Gwyneth Paltrow loves "fried food" and "alcohol".

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow

The 46-year-old actress used to follow a macrobiotic diet - comprised mainly of vegetables and fish and didn't allow the consumption of any dairy or processed foods - but she abandoned the strict eating plan to allow herself to indulge in her favourite calorific meals and now relies on cleanses to maintain a healthy balance.

Speaking to Glamour, Gwyneth said: "I was a person who loved sugar, fried food and alcohol - I still am, quite frankly. But when I did my first 21-day cleanse called, The Clean Program and cut out caffeine, gluten, diary ... I felt completely re-born. I was like, 'This wellness thing is real! I feel incredible!' Of course, I went back to martinis, but I try to do one once a year!

"I think it's important, the idea that we all have autonomy over our health and wellbeing. Wellness is really a state of mind and an integration between mind, body and heart."

Gwyneth - who has kids Apple, 14, and Moses, 12, with her ex-husband Chris Martin - also admitted that hitting her "mid-forties" has given her a fresh outlook on life that has left her feeling "optimistic" about the future.

The Hollywood star - who recently married producer Brad Falchuk, 47 - added: "I feel so lucky and I am so grateful. It's different to be in your mid-forties; do it again and bring all your experience, your pain, your happiness, suffering - everything. It's actually very heartening, I feel very optimistic!"

Gwyneth promotes wellbeing and fitness through her Goop lifestyle brand - famous for recommending vaginal steams and $15,000 gold vibrators - and she is very proud that her company employs "mostly women".

She said: "I think I am very much a girl boss, meaning that I try to lead from my feminine. For me, what that means is leading from a place of collaboration and consideration to very much keep that flow of energy going through everything.

"All start-ups are inherently feminine because it's creative, it's collaborative, it's feelings - and as you grow, they get more masculine and more orientated to masculine processes and PNLs and patriarchy. That is also necessary, but I think it's important to find the right balance. I love being a woman leader and I love employing mostly women - it's amazing to see women win."

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