Amy Adams: “Losing Weight Is Not My Number One Priority”

There’s been a considerable amount of buzz surrounding Amy Adams lately.

From the January 2011 Marie Claire cover to "The Fighter" and numerous other upcoming projects (including the much-anticipated Jack Kerouac biopic "On the Road", there’s no doubt over the astounding velocity with which her career has developed: two Oscar nods, parties, galas, premiers, the works.

But, with that fabulousness and fame comes harsh scrutiny. The 36-year-old actress recently gave birth to daughter Aviana with fiancée Darren Le Gallo, an actor as well, and has been criticized for keeping some of her baby weight several months after giving birth. But the actress has a healthy view on the matter.

"Being pregnant finally helped me understand what my true relationship was with my body,” Adams told Parade, “meaning that it wasn't put on this earth to look good in a swimsuit.” (Though, this month’s spread in Marie Claire kind of negates that.)

Adams has worked on regaining her post-baby body as much as possible, but is not fanatic or unreasonable about her workout regimen. “Since the birth, “ Adams told Parade, "I've been working out when I can, and I'm trying to eat in a healthful way, but losing weight is not my number-one priority.”

When she does work out, though, Adams keeps things interesting. She was interviewed for Marie Claire in a pole dancing class. “Some mom friends said it's a good way to lose the baby weight," she says. "And I'll do anything to get off of that treadmill."

Actresses who have put on a few pounds have usually had to deal with some sort of retaliation from the public, ranging from insane jealousy (seriously—does supermodel Gisele Bündchen have zero body fat?) to “Ugly Betty’s” America Ferrara to ex-“Fat Actress” star Kirstie Alley. The pressures of Hollywood are lost on Adams, though. “It's part of my job to return to some semblance of what I was before,” she admits.