When we last checked in with Lauren Conrad for our January 2008 cover, she seemed to have everything going for her: She was the star of the hit reality show The Hills, and her high-end clothing line was in chic boutiques around the country. Yet, despite her outward success, Lauren now admits her confidence was really flagging. "People I thought I could count on were undermining me, and my self-esteem took a hit," she says. Fast-forward 18 months and it's a very different Lauren who bounces into a New York City photo studio. Despite dramatic changes in her career, the natural beauty is glowing with energy and confidence.
What changed? Since quitting the show, the 23-year-old has achieved her dream of writing a novel (L.A. Candy topped the New York Times bestsellers list as this issue went to press), and she's started a budget-friendly fashion line for Kohls, which she says reflects who she is better than her previous designs. The quintessential California girl not only shares her secrets for looking gorgeous, she also opens up to Shape about how she's become more self-assured. "I'm much more comfortable with who I an now," she says. "I've learned that you've got to stay true to yourself. It's the only way you'll be really happy."
EMBRACE CHANGE The idea of leaving the Hills was scary - after all, the show launched her career. But once Lauren made the break, she was excited to have the chance to explore other interests. "I like to be involved in a lot of projects," she says. "I've found that your always learning when you do different things - and you never get bored! I enjoy a challenge." It's that attitude that helped Lauren write a novel about a young woman's adventures on a reality television show. "I discovered that I really love writing," says Lauren. "But it's intimidating to start the first page of a book when you have hundreds of pages ahead of you." As she's done with her other ventures, Lauren jumped right in, pushing through the process without worrying about the end result. "Once I got over the stress of starting the story," she says, "I just took it one chapter at a time."
MAKE YOUR WORKOUT FIT YOUR LIFESTYLE Always on the go, Lauren has found sticking to a regular exercise routine tough for the past few months. But with the help of Los Angeles celebrity trainer Jarett Del Bene, she's come up with a do-it-yourself workout. "Basically it's a circuit I can do anywhere - in my hotel room when I'm traveling or at home in my living room," says Lauren. "There are just five moves: squats, sit-ups, push-ups, couch dips - where I balance on the edge of a couch and lower my hips, then press up - and planks. I do 20 reps of the first four moves, then hold the plank for 20 seconds. I go through the entire circuit six times. No equipment required."
CURB YOUR CRAVINGSDespite her hectic lifestyle, Lauren's been eating healthier than ever before. She's gone from calorie counting to a more flexible approach: She gets plenty of fruit, like watermelon and grapefruit; organic salad greens; and lean protein, like turkey, tuna, and beans. "I've found when all I'm eating is really fresh, healthy foods, I stop craving pizza and burgers," she says. Lauren's even switched to super nutritious nibbles (what she calls "snack plates"): hummus, sliced turkey, cucumbers, and apples. "When I have these foods in front of me, I find it easier to avoid high-calorie binges," she says.
When a pizza craving does hit, however, rather than deprive herself, she's discovered a healthy alternative: "At California Pizza Kitchen, they make a salad pizza with greens, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette on a very thin crust," she says. "It tastes great without the guilt."
GET YOUR HEART RATE UPOne of the best things to happen to Lauren this year was starting a relationship with actor Kyle Howard. But after just a few months of dating, Lauren found she was getting soft around her middle. "I call it the 'boyfriend layer,'" she says, laughing. "We were having more romantic dinners out, and I was exercising less." To get back on track, the couple started working out together. "We like doing outdoor stuff: tennis, bike riding, kayaking, stand-up surfing, hiking in the canyons around L.A.," says Lauren. "I just ask Kyle, 'You feel like working out?' It's more fun than hitting the gym alone."
FIND YOUR STRENGTHLauren's confidence got a jump-start after a pep talk from her mother and a close friend. "Nine months ago, I reached my breaking point," she says. "I felt bad about myself because certain people were relentlessly attacking me and my reputation. My mom kept saying, 'Let it go, Lauren. It doesn't matter.' My friend also sat me down and asked, 'Why do you care what people say about you? How does it really affect you at the end of the day?' I couldn't come up with a good answer and realized I had to stop worrying about what other people think. The next day I got a tattoo on my lower back that says 'sticks and stones,' because they may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Once I let go of that, I felt more confident about myself. And that," she says, "made my decision to leave The Hills pretty easy."
Reports of Lo Bosworth starring in the movie adaptation of Lauren Conrad's novel, L.A. Candy, have been greatly exaggerated. 
