'If It's Going To Make Me Happy, I Indulge In It': Chrissy Teigen Reveals What Sparked Her New Wellness Motto

After "spending too many years counting calories" and giving into "diet culture," Chrissy Teigen has a new outlook when it comes to her relationship with her body and mind.

"I've thrown all of that out of the window," she told PEOPLE of her old habits. "I think now at this point in my life it's more important for me to enjoy things as they come."

Now, the cookbook author doesn't feel guilty when it comes to cooking.

"I eat things when I want them. Because if I don't my mind personally goes crazy," she explained. "I kind of put my mind over body a little bit, mind and spirit over body. If it's going to make me happy and make me feel good, then I indulge in it."

It doesn't hurt that she now conducts taste tests for a living.

"I always knew I wanted to be a mom and a wife, but work-wise I never knew exactly where I fit in or what I could do," she shared. "I'm very proud for bringing together all these talented people, and the amount of love and feedback [we've gotten] with Cravings makes me so happy."

The model admitted that for "so so long," she was "trying to figure out what my term for wellness was for myself."

"Now I know that it's on the ground playing with my kids, getting out there, going to a park, going to an aquarium, being able to drive around with my kids in the car," she shared of looking after daughter Luna, 4, and son Miles, 2. "That is activity for me and I enjoy doing things like that." 

In addition, she's started to take up some new practices — even ones that she once labeled as "cuckoo."

"I do appreciate a good sound bath and I'm learning to meditate," she noted, admitting she's "not necessarily a great meditator because I really think so, so much." 

"I do love yoga and pilates now but the balance in it is really nice because it's nice to be able to kill two birds by playing with my kids and getting that activity in honestly," she said. "To me that's more fun."