Denise Richards, 51, Looks Incredible and Here's How

Denise Richards started her career as a model and shot to fame when she turned to acting, wowing fans with performances in films Starship Troopers, Wild Things and The World Is Not Enough. The 51-year-old has since done everything from reality TV to writing a memoir titled The Real Girl Next Door and continues to take on projects. The mother of three looks fantastic and here's how she does it.

1. She Does Pilates

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In an interview with Self, Richards said, "I am very active. I found what works for my body -- everyone's body is different and I think it's best to find what works for you. For me it's Pilates and dance." The National Library of Medicine states, "A recent study sought to determine the effect of a Pilates training program on arm-trunk posture, strength, flexibility and biomechanical patterns. Nineteen subjects (9 controls, 10 experimental) were assessed twice, 12 weeks apart, during which the experimental group performed Pilates training for two 1-h sessions per week. The results indicated that the Pilates training program was effective in improving abdominal strength and upper spine posture, as well as in stabilizing core posture when shoulder flexion movements were performed. Since deficits in these functional aspects have previously been associated with symptoms in the neck-shoulder region, these results support the use of Pilates in the prevention of neck-shoulder disorders."

2. She Loves Animals

Scroll through Richard's Instagram page and you'll see countless pics of cute pooches. Being around pets boosts your mood and is healthy for you in several ways, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "There are many health benefits of owning a pet. They can increase opportunities to exercise, get outside, and socialize. Regular walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Pets can help manage loneliness and depression by giving us companionship. Most households in the United States have at least one pet."

3. She Overcame a Messy Public Divorce

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Richards famously went through a bad public divorce with ex-husband Charlie Sheen, which she wrote about in her memoir. She told Self, "I share a lot in my memoir from when I was a child until now. As far as my marriage, I do share the good memories but also get into my divorce. Not the details, more the feelings. Many women experience divorce and it is heartbreaking to go through. I'm hoping anyone who has gone through what I did will have hope that it does get better." The National Library of Medicine states, "The experience of separation or divorce confers risk for poor health outcomes, including a 23% higher mortality rate. However, most people cope well and are resilient after their marriage or long-term relationship ends. Despite the fact that resilience is the most common response, a small percentage of people (approximately 10–15%) struggle quite substantially, and it appears that the overall elevated adverse health risks are driven by the poor functioning of this group. Several candidate mechanisms and novel (ambulatory) assessment techniques are discussed that may elucidate the poor outcomes among people who adapt poorly to separation."

4. She Eats Smalls Meals Throughout the Day

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Richards revealed to Self her diet tricks that work for her and cutting out large meals is one way she stays in shape. " I have lots of little meals; it's best for me. I found eating three big meals I felt too full and got tired especially after lunch." According to UCLA Health, "The premise behind eating smaller and more frequent meals is the control of blood sugar, also called blood glucose. This refers to the glucose, a type of sugar that is extracted from the food we eat. When digestion is complete, glucose is carried by the bloodstream and throughout the body to supply our cells and organs with energy. When blood glucose levels drop, hunger and cravings spike. By eating six small meals per day, the thinking goes, you're ensuring that blood glucose is available at all times. By controlling the trigger for cravings, you'll eat less and won't be as likely to give in to the siren song of that bag of chips or chocolate bar."

5. She Has a Cheat Day Every Now and Then

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While Richards eats clean healthy meals consistently, she doesn't completely eliminate everything from her diet. She told Self, "My cheat food is ice cream, but I found these tiny snack-size cones that Haagen-Dazs came out with." Northwestern Medicine states, "Research shows that after a cheat meal, the body increases its metabolism, causing you to burn calories faster. This is caused by increased levels of leptin, a hormone secreted by fat cells and responsible for maintaining energy balance in the body. After eating a larger meal than usual, your body increases leptin production by as much as 30 percent for up to 24 hours."

Denise Richards has been a pop culture icon for years. She’s starred in projects like The Bold and The Beautiful and is a former Bond Girl, starring in The World Is Not Enough. She also starred in two seasons of Bravo’s The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills. Richards is also known as a sex symbol, and her recent Instagram post proves why. In it, she posed in a black one-piece swimsuit with gold decorations. She captioned the post, “Is it Friday yet?” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Denise Richards 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 Takes Care Of Her Skin

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Skincare is extremely important to Richard. She opened up about her routine to Refinery29. "My everyday routine is very minimal right now, because I'm not wearing a lot of makeup," she says. "In the morning, I don't even wash my face, I just rinse it with water, put on my Cream Oil Moisturizer and sunscreen. Then at night, I wash my face with my cleanser, use the nighttime serum, a little bit of the eye cream, and that's it.”

2. She Avoids Botox

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Richards doesn’t do botox or any facial plastic surgery. She says that she prefers to treat her face with skincare products. "I don't do Botox or injectables," Richards told Refinery29. "I've tried Botox before, but really didn't like it. I felt like someone was smashing down on my forehead. For me, I focus on a great skin-care regime.”

3. She’s Gluten Free 90% of The Time

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Richards eats pretty healthy. One of her secrets is that she tries not to incorporate too much gluten in her diet. She says that while she’s not completely gluten-free, she avoids it most of the time. “I would say 90 percent of my diet is gluten-free and I definitely do notice the difference,” she told Women’s Health. “I grew up in the Midwest and we ate meat, potatoes and pasta, so I enjoy all of that.”

4. She Gets Enough Protein

Richards tells Women’s Health that she makes sure to get enough protein. She says that she quit being a vegetarian for this reason. “Sometimes I don’t get to eat lunch when I’m working. If I do, I like to have a big salad and some protein, like grilled salmon or chicken. I was a vegetarian for years and one day not that long ago I started eating a little more like protein and it actually felt good. I felt like I was full in a healthy way.”

5. She Cooks

Richards loves to cook. She tells Women’s Health that she likes to make a lot of healthy meals for her family. “I love to cook. I’ll roast a chicken and yellow potatoes with carrots. I also love artichokes. I’ll steam them, bake them, and drizzle balsamic on top.” Richards also says that she loves making salads.