Stranger Things star Cara Buono recently explored the beautiful Balkan country of Montenegro, and shared highlights of the trip with her many friends and followers on social media. Buono, 52, who plays Karen Wheeler on the hit Netflix show, posted a video of herself on the far-flung vacation, including a brief swimsuit moment on a boat, zipping through the water. "Montenegro. What a beautiful country. Thank you for the warm and welcoming hospitality," she captioned the post. Here's how Buono stays happy, healthy, and her approach to wellness and self-care.
Buono incorporated a variety of different exercises into her workout regimen. "I'm very consistent with taking care of myself," she says. "I'm an early riser so I'll alway try to get in my workout before my family and the rest of the world wakes up. I run, box, go to the gym, and love to lift weights. I try to meditate at least 10 minutes a day and stick to a healthy, clean diet of mostly plants even though I'm not a vegan. I could never give up cheese or an occasional In-N-Out burger!
Buono makes her own sweet treats, which is a much healthier option than many store-bought goods. "I start every day with a glass of warm water and lemon no matter where I am. I alternate matcha and coffee," she says. "I would say try to be consistent and do something every day. If you can't workout for an hour, find 20 minutes. Try to have something green every day and make sleep a priority. I have a wicked sweet tooth and let myself indulge if it's intense. And I bake, so I like to eat my own muffins and especially my chocolate cake. I always keep 'Emergency Cake' slices in the freezer. Highly recommend keeping 'Emergency Cake' on hand."
Buono is an early bird, preferring to get her exercise out of the way first. "I wake by 5AM, put my feet down, realize I am healthy and pain-free, and I say a prayer of gratitude because it is truly the greatest gift to not have any health issues," she says. "I start every day with warm lemon water. I'll work out, whether it's the gym, boxing or running. I meal-plan on Sundays for my family. I love infrared saunas and taking cold plunge baths a few times a week."
Buono takes time for herself every day to focus on meditation and self-care. "Wellness has now evolved into a way of daily life that I have cultivated over time and helps me feel balanced," she says. "Wellness means taking time to pause and reflect on the present moment and all that it has to offer. If I don't have an hour on a day or more, I'll find a few minutes to stretch, do some breathing or meditate while walking. I'll find ways to eat healthy when there aren't a lot of options, but also not beat myself up when I don't. I'll do a 30-minute workout from Chris Hemsworth's Centr app in my hotel room. Wherever I am, especially if I'm away from my family, I'll truly notice what's around me, find something that's beautiful and be grateful for the precious gift of time."
Buono is an advocate for raising awareness about heart disease. "My mother has heart disease, and she survived a triple bypass surgery," she says. "So it's a disease that, for most women, it is preventable. It's also genetic. So it's personal to me. It's important to raise awareness because it is something that you can make lifestyle choices to prevent and manage as well… I think exercise is very important, nutrition, diet, checking about things that affect your cholesterol and lower your stress for your high blood pressure, things like that."
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