Vanessa Hudgens Reveals How She Lost 10 Pounds in One Month, and Her Daily Diet to Maintain It

Vanessa Hudgens' fit body doesn't come without plenty of hard work.

The 28-year-old actress covers Women's Health's May issue, where she shows off her enviable abs and toned thighs. Hudgens gained 20 pounds for her role as a pregnant teenager in 2013's Gimme Shelter, and shared how she's since lost the weight and more.

The actress credits her slim physique to a diet of high fats and low carbs.

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"I eat a whole avocado a day," Hudgens shares. "I need high fats. If I'm not getting enough, my body holds on to calories. We've been trained to think that fats are bad, but they're so good -- a source of energy and sustenance that keeps you going through the day. That's the only way I can not eat carbs."

A sample of Hudgens' daily meal plan includes having eggs and bacon for breakfast, a salad with dark meat chicken for lunch, almonds for a snack, and grilled salmon or steak with a salad or sautéed veggies for dinner. She also allows herself one cheat day a week.

"Since I got back to eating like this the last month or so, I've lost 10 pounds," the petite actress, who's 5'1", says. "That's a lot for my height."

Of course, the Powerless actress also loves to exercise. When she was dropping the pounds from Gimme Shelter, she went to SoulCycle classes twice a day.

"Put me on a bike in a room with loud music, and I'm happy," she says. "It's like dancing without the stress of worrying if you look good."

Hudgens also does Pilates and circuit training, and aims to go to yoga three times a week, which she calls "therapy."

"I'm really competitive when it comes to fitness," Hudgens admits. "I like being around people so I can compete."

And she's all about acknowledging all of her hard work.

"I don't like to wear T-shirts when I work out because it's better motivation when I can see my body," she says, opting to wear just a sports bra instead.

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ET spoke with Hudgens in January, when she talked about her hit NBC show, Powerless, and if she'll ever work with her High School Musical co-star and BFF, Ashley Tisdale, again.

Watch below:

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