Maybe you saw Olivia Munn as ambitious financial reporter Sloan Sabbith on the first season of HBO's The Newsroom, created by Aaron Sorkin. The show, returning for season two this summer, depicts avid newshounds at a fictional cable TV network. Or perhaps you watched her three-episode arc on FOX's New Girl or caught her in the male-stripper film tribute, Magic Mike, also starring Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey. Her other notable big- and small-screen outings include the independent film The Babymakers, the film comedy I Don't Know How She Does It, Comedy Central's The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (as a correspondent), and NBC's Perfect Couples and Chuck. She divides her time between Los Angeles and New York City.
Q. What's your go-to great tip for great skin care?
I keep Oil of Olay Daily Facial Cloths next to the bed, along with Evian Mineral Water Spray, both great for when I'm so tired. Neither irritates my skin. Plus, I use a loofah face scrub sponge to exfoliate my face and neck every day -- then I splash with water or toner.
Q. When you're overworked and stressed out, how do you reset and unwind?
I watch TV and let myself eat what I want -- and I just started seeing a trainer for the first time in 7 years. I like to dance with my friends and maybe do some Pilates.
Q. What's your go-to healthy snack and why?
Green olives, with the seed inside, because they take longer to eat, and I don't eat as many; great for when I crave something salty and need to crunch.
Q. What's your healthy dinner?
I use my Crock-Pot and make turkey chili with lean, ground organic turkey and fresh vegetables chopped in big pieces. I add kidney beans or pinto beans and tomatoes. I top with fat-free Greek yogurt, jalapenos, cilantro, and a celery stick on the side.
Q. What three ingredients are always in your refrigerator or pantry?
From Trader Joe's, I've got to have the organic orange juice and those Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls. For drinks around my pool, I keep Bob & Stacy's Premium Margaritas in pouches -- ready to go!
Q. What do you stash in your trailer?
I keep blister peanuts for that crunch. Also jelly beans, with only 4 calories each. I don't just grab a handful -- I'm picky about which ones I eat!
Q. What does a perfect day look like for you, when you have no place to be and no calls to return? How do you define "me time"?
Some days even getting a manicure, pedicure, or facial feels like work. "Me time" is when my house is cleaned up and in order, and I don't have to put away clothes when I wake up. Then my girlfriends come over, hang out by the pool, and order in Thai food. Later, I'll watch a movie with my boyfriend.
Q. What's your workout regimen like? What do you like best and least about your fitness routine?
I like having that trainer, because I get very bored very easily. I told my trainer: "I hate cardio and I won't run, won't hike, or cycle." But I want to keep working out, and I know there are others ways to do it, like circuit training -- when we train three muscle groups at once.
Q. How do you keep healthy on the road and on the set?
When I travel, I believe in doing what I normally do to stay healthy at home. It's not like a "Get out of Jail Free" card to do whatever you want.
I buy duplicates of products and keep them ready, in little bags, for travel -- extra makeup, toothbrush, floss, face wipes, and hand sanitizer. Then I just have to pack my clothes.
Q. What makeup items do you never leave home without when you're traveling?
L' Oreal Visible Lift Color Lift Blush in Berry Lift. I also use it on my lips, along with ChapStick. Also, Clark's Botanicals Ultra Rich Lip Tint in the color Moore nude (it's named for actress Julianne Moore).
Q. If you could visit any one place on earth, where would you go and why?
On an African safari, even though I'm really allergic to mosquito bites.
Q. What's the best life/skin care/fitness/health advice you ever got?
Two things: Don't yo-yo diet and lose and regain weight. Also, you won't regret money you spend on taking care of your face with facials and the right products -- you can't reverse time.
Q. When you're trying to lose 5 pounds, what's the first thing that goes and why? What's the first thing you add and why?
I'm a little bit curvier, pretty short, and not a stick-thin girl, so I have to work on it. I lost 16 pounds in July 2009. I decided if I couldn't see every single ingredient in a food, I wouldn't eat it -- so I avoided processed foods, choosing foods that "grow." I love salads and tuna. If I "stress eat" and I "fall off," I know it's just life and I know I can be in control. My trick: Eat a large pickle, like a Vlasic Kosher, before every meal to suppress my appetite.
Q. What cause is near and dear to you?
Being involved with PETA and specifically, abuse of circus animals. Also the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma -- they feed a lot of people in my home state.
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