Danica Patrick, the most successful female race car driver of all time, is in Mexico and shared a heartfelt reflection that’s as wise as it is beautiful. “Life is trying to shift us in into coherence. If you’re not a match for your current life, expect challenges. Try and move like the ocean, without resistance,” she said, posing in front of rushing waters. “The funny thing is.... we know. We always know deep down what’s good for us and what’s bad. If you wonder, just ask. The answers are usually short and sweet. They might not always be what you want, but they’re what you need. ☺️” How does she stay so fit and sagacious? Read on to see 7 ways Danica Patrick stays 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!
1. She is “Pretty Intense”
Danica shared her fitness regime in her book Pretty Intense. The book is “not about driving, it’s about becoming the best version of myself,” she told 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. Among the exercises in her plan: “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.”
2. She Drinks Green Smoothies
"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," Patrick told Delish. "The colder the ingredients, the better, so I like to use frozen fruit." Delish added that: “She'll add one-third of a banana and a quarter of an apple, so it doesn't get too sugary, 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."
3. She Believes Mind Powers Matter
“The workout stuff” in her book, “is where I get into the level of intensity and using mantras to get past it and techniques to push harder, but the mind—the mental part of the book—it’s really cool that everyone says that’s their favorite part of the book, the mind-body connection, the mental aspect of your life and gaining strength and confidence through doing certain activities. That’s where you’re going to find your foundation for the rest. The body follows the mind. If you can teach it that, believe it, it will.”
4. She Wants You to Have a Healthy Relationship With Food
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“I want you to develop a relationship with food and exercise to not be a reward or punishment but a way of life, that makes you feel good, a better you every single day.” Patrick even got her mom into exercising. “My mom loves organization,” so she loves the program. At 60, she even has abs!
5. She Likes Homemade Almond Milk
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"I like the taste of homemade almond milk better," Patrick told Delish. "It's thicker and probably fattier, but it has a more full-bodied taste."
6. She Admits That Race Car Drivers Don’t Need to Be That Fit
When it comes to racing: “You don’t have to be that fit,” she told Roll. “Especially in NASCAR, there are some drivers you look at and think, ‘You probably don’t work out that much, do you.’ Physical fitness is important but then you got guys like Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman and they do just fine.” She says it’s like running a marathon, with an elevated heart rate—”the focus comes from practice, but the stamina—hydration is critical. Repetition with the muscles. A general amount of flexibility and some endurance” is good. She says you get conditioned by doing the actual job itself. “I am more fit than I need to be to do the job.”
7. Cardio is Key
Patrick appeared on GMA doing hop overs and toe taps on an exercise ball, tapping her toes on it in quick succession while jumping. (“If you don’t have a ball, use anything,” she says.) She then did pushups—with one hand on the ball, and the other hand on the floor. Do 10 on each side. Pretty intense.
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