Mexican actress and TV presenter Galilea Montijo is celebrating a friend’s birthday the best way she knows how—in a bathing suit, enjoying the beautiful ocean. Montijo, 49, shared pictures of herself laughing in the surf, wearing a purple swimsuit and dark hat. “Celebrating your life my friend @waithsman THANK YOU for existing in life 💖 I love you so much,” she captioned the post. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Montijo 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!
Montijo works out with her husband Fernando Reina, and says it helps keep her focused. “A very important person, of course, my husband,” she says. “He is an athlete, he knows what discipline is, he cheers me on, we exercise together and that has helped me a lot.”
Montijo sought expert help after bouncing back from having son Mateo. “After Mateo, it was very difficult for me to lose weight and [for that reason] I am with a bariatrician—a doctor who helps treat obesity. Yes, I disciplined myself, I am exercising a lot, and I think that more than ever I am taking care of myself.”
Montijo makes time for at least 20 minutes of exercise every day. “People are surprised when I tell them that I do a routine of 20 minutes of exercise a day, no more, no less, the important thing is to do it daily,” she says. “In exercise it is not worth doing long and impossible routines, which only injure us , if only with 20 minutes of correct exercise a day, they work perfectly.”
Montijo has previously admitted to indulging in cheese-rich quesadillas. “There are certain cheeses that can help your gut health,” says Alexis Supan, MPH, RD. “Options like cheddar, Parmesan, Gorgonzola and Gouda are all excellent cheeses when it comes to providing us some good bacteria and keeping our gut happy.”
Montijo doesn’t believe in restrictive diets, instead focusing on high-protein diets. “On my part it is taking care of myself, I have gotten into a discipline and I am taking great care of myself with food,” she says. “Diets do not work for me, I am not on a diet, I am eating well, I am eating my protein and it has worked very well for me. I’ve been like this for more than six months.”