Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco is a mom of twins, a retired professional swimmer and spends her life jetting from one function to the next. She’s also just turned 40. And she’s not a fan of the gym. Any one of those things would be a great excuse for piling on the kilos. But Charlene is in great shape, with visible muscle tone in her arms and legs and a slim waist. Here’s how she stays fit, strong and trim without the gym.
1/ Make Healthy Choices Most Of The Time…
Charlene spends a lot of time attending events in different parts of the world, so she struggles to maintain a routine. “There isn’t really consistency – my days are never the same and you can’t really choose what you get to eat at events,” she says. Instead, she makes an effort to select the healthier options available. “I try to eat a lot of fish and fresh fruit and vegetables. And I drink a lot of water – it’s important to stay hydrated.”
2/ … But Don’t Forget To Live A Little
Diet fatigue is a major reason why many women fall off the healthy eating wagon. Your willpower is like a muscle – if you keep it working for too long without a break, eventually it will give in. “Don’t be too strict on yourself,” says Charlene. “A dessert once in a while is not so bad.”
3/ Move Your Body In Ways You Enjoy
Charlene still loves being in the water. She swims regularly and, when she arrives at a new destination, the hotel pool is her first stop. She also does stand-up paddle boarding, which is particularly good for working your core and sculpting lean muscle in your arms and shoulders.
Through her foundation, Charlene teaches kids around the world to swim and perform CPR.
4/ Try New Things
Do the same old workout week in and week out and you’re going to get very bored, very quickly. Charlene mixes it up with outdoor activities like running and hiking that take her into nature. Her latest obsession? Waterbike – a new sport that has you pedalling across the water on a bicycle attached between two floats that look like seaplane struts. It’s fun and also a killer leg workout.
Check out this video of the Riviera Waterbike Challenge that Charlene organised last year. Competitors included her husband, Prince Albert, along with several sports stars from around the world. Proceeds went to the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.
5/ Exercise For Life
After years of gruelling training as a professional swimmer, Charlene’s focus has shifted dramatically. Now, she trains to stay fit and healthy and to enjoy life. Because she spends a lot of time on the plane, Charlene stretches often to maintain good mobility. She counteracts hours clocked in heels with downtime going barefoot.
And she keeps her body strong to be capable. “As an athlete my training was explosive,” she says. “Now I focus more on strength, core training and stability. You lose strength with age and I need to be strong so I can pick up my children and do my sport.”
Princess Charlene looks fit and toned at 40 on the May cover of Women’s Health.
