Lance Bass Says He Developed Diabetes During COVID: 'I'm Definitely Conscious of My Eating Now' (Exclusive)

Lance Bass is learning how to live with diabetes.

"I developed diabetes during COVID, and I'm really trying to figure out how to control that," the musician says in an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE tied to his partnership with Allegra. "I'm definitely conscious of my eating now."

"I'm learning what you can eat, when you can eat, when you take your insulin — and all that has just been really hard lately," says Bass, 44.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Following his diabetes diagnosis, Bass says he has made it a priority to take care of his physical health.

"The older I get, the more I know I have to take care of my body. So I work out when I can," he explains, noting that his go-to machines are the treadmill and full-body strength training system Tonal.

"Exercising is so key right now, but it's hard for me because of my schedule to get to a gym," the father of two continues. "So I do have a nice setup at my house and I get 15 minutes here, 20 minutes there."

Adds Bass: "The biggest thing that I've learned is to drink tons and tons of water. You think you're drinking too much water, [but] you need to drink even more than that."

Along with his physical health, Bass also knows the importance of keeping his mental health in shape.

"I've learned to meditate, which is just incredible for me," he says. "It just cuts my brain off just for a few minutes, [and] I love to do some meditation in the morning."

"Then I make my bed. That's how I start my morning routine," the former *NSYNC member continues. "It just feels like a win right off the bat."

Hiking is another way Bass practices self-care. "It's what makes me happy and clears my head," he explains. "It gives me great endorphins. I think that's the best thing that helps me with my mental state."

Outdoor activities can sometimes be a problem for Bass, who suffers from various allergies, including pollen, oak, and grass, which is why he is partnering with allergy medicine brand Allegra.

By utilizing the brand's mobile tool, Allegra Airways, Bass and other allergy sufferers can find and follow real-time routes "backed by live air quality data" that have less pollen and pollution.

"As an allergy sufferer and outdoor enthusiast, I know how these allergies affect my everyday routine," Bass tells PEOPLE.

"[Allegra Airways] finds the cleanest routes as I go about my day ... and gives me the best routes to go to avoid the things I'm allergic to. It's so crazy," he adds. "It is just an incredible, brilliant thing that Allegra's come up with."