Lifestyle Health Kristen Bell Tries to Set an Example for Her Daughters Through Fitness: 'They Copy Everything I Do' Kristen Bell wants to teach her daughters how to eat and work out for a healthy life By Julie Mazziotta Julie Mazziotta Julie Mazziotta is the Sports Editor at PEOPLE, covering everything from the NFL to tennis to Simone Biles and Tom Brady. She was previously an Associate Editor for the Health vertical for six years, and prior to joining PEOPLE worked at Health Magazine. When not covering professional athletes, Julie spends her time as a (very) amateur athlete, training for marathons, long bike trips and hikes. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 12, 2017 10:51AM EDT For Kristen Bell, health isn’t about how she looks, it’s about how she feels. “To me, being healthy means feeling good about the choices I’m making, and most important, it’s about keeping fit mentally and physically,” the actress, 37, tells SHAPE for its November cover. “I’m constantly reminding myself it’s not about my thighs: It’s about my commitment and my happiness level.” James Macari/SHAPE She also wants to set a good example for her young daughters, Lincoln, 4, and Delta, 2. “It’s important to me to show my children that I care about my health and fitness enough to stay committed,” Bell says. “So when I’m in their room with them, I’ll do squats. When they ask what I’m doing, I’ll say I’m getting my physical fitness in. And because they copy everything I do, the next time they pick up a heavy bag they’ll say, ‘I’m getting my workout in.’ ” Photographs by James Macari Kristen Bell “It’s a value I want to instill in my kids at an early age — that paying attention to your body is mandatory.” RELATED VIDEO: Kristen Bell Says Therapy Is the Secret Behind Her Happy Marriage to Dax Shepard The Good Place star is an expert at fitting in a workout any way she can while balancing her filming duties, charity work, raising her daughters and spending time with her husband, Dax Shepard. “I need fast workouts. I don’t have an hour and a half — I have 25 minutes, max,” Bell says. “So I incorporate sprints into my routine. I sprint up my driveway, walk back, repeat. I do it 10 or 15 times. The whole thing takes me maybe 15 minutes. It’s fantastic for your heart, brain and body.” Photographs by James Macari Kristen Bell “At work, while I’m running through lines with my fellow actors, I’ll be leaning backward on a chair doing tripcep dips. At home, when my kids and I are on a walk, and they’re meandering and looking at leaves, I’ll do lunges. I get it in however and whenever I can.” And if she can swing it, Bell will head to a yoga class. James Macari/SHAPE Kristen Bell “If I have a choice, I will always go to yoga rather than sit on the coach, because I feel so much better afterward,” she says.