Paulina Porizkova’s Empowered Approach to Fitness and Aging
Gratitude and self-compassion fuel a resilient, empowered journey in every life stage.
Paulina Porizkova: Celebrating Strength, Self-Acceptance, and Fitness at Every Age
Paulina Porizkova is more than a legendary supermodel—she’s a beacon for self-empowerment, transparency, and the embrace of aging in an industry (and world) obsessed with youth. Her recent social media posts, often showing off her toned abs and legs in a bikini, carry a deeper message: growing older can be celebrated, not concealed, and loving one’s body is a conscious, ongoing choice at every phase of life.
Owning the Moment: Paulina’s Viral Bikini Video
On her 57th birthday, Paulina posted a video on Instagram, striding onto a sunlit beach in a bikini. The imagery was classic glamor, but the caption revealed an empowered, sometimes humorous candor: “I was trying to walk out of the water all swinging hips and sexy, but was undercut by the currents, waves, and dips in the sand. Oh, and my hip arthritis. 😂”
She went on: “I will be turning 58 soon, and couldn’t appreciate my body more. It takes a lot of work, especially with the janky hips…Staying in shape takes much more time and effort, but it allows me to fully inhabit this shell I was given at birth, something I took for granted most of my life. But not anymore. Now it’s a deliberate decision to allow it to work as best as it can, being grateful for its ability to move me through the world—pain included. ❤️”
Embracing Aging: The Power of Vulnerability
Paulina’s Instagram is filled with empowering, often vulnerable messages. She frequently shares makeup-free selfies, candidly discussing her journey towards body acceptance and the challenges of aging in the public eye. In her posts, she pushes back against ageist beauty standards, choosing to highlight her wrinkles, scars, and stories accumulated over years.
Her perspective is clear: “I’m finally comfortable in my own skin.” Through her words and actions, she inspires followers of all ages—especially women—to view aging not as a flaw, but as a deserving subject of pride.
The Fitness Routine Behind the Photos
Paulina’s physique isn’t “effortless”—it is the result of consistent dedication and adaptation. As she’s grown older, her fitness routines have evolved:
- Post-menopausal changes: “Staying in shape after menopause takes a lot of frickin’ work,” Paulina admits, emphasizing that her body requires far more attention than in her younger years.
- Hip challenges: “I’ve had to cut down on my Pilates since I came back from the jungle shooting #beyondtheedge because my hips won’t cooperate.” Instead, her focus shifted towards physical therapy (PT) and strength training.
- Personalized workouts: She works with a personal trainer, Shelly, at her local Crunch gym, alternating hip PT with strength-building routines.
- Previous routines: Before her hips required extra care, Pilates and regular gym sessions (3-5 times a week) were standards in her regimen.
Diet Strategies: Intermittent Fasting and Intuitive Eating
Paulina’s approach to nutrition is as honest as her attitude towards aging. She’s spoken openly about the 16:8 intermittent fasting method:
- 16:8 method: Fasting for sixteen hours, with an eight-hour eating window.
- Intuitive choices: During her eating window, she admits, “I eat whatever I want for eight hours because I like food, but I also kind of tend to like more healthy food.”
- Balance and sustainability: There’s no extreme restriction—just a sustainable, enjoyable relationship with food.
Challenging Ageism: Redefining Beauty on Her Own Terms
Paulina regularly addresses societal expectations for women as they age. She appeared on the Today show, where she reflected on her previous “terror” of wrinkles—and why she now publicly embraces them.
She told host Savannah Guthrie: “At the age society says, ‘Women, go to pasture,’ we’re saying, ‘No, not so fast.’” Nearing her 60th birthday, Paulina declared, “I have never been so thrilled about a birthday in my life.” Her central message challenges the narrative of aging as decline, instead seeing it as a phase of self-acceptance and wisdom.
Beauty Without Filters: Normalizing Wrinkles and Real Bodies
Through both her words and unfiltered images, Paulina dismantles the unrealistic standards placed upon women—especially when it comes to how “youthful” they appear. “No makeup, no filters, no anything in my face but the nearly fifty six years of life. One year older – and at least twenty wiser,” she wrote in a makeup-free selfie post.
Her insights often touch on the emotional reality of aging: “Most of us get destroyed under extreme pressure. It rearranges us to fear… The best most of us can do is not to become a hard unbreakable diamond, but to remain a soft, vulnerable human with the added empathy of understanding the pain of others.”
Social Media: Building a Supportive Community
Paulina’s followers flock to her comment sections, offering encouragement and gratitude. Comments often highlight her relatability and courage:
- “It looks all swinging hips and sexy to me. ❤️”
- “You’re so lovable with your vulnerability. ❤️”
- “I’m always looking at the faces of other women… I just want some alternative ideas to aspire to.”
Her openness cultivates a space where vulnerability and honesty are applauded, not shamed.
Paulina’s Message: Deliberate Choices and Daily Gratitude
Across her posts and interviews, several themes recur in Paulina’s philosophy on aging and well-being:
- Ownership: Conscious, “deliberate” choices are now at the center of her lifestyle—no longer taking her body for granted.
- Gratitude and acceptance: Instead of lamenting pain or changes, she frames them as reminders of her body’s resilience and history.
- Rewriting the narrative: Paulina consistently challenges the notion that beauty and value fade with age.
- Empathy through vulnerability: By sharing her struggles and insecurities, she invites others to honor, rather than hide, their full selves.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Paulina Porizkova’s approach to fitness as she ages?
She emphasizes consistency, adapting her workouts in response to her body’s needs (such as focusing more on PT and strength when her hips became problematic) and acknowledges that maintaining her physique takes more deliberate work after menopause.
Does Paulina Porizkova follow a specific diet?
Yes. She practices 16:8 intermittent fasting, eating during an eight-hour window and generally choosing foods she enjoys, with an inclination towards healthier options.
How does Paulina Porizkova approach aging on social media?
She frequently posts unfiltered, makeup-free selfies and candid captions about embracing the aging process, encouraging followers to accept and even celebrate changes in their appearance and outlook.
What message does Paulina Porizkova hope to send about age and beauty?
Her core message is that age is not a flaw but a sign of experience and wisdom, and that everyone deserves to feel at home in their body—whatever its stage.
Summary Table: Paulina’s Key Wellness Strategies
| Wellness Strategy | Description | Adaptations with Age |
|---|---|---|
| Consistent Exercise | Mix of Pilates, gym sessions, PT, and strength training | Reduced high-impact exercise; increased physical therapy for hips |
| Intermittent Fasting | 16:8 fasting with intuitive, balanced eating | Maintains for energy and simplicity; no extreme restrictions |
| Body Acceptance | No filters, makeup-free posts, visible scars and wrinkles celebrated | Increased acceptance and public messaging around self-love |
| Social Support | Active engagement with an inspiring, positive online community | Continues to inspire and uplift followers sharing their journeys |
| Embracing Vulnerability | Honest reflections on pain, change, and resilience | More open discussions about aging in public platforms |
Conclusion: A New Model of Empowerment
Paulina Porizkova’s example reaches far beyond glamorous photos. Her philosophy—rooted in transparency, gratitude, and the radical act of self-acceptance—offers a model for aging that is powerful and inclusive. For her, staying “in shape” isn’t just a matter of workouts and diet, but an ongoing process of fully inhabiting and appreciating every phase of her life. Pain and change are embraced alongside beauty, proving that confidence and authenticity only deepen with time.
References
- https://celebwell.com/news-paulina-porizkova-intermittent-fast/
- https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a42691153/paulina-porizkova-toned-abs-legs-bikini-instagram-photo/
- https://www.prevention.com/beauty/a63675469/paulina-porizkova-learned-how-to-accept-wrinkles/
- https://www.preventionaus.com.au/article/paulina-porizkova-gets-real-about-grief-ageing-559486
- https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a37222320/paulina-porizkova-abs-arms-legs-bikini-tiktok-dance-video/
- https://www.preventionaus.com.au/paulina-porizkova
- https://web.stanford.edu/~bjgreen0/daily/?id=paulina-porizkova-weight-loss-before-and-after-how-she-lost-15-pounds-naturally-68ba5a4bcffc2
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