Melissa Wood-Tepperberg in Bathing Suit Makes "SI Debut"

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg is a lot of things. She’s a wellness maven with her own fitness program. She has a large following on social media. And now, she’s a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. Tepperberg is a SI Swimsuit Rookie for 2023, and the magazine shared some highlights of her first shoot on Instagram. In it, Tepperberg posed on the beach in different swimsuits. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Melissa Wood-Tepperberg 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 Doesn’t Push Herself Too Hard

Tepperberg shared her approach to wellness in an interview with Vogue. She says that she doesn’t like to push herself too hard when it comes to exercise. “I believe that we do not have to torture ourselves with hour-plus long workouts that we despise to see lasting results internally and externally,” she says. “My philosophy is that when you move in a slow, controlled way, mostly using your own body weight—all while connecting very deeply to your breath—you not only see such a transformational difference through your entire body but most importantly, your mind.”

2. She’s Consistent

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Tepperberg makes sure to stay consistent when it comes to fitness. She tells Vogue, “The glue that holds it all together is the consistency of this practice. Continually coming back to it day in and day out, no matter if it’s five minutes or ten, is what I think makes the biggest impact in your habit of showing up for yourself.”

3. She Combines Yoga & Pilates

Tepperberg opened up about how she designed her workout plan to Vogue. She says that she combined yoga and pilates. “My method was born at a time when I realized I no longer had hours to spend in the gym, but needed something that still made an impact,” she says. “After blending two forms of movement I loved the most (Pilates and yoga), and truly listening to myself for the first time, I saw an incredible difference not only in my body but in my mind.”

4. She Focuses On Herself

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When it comes to food, Tepperberg doesn’t like to follow a trendy diet. Instead, she focuses on what makes her feel good. “Every individual is different and thrives on incorporating different foods into their regimen,” she says to Vogue. “Removing labels for me has been a big thing this year and intuitively focusing on the foods that make me feel best is what I keep coming back to.”

5. She Works Out Her Legs

Tepperberg shares a lot of her favorite exercises on social media. In many of them, she is seen doing different leg workouts. In this video she posted on Instagram, Tepperberg is seen doing different types of squats with ankle weights and flutter kicks with a resistance band. And in this one, Tepperberg does workouts like squats and donkey kicks.