Maisie Williams in Bathing Suit is "Feeling Very Woman"

Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams clearly has a good sense of humor, judging by her social media posts. Williams posted a picture of herself in a brown bikini with the caption, "26 today, feeling very woman, feeling very mama x." One fan joked that at over 25, she was now too old for Leonardo DiCaprio. Her very tongue-in-cheek response? "Poor Leo 💔." Other fans wished her a happy birthday. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Williams 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!

Williams likes to go for a jog outside. "You burn more calories from running and walking than from a lot of the other exercise programs that you can work in," says Katie Schultes, MD. "It shows that it decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease, I think by about 45 percent. Running also increases your HDL, which is one of your good cholesterols. It helps burn calories, it helps reduce fat and it reduces your risk of getting diabetes."

Williams took part in the 22 Push Ups Challenge to raise awareness of mental health issues for service veterans. "How many you can do at one time offers a real-time measurement of your strength and muscular endurance and is an easy tool to help you improve," says Dr. Edward Phillips, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. "You can do them anywhere and at any time. All you need is your body weight and a few minutes."df44d9eab23ea271ddde7545ae2c09ec

After years of being put in androgynous outfits and stage makeup to play Arya Stark in Game of Thrones, Williams says she was thrilled to rediscover and celebrate her femininity. Williams was especially glad to showcase her looks and physique in beautiful clothes. "With this new phase of my style, it is nice to look more feminine and have a real waistline," she told Vogue. 

Williams follows a mostly plant-based diet. "Antioxidants in plants grab all these so-called free radicals that can throw your body off balance," says Andrea Murray, MD Anderson health education specialist. "To reduce inflammation, it's important to eat plant-based and to listen to your body's signals for how foods work for you."

Williams finds herself tempted by delicious cheese, especially when she's in France. "Cheese is a good source of calcium: a 30g portion of cheddar provides over a quarter of an adult's daily requirements," says the British Heart Foundation. "However, other dairy products, such as yogurt and milk, are just as good for the bones and much lower in fat and salt."