Iman: Anti-Aging Secrets To Staying Fit And Fabulous At 65

Iman is considerably the world’s most famous supermodel, and it has nothing to do with the fact that her husband was the late David Bowie. Rather, this gracious Somalian-born beauty has captured our hearts over the years. She is iconic. Beautiful, smart, fearless she has had a significant influence over millions of women all over the world.  Proving anything at any age is possible.

Having turned 65 last week, we really have to ask ourselves if we can look half as good as a beauty that Yves Saint Laurent once described as “the dream woman.”

While the CEO of Iman Cosmetics shared with Huffington Post in 2011 that getting older doesn’t really phase her, that’s not to say that she doesn’t take care of herself as she gets older. In fact, speaking to The Cut in 2015, the supermodel shared that to her, wellness is an investment in yourself, and it’s supposed to feed your soul and make you feel good. Considering how well she looks, it’s clear that wellness has been feeding the beauty quite well. That said, let’s delve into the model’s top wellness tips.

Iman’s Anti-Aging Secrets

She eats clean

When it comes to her eating habits, Iman has revealed that she stays away from meat, and opts instead for chicken and fish. Research has found that processed meat can speed up wrinkle development, and excluding it from her diet may be while her skin looks so flawless.

Additionally, the model has shared that she stays clear of McDonald’s and soda, which is something we can definitely support. She’s also admitted that while she rarely touches alcohol, she does indulge in a glass of wine now and then. A study published in BMJ Cell Biology found that red wine helps rejuvenate old cells, so it may be a good idea to indulge in a glass now and then.

A model chef

“My ritual is cooking. I find it therapeutic” she shared in 2015, “It comes naturally to me.” The feelings that Iman has about cooking have been proven by science with one study revealing that baking and cooking can help to relieve stress. It’s also been found to boost creativity and happiness (1).

What’s more, cooking isn’t only therapeutic, as it’s been found to boast a range of benefits that can promote your health. 

For one, as you’re the one in charge of ingredients, cooking your own meals can ensure that you’ll consume foods that are nutritious. You’re also more likely to consume a wider variety of food (2). Additionally, research has found that cooking your own meals causes you to be more mindful of your portions.

She Exercises – Even If She Was Late To The Party

As crazy as it sounds, Iman didn’t start exercising until her late thirties, because “one day you look up and you are on the floor.” She also shared that while she tries to exercise every day, she opts out of running due to a bad knee injury.

She’s a knockout

When it comes to the different ways she stays fit, Iman revealed that she’s a huge fan of boxing as it “makes you stay in the moment that is in front of you”.

Boxing can also help tone your muscles, relieve stress, burn fat, and it’s also a great way to learn self-defense skills.

She’s jumping rope

“Jump rope, if you do a good 10 minutes, it’s a difficult cardiovascular workout…I started jump rope after I had my baby eight years ago, and I could barely do three minutes. And I thought I was fit!”

While Iman finds it challenging, jumping rope is an effective and accessible workout that everybody should engage in. Doing so can help to improve your coordination, strengthen your bones, and even boost your heart health.

She also does Pilates

Pilates is the ultimate anti-aging workout. While Iman has admitted that she finds the exercise boring, she also acknowledged that it is very challenging.

This is because it works your entire body, and in doing so, it helps to improve flexibility and muscle strength, all while strengthening your core and even enhancing your brain health.

She prioritizes her self-esteem

While she’s one of the most recognizable and beautiful supermodels in the world, Iman has admitted that she suffers from low-self esteem and that she has battled with this all her life.

“It’s not the outside world, it’s your interior life, that critic within you that you have to silence.” she shares, “It’s a constant battle whether you are 16 or 50.”

So how does she deal with it? With time.

“As you age, you do really find that quietness inside and that being-comfortable-in-your-skin feeling.” That said, if you are battling with your self-esteem, Iman suggests finding something to like about yourself and holding on to that. It’s also advisable to identify the source of your negative thoughts and to address them. You should also build positive relationships, learn to be easier on yourself, and get more active as exercise can help to build your self-esteem.

Her philosophy on aging

I tell my younger friends, ‘Don’t be afraid of change. That’s when you really see what your destiny is’… Things happen for ourselves when we let them. That also comes about with wellness. Sit quietly and let it be and reveal itself.

Want to know more?

Iman is certainly not the only woman getting better with age. Vera Wang recently turned 70, and it was clear that the anti-aging hacks she relies on helped to leave her with flawless skin and a beautifully aging body.

References

Conner, T.S., DeYoung, C.G, Silvia, P.J. (2018) Everyday creative activity as a path to flourishing, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 13:2, 181-189, https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1257049

Ducrot, P., Méjean, C., Aroumougame, V., Ibanez, G., Allès, B., Kesse-Guyot, E., Hercberg, S., & Péneau, S. (2017). Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 14(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0461-7

Latorre, E., Birar, V.C., Sheerin, A.N. et al. (2017). Small molecule modulation of splicing factor expression is associated with rescue from cellular senescence. BMC Cell Biol 18, 31, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12860-017-0147-7

Mills, S., Brown, H., Wrieden, W., White, M., & Adams, J. (2017). Frequency of eating home cooked meals and potential benefits for diet and health: cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort study. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 14(1), 109. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0567-y

Mekić, S., Jacobs, L. C., Hamer, M. A., Ikram, M. A., Schoufour, J. D., Gunn, D. A., Kiefte-de Jong, J. C., & Nijsten, T. (2019). A healthy diet in women is associated with less facial wrinkles in a large Dutch population-based cohort. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 80(5), 1358–1363.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2018.03.033

Von Essen, E., & Mårtensson, F. (2014). Young adults’ use of food as a self-therapeutic intervention. International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being, 9, 23000. https://doi.org/10.3402/qhw.v9.23000