Danica Patrick in Bathing Suit is "Flag Girl"

Danica Patrick has hearts racing with her latest Instagram post! Over the weekend, the race car driving legend showed off her incredibly fit figure – including washboard abs – in a black swimsuit, holding a flat while on a boat. "Also, back to being a flag girl," she captioned the snap. How does she approach health and wellness? Read on to see 5 of Danica Patrick's top do's and don'ts for staying in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

Danica doesn't have to diet because she is committed to healthy living. "What I'm hoping is that people realize that this is a lifestyle," she explained on Good Morning America. "I want them to develop a good relationship with food and exercise to not be a reward or punishment but a way of life and something that makes you feel good and something that makes you a better you every single day." 

Danica looks at food as medicine. "You are creating your life day by day with your thoughts. Think positive things. Believe in yourself. Have great reasons for why you're doing what you're doing," Danica dished to Fitness Reaper. "Eat good food because food is medicine. You're either adding to your well-being or reducing your well-being."

On her website, Danica explains why she switched to a paleo diet temporarily – and then permanently. "Paleo is based on the idea that you only eat foods that were available to ancient man before the invention of agriculture. So no grains, no dairy, no beans or legumes, no added sugars or preservatives. Instead, you focus on naturally raised meats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts," she said. "My intention was to only do it for a week or two to reset my body with less sugar and more veggies. Well . . . I felt so good, and saw such amazing results, that I never quit."

In her book Pretty Intense, Danica explains why she is devoted to exercise. The book is "not about driving, it's about becoming the best version of myself," she explained in an interview with athlete and podcaster Rich Roll. "The only thing that I would put toward being a better driver is that with the style of working out that I do, with the intensity level and competition at times, it makes you mentally stronger, and that translates" to driving competitions. She also revealed that she does "7 workouts each week—upper body, lower body, abs, 3 interval cardio sessions, and one long circuit. They are all designed to be intense and over within about 20 min, except for the long circuit which will last about 30-45."

Danica is a big fan of drinking her nutrients. "I'll put three big handfuls of spinach in the blender, and only enough ice and water to get the spinach to make [the blades] spin," she explained to Delish. "The colder the ingredients, the better, so I like to use frozen fruit." Then, she will add one-third of a banana and a quarter of an apple, "so it doesn't get too sugary," per Delish and adds a lemon to "cut down on the drink's bitterness." "Take the seeds and skin off the lemon, and just toss it in," she says. "It really helps the flavor."