Lucy Hale feels more confident about her body

Lucy Hale has "developed more confidence" over recent years.

The 32-year-old actress is finally learning to appreciate her own body, after battling with her appearance during her teens.

Lucy reflected: "Our bodies are so amazing and resilient, and we don't give them enough credit. I spent much of my teen years and early 20s not loving my body and not being good to it."

The Hollywood star spent years convincing herself that she needed to "be cute and sit there".

However, she now looks at herself in a completely different light, revealing that her "idea of beauty is different".

Speaking to Shape magazine, Lucy added: "That's so boring. I've developed more confidence because I realise I'm more than the way I look. One day, I was like, Wait, I'm a good person. I work really hard. I've been given gifts. I'm smart. I can have good conversations.

"My idea of beauty is different now. Feeling strong, feeling confident - nothing is better."

Lucy - who played the part of Aria Montgomery in 'Pretty Little Liars' - now places more emphasis than ever on her workout routines.

The actress also revealed that she looks at her body as a "temple" these days.

She said: "We get only one body. We have to take care of our temple.

"I do a lot of strength training because I like to feel strong. I'm 5-foot-2, but I like to feel like a bada** and to know that I could kick someone's a**."

Lucy admits that her entire outlook on life has been transformed over recent years.

She shared: "You've got to step out on the ledge and hope that it works out.

"Sometimes it doesn't, and you get your heart broken, but you've got to take that chance. In the long run, it's worth it to be bold. You've got to step out on the ledge and hope it works out. Sometimes it doesn't, but you've got to take that chance."

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