Lots of people leave the holiday season packing a few more pounds than they did before Thanksgiving. A few years ago, Miranda Lambert used the post-holiday period to reassess her lifestyle choices. As a result, she rocks a sleek physique today.

“Three years ago after the holidays I realized that I had to start addressing my habits regarding eating on the road, and fitness in general,” she says. “I am a performer, and my stage show is quite physical. I use exercise to keep strong and toned, and I love feeling healthy.”

Lambert hooked up with a fitness expert who created a diet and exercise regimen that helped her streamline her eating habits and her waistline.

“I’ve been on the same routine for a while now,” says Lambert, who maintains that it’s now easier for her to stay fit on the road than at home. “I hired a personal trainer, Tony Boykin, to go on the road with me. We work out every day. He put together two diets that I follow: one when I need to lose weight and one when I want to maintain. It’s fairly easy when we’re on the road. The tough part is when I go home and my mom is cooking or I pass a Sonic every two miles!”

Lambert is the first to admit it takes work to stay fit, especially when you’re not an exercise fan. “I don’t have a favorite exercise,” she says. “But I guess walking would qualify, if I have to pick one. I can tell you what I don’t love: lunges. But they have worked!”