Ellie Goulding Says Being Skinny Isn't Her Thing, Being Strong Is

It's always refreshing when celebrities have an inspiring outlook on body image, especially since they're the ones who are often put through the ringer by the industry, media and society alike on what they are SUPPOSED to look like. But when you hear of high-profile people promoting health instead of deprivation, it certainly is something to celebrate. Ellie  Goulding proves to be one of them. The 28-year-old singer who has our hips shaking with hit songs like “Love Me Like You Do” and “Burn," just released Delirium, a new album filled with workout playlist favorites. And she proves to be a fitness junkie herself. Serving as a brand ambassador for Nike, she has designed a workout for the Nike+ Training Club app focused on her go-to moves to target the entire body. “My goal always is to get stronger,” she says. “I want to be strong and ready for anything.” Are you inspired yet? There's more! Check out Ellie's four personal philosophies you can learn a thing or two from. Don't let your vices get you down: “I’m never ashamed to talk about my past. I smoked for a long time. I still drink alcohol. I believe you have to find balance. We’re expected to stay fit and eat healthy all the time, but that’s just never going to happen. We all have to deal with stress. Sometimes at the end of the day, I want to have a drink, and I’m not ashamed of that.”   Eat well: “I call myself an aspiring vegan. It’s challenging, but not impossible. You just have to eat or drink a lot of greens. I make green juice for myself almost every day. I put in things like bananas, avocado, spinach, broccoli—whatever’s in my fridge, really. Sweet-potato fries and salad is my absolute favorite thing. It’s the perfect meal. I eat a lot of quinoa and nuts too, but I also love eating chips. It’s actually easy to be a bad vegan because a lot of junk foods are vegan!” [bctt tweet="Ellie Goulding Says Being Skinny Isn't Her Thing, Being Strong Is"] HIIT it!: “I feel so exhilarated after working out. That’s what gets me motivated and what will drag me out of bed. When I’m not on the road, my trainer comes to my house a few times a week and we go for a run outdoors and then do weight training. Or I go to his Barry’s Bootcamp class. I like it because you spend half the session running and half doing weight-and-floor work. It’s really good for endurance, and it keeps me super focused. I also take another class that’s 45 minutes of HIIT training, which is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I come out of there feeling like something big just happened to my body, and I’m completely drained. Of all the workouts I’ve done, this has been the best for me.”   Practice being strong instead of skinny: “If getting stronger means getting more toned and slimmer, so be it, as long as strength comes with it. I’m happy with my figure. I’ve never intended or tried to be skinny. It’s my not thing.” Are you an Ellie Goulding fan? What do you think of her outlook on health and fitness?