy choices of what you enjoy. It's horrible when you fill your fridge and cupboards with foods that you think are good for you but you don't want to eat any of them.

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"But if you do a bit of research and find some things that you do enjoy, then you're changing your life to advocate a lifestyle that you do enjoy."

So does she ever have a cheat day anymore?

"Sunday is always sort of my cheat day," she says. "In the beginning, cheat day is sort of like Christmas - you want to have everything - but I think nowadays  when Sunday comes round I don't feel deprived of the things I love.

"I think it's important to have a cheat day though and give yourself what you need. So if I want a piece of cake or pie I go for it."

Kimberly Wyatt is an ambassador for Protein Milk, the practical protein drink for busy people. For more information on Protein Milk, visit www.maxinutrition.com