Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra On Drinking Water And Saying ‘No’

Jetting off to a remote island with an ex may sound like your own personal nightmare, but it’s the premise behind Carmen Electra’s new show, Ex-Isle, which premieres tomorrow night. A lot has changed in the two decades since Electra became a household name. There is fewer male-gaze photo spreads for her and more opportunities, like Ex-Isle and So You Think You Can Dance, where she’s flexing her hosting muscle. The Cut talked to Electra about the importance of setting boundaries, cookies in bed, and how she noticed a change in her body overnight.

How I start my day:

 It depends. If I’m not working, mornings are not my friend. I take my time. I never turn off my TV, so I’ll watch a little TV and then turn on my phone. I turn off my phone at night because you have to have boundaries. Sleep is very important, especially when you start working. I made it a rule that I have to drink two bottles of water before I start my day.

How I stay hydrated:

 I used to drink soda, but I don’t get any caffeine anymore. It’s been my New Year’s resolution [to drink water] for like seven years. Finally when I started dancing again and working on music, I noticed that I was dehydrated from being so active and consistently sweating. I started drinking water and noticed a change in my body overnight. It’s easier for me now to keep the weight off, whereas before, it was more of a struggle. Before I had to be perfectly healthy when I was drinking soda to lose weight. My skin is completely different because it’s not as dehydrated. Water has changed my life.

How I like to sweat: 

I don’t go to the gym every day. Usually, when I’m on break, I’ve already danced a lot so I’m okay for a while. Sometimes I work out at my house. I’ll do some lunges, something simple like that. Otherwise, I’ll go to the gym. I’ve only had one trainer in my life, and I realized that because of my dance background, I already have discipline and I don’t need to be pushed. I think I’ve saved a lot of money too. As a dancer, I’ve never put strict rules on my workout habits, and sometimes I just want to go to the gym and do something light.