Carrie Underwood Reveals That Eating Carbs Is Part Of Her Healthy Diet

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Fitness and healthy eating are a big part of Carrie Underwood's wide range of interests, especially since the launch of her athleisure clothing line, CALIA, in 2015.

She opened up to PEOPLE in a recent interview and revealed that fitness and eating is more about being healthy than being skinny.

“It’s been more about health, and being strong, and setting a good example for my kids, and working out because it makes me feel good,” Underwood said. “And just kind of shifting my mindset about why I’m into health and fitness.”

She continued:

When it comes to her diet, the longtime vegetarian thinks balance and moderation are important, and says she’s not a huge fan of trendy fad diets. Underwood told PEOPLE, “I don’t eat meat because it’s kind of a conscious decision that I make, but anytime anybody’s like, “I don’t eat carbs,” I’m like, “Oh, but carbs are important!”

Underwood eliminated beef from her diet as a teenager, and by age 21 she was a complete vegetarian. She said that no eating meat makes her body feel and function better.

But she insists that she definitely still eats carbs. “I eat my carbs. Most of the time I eat more quinoa, rice, veggie carbs, but I eat my cake too,”

She also talked about her workout routines. “I have to make sure and work extra hard on my hamstrings and my glutes and stuff like that, because whatever I’m doing, a lot of times my quads will take over,” Underwood said. “I don’t feel like anything is super complicated. I don’t do anything crazy.”

Underwood said that her body recovered quickly after her first son, Isaiah, was born, but took longer after her second child.

“After having my first kid, I felt like I bounced back fast. And then with Jake, it was like my body took a minute to get back to me. It was frustrating, because I’m like, ‘Why wasn’t it like the first time?’ ” Underwood told PEOPLE. “But I’m four years older. That also helped me shift my mindset — I’m still working hard, wanting to be the best me possible, but cutting myself slack and just thinking, ‘Be kind to yourself.’ It’s amazing what we [women] do to ourselves. We’re probably all our toughest critics.”