Balance is no easy feat when you’re shuttling between acting gigs in Texas, New York, and London. Kim Raver, 45, has it nailed down, though. Just a month after wrapping production on the NBC series Revolution, she moved her family to London for a 5-month stint filming 24, all while staying healthy and fit. The prolific actor -- her credits include Grey’s Anatomy, Third Watch, and The Nine -- swears by a combination of nutrition, exercise, and family time. When she finishes shooting 24, she’ll linger across the pond to visit family and explore Europe with her husband, French filmmaker Manuel Boyer, and sons Luke, 11, and Leo, 6, before jetting back to the States and her hometown of New York City.
Mirror Image
"I really love the idea of food for health. I don’t think in terms of calories. When you’re eating well you sleep better and your skin looks better. I know when I sit in the hair-and-makeup chair and I haven’t drunk enough water."
Weeknight Whip-Up
"My go-to weeknight dinner is grilled chicken breast or salmon with string beans and salad. I might put in quinoa or brown rice depending on how much cardio I’ve done. If I’m working on set, I might grab [everything] at Whole Foods and put it together myself."
Coffee Craving
"I always have almond butter, coffee, and dark chocolate in my pantry. Coffee is an absolute must. I would probably take that before I would take makeup with me somewhere! My one ahhh moment is coffee and dark chocolate."
Dark Moments
"I think it’s important to have indulgences, because you don’t feel gypped. When I indulge, it’s usually a dark chocolate thing. Every once in a while we’ll go to the gelato place with my kids and I’ll get a dark chocolate gelato on a cone."
If the Shoe Fits…
"Sports is an amazing way to reset the clock and find balance. My three favorite things are [stationary biking], running, and yoga. When I went down to Texas to shoot Revolution, I just packed my running shoes. If I can get them on, I have no excuses."
Soulful Sweating
"When I’m in L.A. and New York, I’m addicted to 'SoulCycle.' It’s a good combination of [indoor cycling] with a little bit of soul and a lot of workout. You walk out of there dripping wet -- it’s awesome."
Om Rx
"Yoga is very healing. The breathing is so important. I think we pretty much hold our breath all day long with all the stress we deal with. Yoga slows me down and gives me balance."
Skin Splurge
"An amazing tip some fashion gurus told me about is a skin purifying oil called Shu Uemura. It takes off my makeup but doesn’t strip my skin of the oils it needs. I also treat myself to Crème de la Mer. It’s stupid expensive but I kind of swear by it."
Bright Spot
"I usually go for a smoky eye. A little trick is to put lightener above your tear duct. Take a little on your finger and dab it right in the corner, against your nose. For me it opens up the whole eye."
Speed Shading
"When you have kids you get a much quicker beauty regime. You have to compact the entire process into a nanosecond. I can do my makeup now in 15 minutes. It would’ve taken an hour and change before kids."
Balance, Baby!
"I have to utilize my time to the max. I even remember nursing Leo on the set of Lipstick Jungle and memorizing my lines at the same time. You compact everything, but it’s worth every minute."
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