Bikini shoots help me stay slim: Eva Mendes

Hollywood actress Eva Mendes says that posing in bikinis give her the motivation to stay slim.

The 37-year-old actress who often has to strip for photo shoots, knows that her body must be in tip-top shape and so she does her best to stay away from junk food, reported Contactmusic.

"My job requires me to do a lot of underwear and bikini shoots. That's what encourages me to put the chocolate-chip cookies down," said the stunning actress.

Although she is very conscious about eating healthy and doing lots of exercise now, the 'Hitch' star said it hasn't always been that way.

"I never cared about exercise or what I was eating until I got into my 20s and then I started to really get into it. I just wasn't feeling good, so I started eating well, working out and going from drinking no water - ever - to up to three litres a day.

"All the stuff that I didn't do as a kid. Ever since, I've really believed in the beauty philosophy of starting from within and it kinda changed my life," she added.