Eva Mendes works out five days a week in summer

Eva Mendes. Pic/Santa Banta

Los Angeles: Actress Eva Mendes works out five days a week when she wants to get in shape for the summer or for a star-studded event.

The 43-year-old, who has daughters Esmeralda, two, and 10-month-old Amada with her partner Ryan Gosling, has ditched her 45-minute steady cardio sessions for interval training and will work out almost every day in preparation for an event or for the warmer months, although she will reduce her fitness regime down to three days during her off-season period, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I love doing intervals, like running and sprinting, and I see great results with that versus the 30 or 45 minutes of steady cardio I used to do on the treadmill," Mendes told Shape magazine.

"Between intervals, I lift weights. I'm off-season right now, so I work out three days a week. But when I'm getting ready for an event or in the summer, it's five days a week. I don't exercise more than that though, because I see better results when my body has a rest period," she added.

The "Hitch" actress will always have eggs for breakfast, and will eat the same meal for her lunch and dinner because she is a "creature of habit".

"I usually start my day with eggs. I think they're like magic - you can do so much with them. I mostly keep it simple and have scrambled eggs and a piece of Ezekiel toast for breakfast. For lunch, I usually have salmon and rice or quinoa, and I try to include a salad. I'll eat the same thing for dinner. I'm a creature of habit in that way. I don't get bored with food. I try to think about it as fuel for my body," she said.