Mexican actress Grettell Valdez is enjoying the last days of summer. The model posted a video of herself wearing a tiger-print bathing suit, looking toned and happy. “Jajaja 😜 #comedia tu que prefieres Amor o Dinero?” she captioned the Instagram post. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Valdez 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!
Valdez is a big fan of skiing, and regularly hits the slopes with her family. “Alpine skiing is a mix of endurance and resistance training,” says Dr. Josef Niebauer, a professor of sports medicine and cardiology and director of the Institute for Molecular Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine at Paracelsus Medical University in Salzburg, Austria. “It has positive effects on the heart and circulation, as well as peripheral muscles—predominantly the legs.”
Valdez loves to incorporate yoga into her workout routine. “The purpose of yoga is to build strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and body,” says Natalie Nevins, DO, a board-certified osteopathic family physician and certified Kundalini Yoga instructor in Hollywood, California. “As an osteopathic physician, I focus a lot of my efforts on preventive medicine and practices, and in the body’s ability to heal itself. Yoga is a great tool for staying healthy because it’s based on similar principles.”
All those bikinis aren’t just for show—Valdez enjoys swimming, especially in the ocean. “Exercising in natural environments has been shown to have greater benefits for mental health than exercising elsewhere,” says Sergio Diez Alvarez, director of medicine, the Maitland and Kurri Kurri Hospital, University of Newcastle. “This is because it combines the benefits of exercise with the restorative effects of being in nature. Swimming in the ocean is no less the case.”
Valdez enjoys icy climates as much as she likes the sun. Cold-weather destinations are good for your health, experts say. “Repeated cold exposure will lead to improved insulin sensitivity, even for people who aren’t diabetic,” says Denis Blondin, a researcher at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke in Quebec.
Valdez is a big fan of Spanish extra-virgin olive oil. “Many studies continue to confirm the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which cuts the risk of heart disease and stroke,” says Howard E. LeWine, MD. “The diet’s nutritional benefits probably come from various sources, but the generous use of olive oil appears to be a key contributor.”