Jennifer Aniston says she eats just one potato chip or one M&M when she’s stressed

‘I know, that’s so annoying,’ Aniston admits of her extreme moderation

Jennifer Aniston says she eats just one chip when she’s stressed (Getty Images for Turner)

Jennifer Aniston has revealed that her diet is so strict that she allows herself just one potato chip when she is feeling stressed.

The Morning Show star opened up about her fitness regime and her “annoying” lack of cheat meals during an interview with InStyle for the September issue, where she was asked by editor-in-chief Laura Brown about her go-to stress food.

However, according to the 52-year-old, in moments of stress, she doesn’t turn to the typical tub of ice cream or a pizza, as she revealed she instead reaches for just one chip.

“A chip. Crunch, crunch, crunch,” Aniston replied to Brown’s inquiry.

The answer prompted a follow-up from Brown, who sought to clarify the actress’s reply by asking: “Just one chip?”

In response, Aniston confirmed that she eats just one individual snack before acknowledging how “annoying” the moderation is of her.

“Usually. I’m good at that. I can have one M&M, one chip. I know, that’s so annoying,” the Dumplin’ actress said, prompting Brown to ask: “Can you feel my contempt ooze through the screen?”

Aniston’s extreme self-control also applies to her alcohol choices, she revealed, with the actress telling Brown that her go-to drink is either a “margarita - clean, no sugar - or a dirty martini”.

“I only have two to three drinks, tops, and I don’t do exotic. When someone asks: ‘Would you like a cranberry-coconut-cucumber-spiced or hibiscus whatever?’ No, I would not,” Aniston said.

During the interview, the actress also revealed that her 100 per cent dedication to her health also extends to exercise, as she confirmed that she tries to work out every single day.

According to Aniston, an injury last fall kept her from doing any exercise other than Pilates for some time, which she noted made her miss “that kind of sweat when you just go for it”.

When she recovers, however, she said she plans to go back to her 15-15-15 workout, which she described as a “15-minute spin, elliptical, run”.

“And then just old school: I can chase myself around a gym. I need some kind of movement, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day on a trampoline,” she concluded.

This is not the first time Aniston has shared insights into her diet, as she previously told Yahoo that her general diet philosphy is to “eat healthy”.

“I don’t let eating habits get out of control where I need a reset button. My general philosophy is to eat healthy. It’s pretty clear: eat as much organic fruits and veggies as you can, keep sugar [intake] low, drink tons and tons of water, and get good sleep,” she said.

At the time, the actress also said that she allows herself to indulge “once in a while,” before revealing that she doesn’t force herself to follow any strict dieting rules.

In June, Aniston also claimed that she is “no longer afraid of the bread basket” while speaking with People. “[I] started to give myself a break, allowing yourself to have pasta, a sandwich,” she said, adding: “Everyone’s very afraid of the bread basket, and I’m no longer afraid. As long as it’s all done in moderation.”

While Aniston acknowledged that her strict diet is “annoying,” some readers were even more critical of the unrelatable revelation, with one person tweeting: “Jennifer Aniston, when she’s stressed, apparently has the willpower to eat just one crisp (chip for the Americans reading) or a single M&M. This has made me feel totally inadequate as I can easily eat half a tube of Pringles without even thinking about it.”

The admission also prompted another person to claim the actress’s response could potentially encourage disordered eating.

“I just read an interview where Jennifer Aniston says that when she gets stressed, she eats one chip, or one M&M,” they wrote. “This is why women my age develop eating disorders, myself included. 2021 is not the time for her humblebragging.”

This is not the first time a celebrity has faced criticism over a food-related admission, as Gwyneth Paltrow recently sparked accusations of being out-of-touch after she described eating bread and pasta and drinking alcohol every night during the pandemic as going “totally off the rails”.

“I drank alcohol during quarantine. I was drinking seven nights a week and making pasta and eating bread. I went totally off the rails,” the Goop founder said during an appearance on the Smartless podcast.