Zoe Gara Shares Swimsuit Photo "For You"

Australian model Zoe Gara is enjoying a beautiful vacation in Ibiza, Spain. Gara shared highlights from her hot and sunny vacation on the famous island, including an impromptu photoshoot of herself posing in a pink bikini in a green kitchen, surrounded by Smeg brand products. “This one’s for you,” she captioned the post. “Literally perfect,” commented a fan. So how does she do it? Here are five ways Gara stays slim and strong.

1. Pilates Sessions

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Gara loves Pilates as a method of staying fit and strong. "Pilates builds muscle, and this is important since building muscle increases your body's basal metabolic rate — which is how many calories your body burns while at rest," says Leanne Wonesh, an athletic trainer at Houston Methodist. "Whether you're trying to get in shape or just improve your overall health, there's really no one type of exercise that can get you there. In your overarching exercise regimen, you need a variety of workouts, including cardio, strength training, flexibility exercises and maybe even some high intensity interval training (HIIT)."

2. Mediterranean Diet

Gara is Greek, and loves traditional Greek cuisine. The Mediterranean diet is known for being heart-healthy and great for overall health. “Observations from a study in the 1960s found that cardiovascular disease was linked to fewer deaths in some Mediterranean countries, such as Greece and Italy, than in the U.S. and northern Europe,” say the experts at the Mayo Clinic. “More-recent studies linked the Mediterranean diet with lower risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.”

3. Oatmeal and Fruit

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Gara’s go-to breakfast is oatmeal and antioxidant-packed strawberries, blueberries, and melon. “Antioxidants can be harmed by heat,” says Julia Zumpano, RD, LD. “You don’t kill the fiber, and you still have the vitamins and minerals. But heat can affect the antioxidant content. So raw, fresh and organic blueberries are the best way to go.”

4. Lots of Water

Gara drinks plenty of water throughout the day for her beauty and health. “If you want to prevent dehydration, it’s as easy as incorporating more water and water-rich foods into your diet,” according to the National Council on Aging. “Eight glasses a day is an easy rule to remember and a good general target. You can also use the body weight formula: take one-third of your body’s weight and drink that number of ounces in fluids. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, aim to drink 50 ounces of water each day.”

5. No Dieting

Gara is debunking the stereotype that models are always on diets. “The common misconception [about models] is that we are stuck up or that we don’t eat,” she says. “Everyone is different and every model is different, but speaking on behalf of myself, I have never let social media and modeling get to my head to the point of being stuck up. I have surrounded myself with good, down to earth friends and family, which is very important in shaping a person.”