Gooky Golfing Is Just One Part of Her Regimen

Lacey Chabert, who plays Claudia, the youngest daughter in Fox’s “Party of Five,” turned 13 in September. The vivacious actress spends hours at the studio in Culver City--studying scripts, rehearsing, filming and going to school--all on the lot.

Question: Don’t you get antsy when you’re at the studio for so long?

Answer: Some people think, “Wow, how do you get any activity sitting on a set all day?” But I mean, I do so much stuff here.

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Q: Then let’s straighten everybody out right now.

A: Well, you know, I take walks around the lot and I make it fun. And I got a bike for my birthday.

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Q: Hey, that’s cool. What kind?

A: It’s just a regular bike. It’s neat. I’ll go ride my bike around the lot. That’s a lot of fun because the lot is so big. And I have a pogo stick and I love doing that, and I have a Hula-Hoop that I picked up at a toy store. I tried it and like, hey, this is fun. So, it’s pretty cool.

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Q: I noticed the pogo stick propped up in the corner. It does look tempting.

A: We have contests sometimes, you know, the people on the stage and the cast. I’m at about 175 jumps, so I’m doing pretty good. Actually, we jumped on it so much that I have to oil it up because it screeches when we spring now because we totally wear it out. And I love to golf. That’s one of my favorite sports.

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Q: Golf? How’d you get started on golf?

A: Well, my dad and my brother have been playing golf for like forever and I drove around in the cart and then my dad said, “Do you want to try?” and so he got me a pair of clubs and I just love it. I do. It’s cool. I love it. And walking the golf course is exercise. I like going gooky golfing too.

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Q: I’m sorry. You lost me on that one.

A: You know, like miniature golf. Gooky golf.

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Q: I think I’m in trouble here. Tell you what, let’s switch to food.

A: I’m a big vegetable and fruit person and a Caesar salad freak. I love chicken and vegetables--broccoli, celery and carrots--raw or steamed.

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Q: You were raised in Purvis, Miss., and none of this sounds like Southern home cooking.

A: Ever since I moved out here, my tastes and appetite have totally changed, which is kind of weird because in Mississippi everything is fried. I mean, down there you fry okra and vegetables and everything. The only time I eat fried food is when I go home.

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Q: So you pass up the greasy spoons and fast-food joints.

A: It’s so different eating non-fried. If I hadn’t eaten at McDonald’s in a while and then I ate a chicken sandwich or something, I’d really feel like ooohhh, like I just had no energy. It would be good for a second and then just gross. I just feel so much better eating pasta and salads. And of course, I love pie and fudge. If I’m going to eat something really sweet, I like a big brownie.

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Q: You don’t have to watch what you eat?

A: I don’t worry about my weight. I just worry about being happy. I had a health class in school. I don’t like to eat mayonnaise or butter. It’s just gross what they do to your body, I think, and I just don’t like it. I don’t like it. I feel much better when I don’t eat a lot of heavy food. You know what I mean, a lot of greasy stuff.

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Q: What’s your favorite fruit?

A: I like strawberries and melons. Honeydew and watermelon are my favorites.

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Q: Mine’s watermelon because you can have a great seed-spitting contest.

A: Yeah, right, to see who could spit the seed the farthest. I love doing that. They have watermelon on the set, but they’re seedless so it takes all the fun out of it.

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Q: That’s because an adult ordered the melon.

A: Yeah.

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Q: What beverage do you like?

A: I do drink a lot of water, especially with the heat under the lights. It just drains you, so drinking a lot of water helps.

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Q: Any other activities you want to talk about?

A: I like ice skating a lot. Just for fun.

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Q: I manage to fall down any time I’ve been on the ice. How about you?

A: Oh, yes, millions of times. But it’s not that bad. You stay near to the wall, that’s all. I finally learned how to stop. That was like a miracle. I don’t know how to do it too great, but it’s worth learning rather than running into the wall and flying over it.

I like going to the beach and roller-blading on the bike path. Venice has a good one because it’s really long. I love going down there and doing a couple of miles. That’s fun.

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Q: You wear all the gear?

A: Stuff all over me. Lots of kneepads, that’s for sure and a helmet.

* Guest Workout runs every other Wednesday in Life & Style.