Miranda Cosgrove says maintaining a positive body image used to be a struggle.

“I definitely had moments when I didn’t want to go to a pool party because I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ll have to wear a bathing suit’ – just the whole like thing of going somewhere and having your body be on display. It’s scary,” she says. “I was so shy.”

The actress, who grew up on TV as the star of the Nickelodeon hit iCarly , is now 23 and taking classes at the University of Southern California, which she says has “helped me come out of my shell.”

“I’m at a place where I’m like really comfortable in my own skin,” says Cosgrove. “I don’t worry anywhere near as much as I used to. When I was younger, I would just stress about everything and I wanted everything to go well so badly that I didn’t really enjoy the moment enough.”

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And if she had to give advice to her younger self? “I would definitely tell myself to just enjoy everything and relax,” says Cosgrove.

So when it comes to her diet, she tries to eat healthy – “I would drive 40 miles to get a good salad.” As for her fitness routine: “I don’t ever go to the gym,” Cosgrove admits. “I just hike a lot. My best friend and I walk near my house every night.”