Lindsay Lohan Also Cheats In Pilates

In Chill Chat, Bustle sits down with celebrities and influencers to talk about all things wellness, from daily routines to hacks for getting a good night’s sleep. Here, Lindsay Lohan reveals her fave workout and the beverage she drinks every single morning.

Besides making every millennial ecstatic about her renaissance, Lindsay Lohan has long been the reigning queen of bringing joy to all who watch her. In case you forgot, take a glance at her filmography, and you’ll see she’s starred in one feel-good hit movie after another since she was 12 years old.

The actor’s comfort entertainment-making repertoire is far from over, too. After starring in multiple romantic comedies (Falling For Christmas, anyone?) and completing a press tour for the highly anticipated Freaky Friday sequel, Lohan is back on the screen — this time, as the star of an ’80s workout video-style Old Navy activewear campaign.

“I just love how fun and happy it is,” she tells me over Zoom. “Bringing something happy and bright and colorful into the world is always something I want to do, and I hope we did a good job of that and made people smile.”

It’s hard not to when you watch the peppy commercial, in which Lohan — decked out in a cute red set — leads a Jane Fonda-esque aerobics class as Devo’s “Whip It” plays. “We wanted to reflect that ’80s movement in which Fonda, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Olivia Newton-John empowered women to work out,” she says. “It was such a big time in the exercise space, and we wanted to show that working out is fun and can be exciting.”

Her sincerity is palpable. During my chat with her, it’s clear that the 38-year-old prioritizes everything wellness-related, mental health included. Here, Lohan chats about her go-to self-care rituals, her love of “milk time,” and her fave way to work out.

What do your mornings look like?

Well, I try to get up before my son. Sometimes he's up at 6, sometimes 7.

I’ll brush my teeth, do my skin care routine — that’s my moment to myself. Then I journal. Doing my gratitude list is really important to me. If I don’t do it, I haven’t started my day right.

I always drink cold water with lemon. Then I’m downstairs with my son, I make his breakfast, have him pick out what he likes, and I’ll have my tea with him. Usually my husband’s down having coffee with us. It’s the best part of my day.

What type of tea do you drink?

I’m a green tea lover.

What’s your current favorite workout?

I love Pilates, and I mix it with a little CrossFit. Depending on what I want to focus on, sometimes my trainer is tougher on me — which I like, but I’ll be like, “Oh, I have to leave early today.” [Laughs.] She’s like, “No you don’t.”

But I love Pilates because it’s gentle but effective, and I prefer that. And strength training is important, because especially with age, you need to build strength more than anything. Aside from moving all the time with my son, which I consider a workout every day, Pilates is nice me-time to have.

Have you ever tried the kind of aerobics you did in the Old Navy commercial?

When I was little, I used to try and copy my mom. I remember that vividly. But in the commercial, we were really improvising — it became like an actual workout class with me and the dancers.

What’s on your workout playlist?

Usually when I'm doing Pilates, I don’t put on music. I talk with my trainer. But I would say I'm a Rufus Du Sol kind of girl.

How has your approach to exercise changed over the years?

I feel like exercise wasn’t such a big thing in our generation — health and wellness weren’t as big as they are now. But with time and as you age, you realize the importance of it and how great you feel, and I value that. I crave those endorphins, and I want to be able to keep up with my children. I don’t make excuses about it — it’s just become a ritual.

What other self-care rituals do you do?

I have an incredible woman I do breathwork and mindful meditation with whenever she’s in town. I think it’s really important to ground myself before I start to get on a busy schedule. I love doing my skin care. I love a little laser.

How do you like to relax at the end of a long day?

Good cuddles from my son. The most relaxing thing in the world is when he wants “milk time.” That, and getting in bed with my husband and watching a show.

What show are you currently into?

Friends and Neighbors. It’s really good. But with my son, we watch Ms. Rachel, sometimes Blippi. And he always loves The Lion King, but I fast-forward through some of it — the hyenas and the sad parts.

Very fair. What do you need to get a good night's sleep?

Lately I’ve been finding that right before I fall asleep, a good eye mask helps. I also like a little white noise. But I think the most important thing is a clear mind. I put my phone down an hour before I go to sleep. Well, to be honest, it’s more like a half hour. But I try.

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.