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Eiza González Says Cellulite Makes Her Feel ‘Sexy' and ‘Empowered’: ‘I Feel Like a Woman’

THOMAS WHITESIDE Eiza González for SHAPE, on sale April 16th

Eiza González has had a full-circle moment when it comes to her body image.

The Godzilla vs. Kong star, 31, opens up in SHAPE's May issue about how she's learned to appreciate and embrace her curves — "dimples" and all — as she's gotten older.

"I'm getting to that age where I feel confident: This girl I see in the mirror is who I am, and I've just got to love her," the actress tells SHAPE. "I don't want to judge her. I want to give my body this message consistently that I'm grateful for it so that it keeps itself healthy. Especially in middle of a pandemic, we realize that our bodies are doing so much to keep us alive. We've got to be grateful to them."

THOMAS WHITESIDE Eiza González for SHAPE, on sale April 16th

But it took González time to find self-acceptance. "Maybe four years ago, I went on a trip with my then boyfriend and got photographed by paparazzi at the beach. You could see cellulite on my leg in the photos, and I was so embarrassed," the star recalled.

"Now I feel so sexy when I see my cellulite or my butt—that it's big, with little dimples. I feel so sexy just having a jiggle, or when I sit and my legs create that little fat on the side of my hip. I really do," she added. "I feel like a woman, I can move my body, and it makes me feel really empowered, something that I never would have felt in my 20s."

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For exercise, González likes to mix things up to keep her body "happy."

"I go between three workouts. I do a lot of weight lifting with high weight, low reps — that's something that this Latina butt needs to get toned," she said, adding that as she's training for upcoming thriller Ambulance she's also been "doing a lot of intervals: cardio mixed with movement."

RELATED VIDEO: Eiza González Reflects on 'Iconic' 2018 Yellow Oscars Dress: 'That Moment Was So Special'

And no matter what's going on with her life, the actress is a big fan of Pilates.

"I swear by Pilates, and I die by Pilates. It works out muscles that I don't work out ever. Like this little one under my boob, between my fourth and sixth left ribs," she says.

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As for her diet, González allows herself a cheat day once a week.

"I eat whatever I want. That's my one rule. I'll eat brownies. I'll eat pizza. I'll eat all the foods I want to eat because that's what this body needs to be happy," she said.

The star, who says she's never felt healthier, has also been switching things up with new recipes this year — and learning how to cook.

"That really motivated me. I realized that I'm cleaning my system from the inside out, and it really began to show," she said. "It was beautiful because I've never felt as healthy as I feel right now."

The May issue of SHAPE is on sale April 16th.