Heather Graham is 52 and apparently aging in reverse. The actress posted a photo of herself wearing a black bathing suit looking--well, looking exactly the same way she’s looked for 30 years. “I love you Mexico 🇲🇽 #lagoonofsevencolors #lagoon,” she captioned the Instagram post. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 6 ways Graham 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 Avoids Flour and Sugar
Graham avoids eating sugar and flour as much as possible. "I’ve become one of those annoying people who’s like, 'I’m not gonna eat white flour and I’m not gonna eat sugar.' I do eat sugar sometimes, but as a broad rule, I try to just eat no sugar basically, and I have to say I feel a lot better,” she says. “And I will sometimes eat things with white flour, but I try to avoid white flour." Avoiding too much sugar is sensible, experts say. "Excess sugar's impact on obesity and diabetes is well documented, but one area that may surprise many men is how their taste for sugar can have a serious impact on their heart health," says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "Basically, the higher the intake of added sugar, the higher the risk for heart disease.”
2. She Cooks “Beer Can” Chicken
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Graham loves to cook chicken, potatoes and salad. "I’m kind of slightly hypocritical because one of the main things I make is a beer-can chicken,” she says. “It’s got a paste on it that’s made of salt, pepper, and brown sugar. But that’s really one of the best things I’m making right now. I’m also making sweet potato fries, but I make baked wedge fries so they’re healthier. I make a really good salad with kale, chopped raw brussel sprouts, and toasted almonds. Everyone’s into kale. It does make you feel healthy."
3. She Loves Yoga and Pilates
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"I’m obsessed with yoga. For fun, I would go on a yoga retreat and do four hours of yoga a day. And then I do pilates. I also like going out dancing,” Graham says. Pilates and yoga and very effective workouts, especially for people who love to dance. “As human beings, we are creatures of habit,” says lead yoga therapist Judi Bar. “We walk a certain way, we take the steps a certain way, we stand a certain way and we sit at our desk a certain way. So our muscles get imbalanced because of overuse and what Pilates does is help to counteract that.”
4. She Moisturizes From Head To Toe
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Graham keeps her skin supple and healthy through daily moisturizing. "I like moisturizing a lot — my whole body, my face,” Graham says. “I use this inexpensive Body Shop Nourishing Night Cream, and sometimes I’ll use Crème de la Mer." Graham’s skincare routine certainly contributes to her youthful appearance. “Moisturizing every day will prevent dry skin. When the skin gets dry and cracks, it is susceptible to problems,” says Dr. Jennifer Trent MD FAAD. “One of which is the possibility of infection. These cracks allow the entrance of bacteria into the skin. Dry skin also has impaired barrier function and cannot ward off these microbes. Hydrating dry skin will make the wrinkles less apparent. Also, moisturizers will give you a healthy glow that can help mask blemishes. Moisturized skin looks plump and firm like youthful skin.”
5. She Sleeps a Lot
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Graham doesn’t just get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep a night—she goes even further. The actress can happily get 12 hours of sleep on occasion. “I love sleeping,” she says. “When I tell people how much I sleep sometimes, they are horrified. I basically sleep between nine and 12 hours a night.”
6. She Practices Self-Love
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Graham says the most important lesson she’s ever learned is, “That by being loving to yourself, you are more kind and loving to others,” she says. “I always felt, ‘Oh, you’re supposed to do everything for other people and not worry about yourself’, but it’s important to be kind to yourself, and then you are a more generous person overall.” “Self-love means that you accept yourself fully, treat yourself with kindness and respect, and nurture your growth and wellbeing,” says Sharon Martin, LCSW. “Self-love encompasses not only how you treat yourself but also your thoughts and feelings about yourself. So, when you conceptualize self-love, you can try to imagine what you would do for yourself, how youd talk to yourself, and how youd feel about yourself that reflects love and concern.