Gabrielle Union in Bathing Suit Has a "Happy Birthday"

Gabrielle Union is celebrating her birthday in her bathing suit! While almost impossible to believe, the actress rang in her 50th birthday over the weekend, with her many friends honoring the special day by sharing photos of her in her swimsuit. She also shared a message to her own account. “2 days in paradise and I don’t wanna leave. This cruise into 50 has been smooooooth,” she captioned a swimsuit photo taken in Africa. How does she manage to look half her age? Read on to see 5 ways Gabrielle Union 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 Only Works Out Three Days a Week

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Gabrielle isn’t one of those stars who works out every day. In fact, she revealed to Women's Health that she only devotes 50 minute a day, three days a week to exercise. Six minutes per session involves cardio – two minute intervals between three sets. "I like to mix it up so I don’t get anxiety staring at the treadmill," she said. "Cardio could be jumping jacks, running up my driveway, side shuffles like I used to do in basketball, an elliptical, treadmill, or sled pushes."

2. She Does the Same Exercises

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Gabrielle is a creature of habit when it comes to exercise. "There are some old faithfuls I’ve been doing my whole life: squats and lunges," Gabrielle told Women's Health. "They’ve never really failed." She intensifies her "tried and true" moves by adding dumbbells or bodyweight resistance. "The beauty of my workouts are that they change every session and day. It really depends on my mood, what my scenes are like action-wise. Basically I try to stay as flexible as possible I don’t get too bogged down."

3. She Avoids Fitness Trends

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Union doesn’t really dabble in fitness trends "As the workout phases come and go, I'll try everything," she previously told Women's Health. "Nothing, not one thing, has stuck. I've tried kickboxing, cardio barre, I've tried a SoulCycle class...I'm not a class person."

4. She Relies on Simple Exercise

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Gabrielle prefers simple to complex exercises. To get a toned butt she sticks to squats and lunges. "You can do those anywhere. I keep a resistance band in my backpack that I bring to work every day. I can just do side shuffles and leg lifts and squats with the resistance band,” she told Women’s Health.

5. She Exercises for Her Mind

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Gabrielle is motivated by the mental health benefits of exercise. "I get to work out my aggression, my fears, my anxiety before I get to work or before my daughter wakes up. It brings me a level of peace that I wouldn’t otherwise have. I know when I don’t get my workout in, I notice it the most in my mood. I tend to have a lot more patience after I’ve worked out."