The 45-year-old model says there are no shortcuts to keeping slim.
It’s hard to believe it’s been 17 years since Elizabeth Hurley sent photographers on the red carpet into a frenzy in that unforgettable Versace black and gold “safety pin” dress.
Almost two decades on, the 45-year-old English actress and model is still guaranteed to stop traffic – and have flashbulbs popping – wherever she goes. Powered by her romance with Aussie cricketing legend Shane Warne, Liz looks hotter than ever.
But maintaining a body so trim and taut it’s the envy of women half her age isn’t all a matter of good genes.
In an exclusive interview with Woman’s Day, Liz reveals her beauty, diet and fitness secrets. And as the mother of nine-year-old son Damian admits, there are no quick fixes for staying in top shape. In fact, with all eyes on her whether she’s wearing a figure-hugging designer gown or a bikini, Liz concedes she feels an additional burden not to let herself go.
“There’s no shortcut to being slim,” she says. “You have to watch what you eat. I put myself under extra pressure because I still model my own bikinis.”
While Liz loves walking every day with her beloved dogs, she also incorporates regular jogs into her fitness schedule – much as she wishes she didn’t have to!
“I try to run – even though I hate running,” she confesses. “I love Pilates and yoga, but don’t do them regularly. “I am extremely active, though, and don’t sit still for long,” Liz says, revealing that she even does stomach exercises while waiting for the bath to fill up.
“Spending time outdoors makes you feel great,” she adds. “I love being outside in the country and I’m glad that my son, Damian, has grown up predominantly on the farm, instead of inhaling pollutants in London. I do a lot of gardening.” Getting her beauty sleep is vital to Liz, as is eating organic food as much as possible.
“A healthy diet will stop you from feeling run-down if, like me, you’re super- stressed,” she reflects. “I have my own organic farm so [I] eat only my own meat and vegetables. I buy everything else from a local farmers’ market and health food shops. I eat very little processed food. In between meals I have one of my own snack bars instead of crisps or chocolate.”
That’s not to say, though, that Liz doesn’t indulge her food weaknesses. “I do have little treats every now and again, such as Fruit Pastilles or marshmallows – my current favourites,” she smiles. And don’t expect to see Liz out and about, night or day, without a full face of make-up.
“I always wear make-up, as I don’t see the point of looking less than your best,” she says. Liz has become super-skilled at “doing her face” in record time. “I can be fully made-up in five minutes flat, with a light foundation, blusher, eye pencil, eyelash curler, mascara and a slick of lip gloss,” she says.
“It makes me feel a million times better. You don’t need a lengthy make-up routine; just a little can make a difference. Also, try to find time to look after your hair.”
On a more serious note, Liz is acutely aware of the need for regular checks for breast cancer. “We’re all scared of breast cancer,” she muses. “It’s a horrific disease, but it is often curable if detected early. “It’s very important to get a regular mammogram after the age of 40 and to check your own breasts every month. “I go around the world every October on behalf of Estee Lauder, spreading the word to as many women as possible.”
As Liz urges, we must “put our money where our mouths are”. “Like a lot of people, I have lost relatives and friends to breast cancer, and scientists know that the only thing stopping them finding a cure is funding.”
For Liz, life is also about feeling good. That’s why she is a firm advocate of incorporating some “me time” into her schedule. “We all need to relax more, but I don’t find it easy,” she confesses. “The one place I can really unwind is in the bath, once I’ve put Damian to bed. I light a candle, sprinkle in some Dead Sea salts and some Jo Malone bath oil, then read for half an hour.
“All the dogs sit around the bath watching me, which is sweet. Then I text a few friends, do a few tweets and get dressed for dinner feeling like a new girl.”
