Whenever a seemingly perfect starlet discusses body insecurities, part of us just wants to roll our eyes because we aren’t buying it (cough, cough, Gwyneth Paltrow). However, there’s something so authentic about Jessica Alba that we end up hanging onto her every word.

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Looking sexy as ever in a form-fitting red dress on the October cover of Health, the actress and mother of two girls (Honor, 5, and Haven, 2) tells the mag she wishes she wasn’t so critical of her body in the past. “It’s like, why did I not ever wear jean shorts? That’s so crazy. I was so skinny! I didn’t have any cellulite … what was I thinking?!”

The founder of the Honest Company, which sells everything from nontoxic diapers to body wash, says having children boosted her confidence by putting things into perspective. “I was more willing to wear short skirts after I had my kids. I never wore them before. Ever. I was so self-conscious. Now I’m a lot more confident in my skin—because who cares?”

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The busy mom and entrepreneur has two films coming out this fall, the comedy “A.C.O.D.” and the action flick “Machete Kills”, as well as a recently published clean living handbook, The Honest Life: Living Naturally and True to You, under her belt. So how does she stay fit and healthy? She likes to start her day with a green juice and a workout consisting of dancing or interval training on the treadmill. A chip-lover, Alba tells the magazine she cuts down on snacking when she wants to be in top shape and replaces oil in cooking with a broth.

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Head over to Health to read more from the fit star!