'I was killing myself to be thin!' Julianne Hough reveals 'miserable' lengths she took to stay slim when she first came to Hollywood

She has one of the best bodies in show business, but this dancing pro put herself through hell and back before she got confident with curves.

Julianne Hough has revealed she was 'killing' herself to try to achieve what she thought was the perfect body when she first broke into Hollywood in a new interview with Shape magazine.

The 28-year-old dancer turned actress confessed in the latest issue of the fitness publication that she took things a little too far.

Cover girl: Julianne Hough revealed in an interview with Shape Magazine that she was 'killing' herself to try to achieve what she thought was the perfect body when she first broke into Hollywood 

Get sporty in a bra top from the Julianne Hough collection

$60

Barre Long Sleeve Sports Bra

From the Julianne Hough Collection

Buy now

As a professionally trained dancer, Julianne Hough is super athletic with the body to boot. So it was no wonder she was selected to cover Shape magazine's latest issue.

Of course the Dancing With The Stars winner wore pieces from her eponymous fitness apparel line during her shoot including this long sleeve bra top that she donned on the front page.

Julianne's top is a perfect combination of a sports bra and a crop top and not only is it stylish enough to wear as a shirt with a pair of ripped jeans as she does here, it's also fully functional with breathable mesh trim and sweat wicking fabric.

Get yours by clicking right for only $60. And if you're keen to spend even less, do so by browsing through the styles in the carousel below. Beyonce's Ivy Park version is the closest match for only $50 at Topshop.

* PRICES MAY NOT BE AS ADVERTISED

...NOW GET ONE LIKE IT FOR LESS

• $50

  

  Ivy Park Mesh Detailed Long Sleeve Crop at Topshop

  Buy now

• $40

  

  Calvin Klein Performance Medium-Impact Sports Bra at Macy's (now $24.99)

  Buy now

• $74

  

  Cosabella Triathlon Longline Sports Bra at Gilt (now reduced to $46)

  Buy now

• $54.99

  

  Under Armour HeatGear High-Impact Sports Bra at Macy's

  Buy now

The actress told the mag she does not look like she did a decade ago and that's alright.

'I love my shape because I feel strong and fit, and that makes me feel confident. When I look at pictures of myself when I was 19, my body was bangin’, but I was killing myself. 

'I was working out two and a half hours a day and eating the bare minimum to survive. 

'I was so miserable. I wasn’t healthy. To be honest, I looked like a kid. Now I’m embracing the fact that I’m a woman with curves.'

Doing it her way: The 28-year-old dancer turned actress confessed in the latest issue of the fitness publication that she took things a little too far to be slim

'I was so miserable': The star (pictured 2008) said when she was 19 she was her thinnest but was working out two and a half hours a day, eating just enough to get by and was not healthy  but is now 'embracing the fact that I’m a woman with curves'

And healthy looks great on her with Julianne's famous toned stomach getting its chance to shine on the September cover of Shape on which she breaks with fitness magazine convention and wears jeans.

Denim diva: For the covert, the blonde bares her taunt tum in a cropped top from her own MPG Collection by Julianne Hough and a pair of Citizens Of Humanity jeans

On the cover, the blonde bares her taunt tum in a cropped top from her own MPG Collection by Julianne Hough and a pair of Citizens Of Humanity jeans.

While she has toned down the workout of her teenage years, Julianne certainly still puts in the hours when it comes to working out.

The key, she said, is making it fun: 'I love going to classes with my girlfriends. We’ll call each other or send a group text and organize. Sometimes we sign up for Spartan races and have a blast.'

'Last fall we took a girls’ trip to Mexico... rather than drink tequila shots and get crazy, we turned it into a healthy trip. Every morning, we got up and I taught an hour long mix of Tracy Anderson, Body by Simone, and yoga moves. 

'Then we’d put on our swimsuits and go to the beach or the pool. Don’t get me wrong: We definitely enjoyed cocktails and chips and salsa while we were there, but after our daily workouts we always felt much better about ourselves.'

Fitness fun: While she has toned down the workout of her teenage years, Julianne certainly still puts in the hours when it comes to working out but tries to mix things up and do classes with her friends

Healthy holiday: Last fall, the dancer turned actress and her friends made their trip to Mexico a girls getaway but not a vacation from fitness, working out every day

When she's not on holiday, Julianne works out almost daily.

'I exercise three to six times a week, but usually I do five days of hard-core training.

'On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I do Tracy Anderson or Body by Simone or I work out with my trainer, Astrid Swan. Tuesdays and Thursdays, I do Core Power Yoga, which I love. If I’m doing something special, like shooting the SHAPE cover, or when I want to tone up quickly, I’ll also take a SoulCycle class. 

Daily grind: When she's not on holiday, Julianne works out almost daily with five 'hard-core' days which include going to Tracy Anderson, Core Power Yoga or Body by Simone or working with her trainer, Astrid Swan

Sunday funday: Sunday is her 'reboot day' rather than a day of rest, and on that day she likes to take her dogs - who will be in her upcoming wedding to Canadian hockey player Brooks Laich - for a walk (pictured May)

'Saturdays, I go on a really long hike with my friends or take another yoga class, depending on how I feel.'

Sunday is her 'reboot day' rather than a day of rest,  and on that day she likes to take her dogs - who will be in her upcoming wedding to Canadian hockey player Brooks Laich - for a walk.

When it comes to eating, the star said think outside the box but just don't eat out of the box.

Clean eating: The Safe Haven star tries to not eat pre-packaged foods as she doesn't 'want a whole paragraph of ingredients in my body'

Table for two: While her fiance would love to just have chicken and steamed vegetables every night, Julianne said she would get bored and binge eat so instead prepares meals that have protein and vegetables but are cooked in a more flavorful way 

'I try to stick with foods that don’t come in boxes. I don’t want a whole paragraph of ingredients in my body. Brooks and I generally eat protein and veggies. For a boost of energy, I mix in quinoa or rice sometimes. 

'If Brooks had his way, we’d have steamed chicken and broccoli every day. That’s too boring for me, and when I get bored I tend to binge eat.'

But that said, cheat days are important and Julianne has her go to cheat meal - pizza. 

It's ok to cheat: The for Dancing With The Stars pro said she loves pizza but tries to create a healthy balance 

Not all that: The 28-year-old said, 'I want everyone to know that I’m not Miss Perfect'

After people commented on a picture of her recently saying they could not have abs like hers as they love pizza, the Safe Haven star could not stop laughing.

'I started laughing because pizza is my favorite food. I eat it a lot! 

'I want everyone to know that I’m not Miss Perfect. You can cheat every once in a while, and that’s OK. You can still have a fit body as long as you work out regularly and eat relatively healthfully throughout your life.'

Practicing what she preaches: On Tuesday the star was seen post-workout in West Hollywood, California