Tracee Ellis Ross Shows Off Flat Belly Having "Fun in the Sun"

Tracee Ellis Ross is showing off her chiseled abs – in her swimsuit. In a new social media post the Blackish star flaunts her toned midsection in a two-piece bathing suit while on vacation in the tropics. "Fun in the sun," she captioned the series of Instagram snaps. How does the stunning actress, 51, manage to look half her age? Celebwell has all the details about her go-to lifestyle habits. 

"I like simple, whole foods," Ross dished to People about her diet, which is as "dairy free" as possible and involves a lot of seasonal produce from the farmer's market. She does enjoy a weekly cheat meal. "I love going to one of my favorite restaurants once a week to have a glass of wine and a delicious meal. I don't restrict my eating to firm meal times. I eat in the same philosophy that I live with: joyfully!" 

Ross is a fan of "feel good" workouts. "I have to say that Tracy Anderson's workout the last five years has been really good for me. I love the studio atmosphere, I love how beautiful and sexy and long and strong I look when I work out, and I love the loud music," she told Health. "I find that, as adults, we stay so regimented in our movement, even if we get on a treadmill. The music changes all the patterns, and my body gets to move freely, so you feel amazing—which is ultimately the point of the workouts, too. One of the things that's most encouraging is you see a roomful of women working their asses off and looking beautiful. You see women in their 40s wearing jog bras and their stomachs out proudly, walking in a stance that says, 'I love my body,' and that's exciting to me."

Ross exercises "three days a week on a regular basis, sometimes four," she told Health. "Sometimes I take a little break, but the truth is, I feel the best when I work out. I feel very strong. I didn't wake up like this. At 22, I woke up like that. At 44, I work really hard for this! I am on TV, and I don't want to lie to anybody. I'm not at my skinniest, I'm not at my fattest, but I live my life. This is my body. Health and the functionality of my body are more important than what it looks like."

Ross believes that self-care is crucial. "I moisturize, and I dry brush, and I infrared sauna, and I do acupuncture, and I get facials," she told Health about her regular practices. 

"I drink water, and I don't drink a ton of alcohol," Ross told Health about her hydration practices. "Alcohol makes the folds go deeper—one glass of wine is like being on 17 airplanes; it just dries you out." According to the Mayo Clinic, hydration is important for a variety of reasons. Water helps get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues.

One of the "biggest things" when it comes to health, According to Ross? Getting enough sleep. "Sometimes it's not eight hours, but my sleep is sacred to me," she told Health. "I've tried to choose sleep over working out, which I think is the right choice." What are the health benefits of sleep? According to the Sleep Foundation, getting enough z's is a mood booster, promotes heart health, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function, restores your immune system, helps relieve stress, and aids in weight loss.