Gisele Bündchen recently revealed that she had a health scare in her early twenties, back when she would start each morning with two cigarettes and a Mocha Frappuccino, then end the day with a glass of red wine. These unhealthy habits resulted in Bündchen’s adrenal glands shutting down.
By changing her diet, quitting smoking, exercising and implementing breathwork into her routine, Bündchen was able to live life to its fullest. Now at 43, she’s looking as fit as she’s ever been. So, how does she do it?
In a recent interview with Women’s Health US, Bündchen dove into the ins and outs of her weekly workout routine, as well as the daily habits that keep her on top of her fitness. Here’s the full breakdown.
For Gisele, the day starts and ends with movement
“Moving is just part of my every day,” Bündchen told Women’s Health US. She wakes up at 5am each morning and meditates before going for an easy-pace jog with her dog. She’ll usually run for about five kilometres. Bündchen follows up her run with another workout, which is usually yoga.
At night, Gisele will once again walk her dog, which also helps her sleep. “Walking is underestimated”, she said. “That’s great for me and great for him.” Clearly, she cherishes time with her dog.
She has always loved yoga and jiu-jitsu
Yoga and breathwork have been a part of Bündchen’s routine for almost 20 years. She started practising both after her health scare, and hasn’t stopped. “Everything changed” after she began those habits, she explained to Women’s Health. “I got a better life.”
It is also well known – courtesy of a few action shots in Instagram posts – that Bündchen is a big fan of martial arts, specifically jiu-jitsu. She practices three times a week and regularly has full-contact spars with opponents – likely including her boyfriend, who is her former jiu-jitsu instructor.
It might sound like Bündchen’s routine is overly packed, but rest assured, she also prioritises recovery. “Because I’m very intense and I go hard, the rest is extremely important”, she says.
She’s recently gotten into weightlifting
Bündchen has always been a big fan of yoga and jiu-jitsu, but surprisingly, strength training in the form of weights hasn’t formed a key part of her routine until recently. In the last few months she has started lifting weights and does strength training three times per week. “It just helps you feel stronger,” she said.
Most of the time she prefers lifts 4.5kg, or less with more reps. When she wants to lift heavy, she’ll up the weight to a max of 11.3kg, but with less reps.
Her go-to workout zone is outdoors
Outside of strength training, yoga and jiu-jitsu, Bündchen is known to enjoy paddleboarding and kayaking. “I always want to make sure that every day, I’m doing something in nature,” she told Women’s Health US. She also occasionally partakes in horseback riding, surfing and skydiving, so clearly she’s quite the adventurer.
When she’s short on time, she still squeezes in a five-minute stretch
Bündchen’s schedule can fill up quickly. When she’s busy, she sets an alarm on her phone every hour as a reminder to stretch for five minutes. “Otherwise, you get so stiff,” she said.
It’s difficult not to respect Bündchen’s commitment to staying in shape, especially when she operates with a jam-packed day like that. There’s plenty to takeaway from her routine.
How many children does Gisele Bündchen have?
Gisele Bündchen has two children and a third on the way. The father of the first two, Benjamin and Vivian, is Bündchen’s ex-husband Tom Brady. She is now expecting her third child with new boyfriend Joaquim Valente.
When did Gisele Bündchen stop modelling?
Gisele Bündchen retired from modelling in 2015, at the age of 34. She is still involved in the fashion industry but has said she has no desire to return to the runway.
How does Gisele Bündchen make her money now?
With an estimated net worth of $400 million, Gisele Bündchen is one of the richest models on the planet. But now that she’s no longer modelling, where does she make all her money? Most of Bündchen’s income now comes from brand partnerships, book sales and business ventures.
