There’s much more to Pia Miller than headlines and Disney hair, we discover over coffee with the Home and Away star. She opens up about her fitness approach, food and the most important lessons she’s learnt over her 20s and 30s.
“I had a child when I was 19, so my 20s were spent caring for young children,” she says. “Now I’m in my 30s and I’m enjoying [my boys] so much. They’re a bit older and we enjoy the same music… it’s like “Oh did you hear that new Drake album?” [laughs]. You’re discovering who you are in your late teens and 20s; in your 30s you’re implementing everything you’ve learned. My 30s so far have been really enjoyable, just solidifying what I stand for, how I want to raise my kids and the person I want to be within my family, friendship groups and my work environment.”
Let’s talk food. What’s your day on a plate like?
“Good! I make this yummy gourmet porridge, which I bring to set. Fruit, coconut flakes, almonds, water and a little bit of macadamia milk. I just chop everything into it. That carries me through till lunch, then I’ll go to a local cafe and get a salad. We also have afternoon tea on set, where they bring out healthy options – celery and carrot sticks, dips, pitas – and I might snack on a piece of chocolate. Then when I get home, dinner always depends on what the boys feel like. Usually it’s Mexican.”
Is that your go-to fare?
“We love our Mexi bowls at home. Brown rice is generally the base, then I put in chilli beans, corn and chicken or beef. Plus guacamole and homemade pico de gallo, which is tomato, red onion, capsicum, lime juice and a couple of little secret ingredients – then I crunch up some corn chips to put on top. There’s so much joy in cooking; I spend a lot of time in my kitchen on the weekend. With two growing boys, it’s a love language – providing food and watching them eat and enjoy it.”
Talk us through your fitness approach.
“I used to do high-intensity training with a trainer but I just don’t have that time anymore, so I kick the footy with my boys and run around with them. We love the beach so we’re often swimming and playing in the water. I love going to yoga, too, but I can’t as much as I’d like so I’ve put a yoga mat in my dressing room. It’s just important to keep moving. I don’t exercise necessarily to look a certain way, but to feel a certain way. The more I do, the better and more energised I feel – I get tired at the appropriate times, I want to sleep at the appropriate time… my body starts responding accordingly.”
Read more of this exclusive chat with Pia Miller in the newest issue of Women’s Health, on sale Monday!
This article originally appeared on Women’s Health.
