Ashley Greene covers the new issue of Shape. It’s a very pretty editorial, and her body looks great/strong/healthy. If you were wondering why she’s on a magazine cover, you are not alone. As it turns out, she does have a job – she’s got a role in the DirecTV drama Rogue, which premieres on March 23. She’s also chatting with Shape because she’s promoting her work with various charities, something I cannot shade at all. You can read the full Shape profile here, and here are some highlights (I found the diet stuff interesting).

On being a morning person, no matter what:
Ashley swears by exercising first thing in the a.m. “To fit my workout into my day, I have to be out the door early. That means I don’t have time to think about whether I’m tired or to come up with excuses,” she says. “And I’ve found that when I exercise in the morning, I have a much more productive day. After I finish my workout, I feel as if I can conquer the world.”

On eating for energy, but making sure you’re cheating:
“What I put into my body has a huge impact on the results I get out of it,” Ashley says. “Eating keeps my metabolism cranking.” She mainly eats fish, chicken, and vegetables; swaps spaghetti squash for pasta and cauliflower for mashed potatoes to keep from feeling sluggish and bloated; and drinks green juice. “These foods energize me for my workouts,” she explains. But she also builds splurges into her diet. Her favorites: grits (she loves them so much that her parents gave her a package of them as a stocking stuffer last Christmas), cheese, and a glass of red wine with a piece of Mast Brothers Sea Salt Chocolate.

On causes that mean the world to her:
Just as she’s devoted to her workouts, Ashley is committed to volunteering. She works with A21, a nonprofit organization that’s fighting to end human trafficking, the world’s fastest-growing criminal industry. According to the State Department, more than 27 million people around the world have been sold into slavery. “This cause really speaks to me,” Ashley says. “I’m helping A21 increase awareness of the issue.” She also plans to participate in the group’s annual Walk for Freedom in October to raise money for trafficking victims. “It’s easier to help than you think,” Ashley says. “Just bringing an issue to light is important. Every single person can make a difference.”

[From Shape]

I absolutely loathe working out in the morning, so I’m the opposite. I find that if I work out in the morning, my whole day is ruined because I’m so tired and sore. My sweet spot for working out is definitely the afternoon – I’ve had a chance to eat and drink water beforehand and I’m not thinking about how exhausted I am or how I have so much to do the rest of the day. As for her diet… clearly, I’m doing it wrong and always have been. I could never, ever substitute squash and cauliflower for pasta and mashed potatoes. NEVER. You will get my mashed potatoes when you take them from my cold, potato-smashed hands. Also: grits? I’m not a fan, and I’m genuinely southern.

Photos courtesy of Shape Magazine.