Carrie Underwood Shares Her Diet Struggles and Healthy Eating Plan

Carrie Underwood recently shared her thoughts on exercise, eating right and the occasional ice cream sandwich splurge. The longtime vegetarian, who's often seen at Nashville’s Whole Foods, says she has kept a diary of what she daily eats for years now. Underwood tells Women’s Health that her struggle is not with sweets, but with starches and carbs: "I love pasta and pizza -- oh, buddy!"

The country star's food rules include never skipping breakfast, which is often oatmeal or an English muffin with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! spray. Lunch can be a veggie burger or homemade quesadilla with salsa, black beans, tomatoes, onions, spinach, and fat-free cheese "so it gets gooey." For a little protein, Underwood adds Quorn, a meat-free food made from edible fungus that tastes exactly like chicken.

Her favorite snacks are almonds, Kashi's Heart to Heart cereal, carrots and pickles. The ‘American Idol’ winner reveals her Top 5 food cravings are actually pretty healthy, including Hostess 100-calorie packs, Boca meatless burgers, Kashi cereal (which she always carries in her purse), Healthy Choice ice cream sandwich bars and Subway, saying "you can’t go wrong with the veggie sub."

Even when she’s on tour, you can find her at local farmers' markets getting dinner -- plus, she exercises daily and remains "disciplined and health conscious." She also cooks all her own food on the tour bus and rarely uses catering. Back home in Nashville, Underwood has a home gym complete with an elliptical machine, bike, abs ball, free weights and kettlebells. Running, boxing, and jumping rope are also part of her plan. Underwood says, "There's just something sexy about feeling strong."