Sailor Brinkley Cook in Two-Piece Workout Gear Turns 26

Sailor Brinkley Cook has the best energy. The American model glows in photos and in her Instagram feed pics, but her personality completes the image: She seems to really know herself and be “real,” despite her privileged upbringing. Perhaps that’s why we trust her wellness advice. Recently, Sailor’s mom, legendary supermodel Christie, shared a photo of her daughter in two-piece workout gear. “Wishing you great adventures, laughter and lots of love,” she captioned it. The occasion? Sailor's 26th birthday. (Happy birthday!) Read on to learn how Sailor Brinkley Cook stays so fresh.

1. She Didn’t Always Want to Be a Model

Modelling wasn’t her preordanied path, just because of her mom. “It really wasn't. I really did not even want to model. It was something that fell into my lap and I was so grateful for it because I got to learn so much through it. And I mean, the people in this industry are so talented, so I'm really lucky,” she told the Today Show. “I studied photography, so I was very into the arts and being behind the camera, but actually modeling, I mean, I got to absorb so much of that knowledge from the most amazing photographers.”

2. Her Mom Supported Her Dreams

“She was very supportive of any avenue that I would go down as I grew up. And she was one of those moms that was like, if you're going to do it, do it with me. So she wanted to experience everything with me. She wanted me to be open and tell her things. And I think that really allowed for a very beautiful space to grow up as a young woman,” she told Today.

3. She Walks Her Dog

A fgew years back, Cook said she walks her dog Lionel every night. “And every night before we go to bed, we go for a little walk to get out most of his energy. And it's honestly become a great part of my routine. I take some deep breaths to let go of the day. I set some intentions for tomorrow, and then I go inside and I start my routine,” she told Us Weekly.

4. She Uses Serums

After cleansing her face, “the next step in my routine is a serum,” she told Us Weekly. “I think that every human being needs a nice serum to go before their moisturizer. Ever since I've added some serums into my life, my skin has changed dramatically. So I sort of use a variation of serums. I think that just like how you listen to your body and what you want to eat, you should listen to your skin and what it wants to be drenched in. So I go between the ordinary hyaluronic acid and the ordinary niacinamide and zinc. If I'm feeling super dry, I'll make sure to put this on the hyaluronic acid. And if I'm having some blemishes or if I have some discoloration, I'll make sure to put on the niacinamide and zinc, which is amazing for that. It's been instrumental and clearing up my skin.”

5. The #1 Thing Her Mom Taught Her

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“I think that her number one thing that she always told me to be was to be grateful and gracious,” she told Today. “And she always said that these doors are going to open for you, but it's your job to keep them open. So I really stuck to that and I made it a priority to every room that I walked into. Be very grateful and really say hello to everyone and absorb the knowledge that everyone has to give on these sets."

Model Sailor Brinkley Cook is celebrating International Women’s Day. And her recent Instagram post proves it. In the post, Cook ran a race in New York City with some friends. She modeled a gray workout shirt and black pants. She captioned the post, “I love being a woman and I love being faster than a man 😉 Thank you @nikenyc for the most joyous start to international woman’s day !!!” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Sailor Brinkley Cook stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She’s All About Body Positivity

Cook is all about body positivity, and she wants others to do the same. She talked about this in the caption of this Instagram post. “Lets all remember just how wonderful, magical, powerful, sensual, flexible, durable, fantastical and beautiful our bodies are,” Cook wrote. “Just as they are. Right now. With or without a special diet. With or without a gnarly workout routine.”

2. She Stays Hydrated

Cook has amazing skin, and she makes sure to take care of it. She tells Glamour that staying hydrated is one of her biggest secrets. “I think drinking a lot of water is literally the most important beauty rule people forget about. You can put on the different masks, the different serums, everything—but when I drink a lot of water, like three liters a day, I swear after a week I see a difference in my skin.”

3. She Exfoliates

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One of Cook’s skincare secrets is exfoliating. She shared her favorite tool in her Glamour interview. “I use the Barbara Sturm exfoliator. It’s a loose powder that you put on wet skin then wash off. It’s calming, but it also gets in there and gets the grime and dirt out. I use it every night.”

5. She Swims

According to this Instagram post, Cook loves to swim to stay in shape. According to The Cleveland Clinic, swimming has a lot of benefits. “Want to keep your ticker at peak function? Cardio activity is one of the keys to a healthy heart, and swimming’s cardiovascular benefits are clear. It’s been shown to: Improve cholesterol levels. Reduce blood pressure. Lower your risk of heart disease.”

5. She Walks

Cook tells Glamour that she likes to walk to stay in shape and to clear her mind.“I usually just take a walk. I think that’s a really underrated thing people don’t do enough when they’re feeling stressed out. Especially in the city, I’ll put my phone in my pocket, put my headphones in, and I’ll just play my favorite music and take a walk around the city. You just see all these different people of all different walks of life, and the art on the streets, and little fluffy dogs. All these little things remind you that, Okay, we’re all in this together, we’re going through it, you’ve got to make the best of it. That really helps me a lot when I’m feeling chaotic.

Model Sailor Brinkley Cook is on vacation in Ischia in a swimsuit. She just posted some of her highlights on Instagram. They include eating pasta, spending time on a boat, and going to the beach. Cook captioned the post, “More pasta please.” How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Sailor Brinkley Cook 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 Does A Variety Of Workouts

Cook revealed her wellness secrets to InStyle. She says that she likes to do a lot of different exercises. “I’m a big runner—I try to run two miles a day. Then I work out with my trainer at Work Train Fight, doing HIIT workouts like burpees and lunges. If I need a day off, I’ll do yoga or something low-intensity.”

2. She Builds Muscle

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Cook tells InStyle that her career requires her to do a lot of weight training and muscle building. “At swim shoots it's a lot about definition, no matter what size or shape you are. So when you’re about to be in a bikini, weight work is best. I always try and appreciate however my body is at the moment, but I love when I see the little line down the side—that’s always great.”

3. She Cuts Out Sugar Before A Shoot

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Cook revealed how she preps for a photoshoot to InStyle. She says that she likes to avoid sugar around 10 days before. “I start cutting sugar 10 days before. Every time I stop eating sugar, it's immediate, and when you're going to the gym every day, cutting out sugar changes the game. I see myself getting a lot more shredded.”

4. She Stays Hydrated

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Cook tells InStyle that she always tries to stay hydrated, especially when she has a shoot. “A week before the shoot, you have to make sure you're drinking a lot of water. You want to be hydrated because it shows up in the way your skin looks, in the way that your body looks, in the way that you're acting and feeling.”

5. She’s Embracing Herself

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Cook is open about her previous struggles with her body. She says that she is working on embracing herself and feeling confident. "I feel like no matter if you have cellulite, no matter if your stomach has rolls, no matter if your stick thin, whatever you look like, I feel like life is too precious to not go out there putting your best foot forward and loving yourself," Cook told ABC News. “I just don't want life to pass me by. And I'll look back and say, why didn't I appreciate myself?"