Sarah Michelle Gellar Today Stays Toned With These Tricks

Sarah Michelle Gellar has been in the spotlight since she was just 4-years-old and became an instant Hollywood star with her iconic role in the hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The 44-year-old slays in every photo she posts and every event she attends she radiates. So how does she stay in shape? CelebWell talked to experts who explained why her diet and fitness regime works. Read on to see 5 ways Sarah Michelle Gellar 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 Eats Fish

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The mother of two ensures she gets plenty of essential nutrients with her diet. "I eat a lot of fish, and it's so high in omega," the actress told Health a while back. Reda Elmardi, a Registered Dietician, Certified Nutritionist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Trainer, and owner of thegymgoat.com says, "Wild salmon contains high levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Eating wild salmon at least twice per week can provide your body with over 100% of the recommended daily amount of this healthy fat. Omega-3s have been shown to improve brain health and may even protect against depression."

2. Loves Whole Foods

Gellar admitted to Health that she loves to eat, but she likes to be healthy. "I love food—but I don't like junk food. I mean, we're women. We go up by five pounds, we lose it, depending on the water, the moon, your cycle, whatever. So I just try to maintain," she said. Bess Berger, RDN, CDN, owner Nutrition by Bess states, "Eating whole foods helps you stay full longer so they help us eat less overall.. They also digest more optimally in our bodies, that is, we are less likely to get sugar spikes and dives and therefore the hunger that comes on after a whole foods meal is more moderate. This helps us make smarter food choices and one's that are within the recommended portion sizes. You may have found after you have a bag of processed food, you're starving an hour later. If this occurs, you are more likely to make unhealthy, impulsive food choices and the amount one eats to counter being starving is often too large. This interferes with weight loss goals."

3. Low Impact Exercise

One of her go-to workouts is Pilates which is what she was doing when she went into labor. She told Health, "Well, I went into labor at the Pilates gym. And it was funny, too, because I was getting cranky, and I said to my trainer, 'I'm just cranky today.' She was like, 'Maybe it's because you're going to give birth!' And I was like, 'Nah, not yet.' It turned out I was in labor, I didn't realize." Steve Theunissen, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist RDN and Author at SmartFitnessResults says, "Low impact workouts keep your muscles strong and flexible without much risk of injury. Many people assume that low-impact exercises aren't as practical as high-impact ones, but they can still produce excellent results while reducing strain on the body and preventing injury. They are still effective. They reduce injury risk. Because these exercises are less stressful to your joints and muscles, you're less likely to get injured doing them. It is a massive benefit for those who need to be careful about their health due to chronic pain or previously suffered joint injuries."

4. Runs and Walks on Treadmill

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SMG enjoys working out and hits the treadmill when she can. She told Health, "I like anything outdoors. But I'm just as happy on a treadmill.'' Theunissen explains, "Brisk walking is a great way to get fit if you have joint problems. It's also ideal for people who want to lose weight as it burns more calories than jogging at the same speed. You can add extra resistance to walking by wearing a weighted vest or carrying hand weights, using poles while hiking uphill to increase the intensity and make walking a more powerful workout. Your body uses fat as it's fuel source to produce ATP during sustaining everyday basic function. Walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes burns more fat than running for 10 minutes."

5. Switches Up Her Routine

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In several interviews, Gellar has said she likes doing everything from swimming to hiking and according to Heather Carroll with A Balanced Life Training: "Switching up your routine is important. I urge my clients to switch up their classes weekly, Barre, Pilates, Yoga, Bootcamp, Strength and Cardio Boxing. When you train in one area the body eventually gets used to it. You can always push harder but you are missing the benefits from all the other areas. If you focus on strength everyday you will definitely be strong but your muscles may be as tight as guitar strings and injury could be in your future. If you focus on cardio you may be very lean but not as strong as you'd like to be. I truly believe that a well rounded plan is the best approach to any training routine."