Ellie Goulding: 'I Never Tried to Be Skinny, It's Not My Thing'

Ellie Goulding shows off her fit bod on the new December 2015 cover of Shape magazine.

Here’s what the 28-year-old singer had to share with the mag:

On thinking strong, not skinny: “If getting stronger means getting more toned and slimmer, so be it, as long as strength comes with it. I’m happy with my figure. I never intended or tried to be skinny. It’s just not my thing.”

On owning her vices: “I’m not ashamed to talk about my past. I smoked for a long time. I still drink alcohol. I believe you have to find balance. We’re expected to stay fit and eat healthy all the time, but that’s just never going to happen. We all have to deal with stress. Sometimes at the end of the day, I want to have a drink, and I’m not ashamed of that.”

On eating like a champ…but not always: “I call myself an aspiring vegan. It’s challenging, but not impossible. You just have to eat or drink a lot of greens. I make green juice for myself almost every day. I put in things like bananas, avocado, spinach, broccoli – whatever’s in my fridge, really. Sweet-potato fries and salad are my absolute favorites. They make the perfect meal. I eat a lot of quinoa and nuts, too, but I also love eating chips. It’s actually easy to be a bad vegan because a lot of junk foods are vegan!”

For more on Ellie, visit Shape.com.