‘Modern Family’ actress Sofia Vergara shares her fitness secret: Lifting weights

“Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara is no stranger to having the spotlight put on her physique. (She’s the face of Covergirl’s Bombshell makeup collection.) The actress, producer and entrepreneur just launched her new perfume, Tempting, and spent a few moments chatting with us about why overall wellness – not just keeping fit – is her focus.

Here are some of her tips, and yes, we plan to steal them all:

TAKE WEEKENDS OFF

We asked Vergara for her secret to cramming in a workout when time is limited. “I don’t,” she said. Vergara said she keeps to a strict fitness and diet regimen Monday through Friday – and then loosens the reins on weekends.

SKIP RUNNING

“I have bad knees,” said Vergara, who steers clear of jogging and running as much as possible. But, as she tells us, keeping her physique is “part of my job.” So, in addition to a diet that avoids extremes (she drinks only in moderation, for example), her go-to piece of workout equipment is the Megaformer – a machine that conjures up thoughts of pilates, but is designed to combine cardio, weight and balance training.

PUMP IRON

Age often equals a loss of muscle mass. But not for Vergara. “I’m 44,” she said, explaining why her workouts now emphasize lifting weights. “It’s important now to build muscle.” (For the record, the newlywed does not work out with her husband, the ripped Joe Manganiello. The weights he lifts are too heavy, she said.)

FIND THE BALANCE

“I like to feel the best I can,” Vergara said. And that means being around family and friends adds to her sense of well-being. She doesn’t beat herself up if she’s tempted to splurge on dessert. After all, she said, Colombian women are comfortable with their curves.

Health@latimes.com