Health & Parenting

Taye Diggs: Actor, Parent, Author

On "Private Practice," you play Dr. Sam Bennett, who's written a best-seller about the mind-body connection. In real life, do you believe in this approach?

I do, 100%. Everything in moderation. I never approach anything in the extreme, because that makes things rigid. I have a sensible, logical perspective. You've got to think positive, and things will be positive. Whatever you put into your body is what you get back. That said, I love a burger. And I love my sweets!

When the stress levels are dialed up, how do you reset and unwind?

The gym. I'm addicted to the gym, and I love to stay active. Everybody in the family, from Idina to the nanny, understands that it's a part of my life I need. Nobody tries to mess with it!

What's your go-to healthy snack?

Nuts. We grew up with no money whatsoever. We couldn't afford the junk food, and we ate very healthy -- nuts, salads, grains. It's my version of comfort food.

What's your workout regimen?

I'm always playing basketball or at the gym, or right now I'm working on a show that I'm choreographing. And whenever it's just Walker and me, we're always out. I gotta leave the house. I gotta keep moving.

What do you like best about your fitness routine?

Getting old is what I like the least. And what I like the best is the feeling I get. Being raised in the arts, the feeling that sports gives you is completely different. Performing, for me, has a lot to do with the audience, their response, and the high you get when you're on stage. But I could shoot hoops for hours all by myself.

What does a perfect day look like for you, when you have no place to be and no calls to return?

Basketball and gym in the morning, then a great family day with my wife and Walker, going somewhere outside, just watching him, relishing the outdoors. Then putting him down and having the evening for just my wife and me -- a great dinner and seeing a show in New York City. That's perfection.  

What's your greatest wish for your children's book and for the kids who read it?

We want to build upon Chocolate Me! with T-shirts, children's hair products, and skin care. At its core, it's about self-appreciation and a healthy sense of self. From there it expands and becomes more universal. The title suggests it's directed more toward African-Americans, but we're all in this together.

Find more articles, browse back issues, and read the current issue of "WebMD the Magazine."