Don Flood/Shape

Maria Menounos' busy life as an entertainment correspondent, producer, actress, reality star and best-selling author doesn't leave much time for starting a family, which is why the 36-year-old thought she'd never become a parent.

"For years I was terrified of having kids. I was afraid I'd love them so much, I'd stop working completely," she told the October issue of Shape magazine. "That all changed after I took a seminar with [motivational speaker] Tony Robbins. It was an absolutely game-changing, life-altering experience."

As Menounos explained, "I had a profound, hysterical crying moment where I realized I was going to miss out on this enormous amount of love, all because of fear. Now I'm finally ready to have children. How about that?"

Being brave is one of the rules that Menounos tries to live by.

She shared her other top rules for healthy living with Shape while spilling some inside tips on how she keeps that killer body.

"I see health as a journey, not a destination," she told the magazine. "It's ever-changing because if you're not growing you're dying-in every area of your life. My goal is to always move toward being better."

Maria Menounos' Secrets to the Perfect Beach Body for the 'Everygirl'

Maria Menounos Was 'Disowned' Over Boyfriend

Surprisingly, Menounos, who dropped 40 pounds gained during her college years, takes a moderate approach to getting and staying fit.

"My goal is to be healthy, not skinny-and the best way to achieve that is to not diet," said the vegetarian. "You're just setting yourself up for failure when you're in that mindset. The moment you cave and have something you're not supposed to eat, you'll want to quit the whole plan. I always tell people to begin with small changes. For example, if you love an egg and cheese sandwich, start by eating it open-faced. You still get the flavor, but with less bread and fewer calories."

Menounos takes a similar approach to exercising.

"When I can't make it to the gym, I try to do little fitness things throughout my day, like taking the stairs," she said. "I was in the Bahamas on vacation recently, and it was too gorgeous outside to be stuck on a treadmill. So I snuck my fitness in by doing squats and lunges while I brushed my teeth in the morning, going for long walks, and swimming laps in the ocean."