Kim Raver

Maybe because I didn't have a huge film career right off the bat, I've been able to create something different, which is so important to me. That's myself, my idea of who I am.

As long as I get those running shoes on, then there's no turning back, and I have to go for that run. As long as you've got those workout clothes, you've got them on, you've got to go.

For me, the amazing thing was entering into this amazing world of 'Sesame Street.' We'd be in the kids' room, and there was a door into the soundstage that said '1-2-3 Open Sesame.' I remember pushing that door open and going into this incredible magical world of make-believe. In one episode, I was playing football with Joe Namath.

I have an incredible role model in my mom. She was a single mother raising two kids in New York.

My mom has always been a huge inspiration. She was a single mom raising two kids in New York. Now that is full-on all the time.

I think what's so interesting for me is the different roles that I play. I love doing the research, and I love - I feel fortunate in the sense that I get to explore many different worlds, of things that I may not really get to learn a lot about.

I love to roll out of bed and throw something on. I had this roommate in college who would get up almost 2 hours before class to do hair and makeup. That's not for me.

I have a dog. He needs to be walked, and I love running, so I pull out my running shoes.

In my sports or workout life, I like to prove to myself I can do something, whether it's a half marathon or whatever it is. I like to take challenges that scare me because then once we've accomplished it, we feel stronger.

In the French culture, they talk politics. I didn't find it was part of our culture to have political arguments at the table. My husband's family will get into major politics, and it's not an aggressive thing. It's so interesting and you learn so much, whether it's Right or Left, and that to me has been really great.

For me, because I've been working out since I graduated college, I have to mix it up. But it's not just working out for health's sake; it's also a whole mindset for me. Yoga is really important for that.

In this business, there is an insane amount of pressure, spoken and unspoken, to be thin. If you look at some of the television shows, eating disorders become like a competitive thing.