Fit after 40 - how the celebs do it

If 40 is the new 30, it’s little wonder that the pressure is still on post-40 celebrities to look as good as their much-younger co-stars.

Unlike the current crop of wild 20-somethings teetering around LA on stick-pins, the post-40s seem to have a more sensible, dare we say 'old-fashioned' approach to looking good.

Shock horror, most of them even seem to swear by a maxim of eating healthily and staying active. Who'd have thought it? 

Kim Cattrall

Not only looking amazing in clothes, Kim will be disrobing to slip into the role of Samantha in the upcoming Sex And The City film.

At nearly 50, Kim manages to look slim and svelte, while celebrating her maturity. But it doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s been reported that Kim follows the South Beach Diet, a three-stage programme similar to GI, which separates ‘good’ fats and carbs from ‘bad’ fats and carbs.

Sarah Jessica Parker

Kim’s 42-year-old co-star is no slouch when it comes to slimming either. The diminutive SATC star is a fan of eating sensibly and ballet to keep her dancer’s legs camera-ready.

Michelle Pfeiffer

At nearly 50, Michelle is still pin-up pretty and super-slim. She watches her portions carefully and opts for lean meats and pasta. She’s also a fan of body-conditioning yoga.

Cindy Crawford

At 41, one of the original supermodels, Cindy, is a devotee of the Zone Diet – the plan that controls portions of carbs and proteins to achieve an optimal balance.

Cindy has been exercising for years, and is a fan of outdoorsy stuff like cycling and hiking – as well as circuit training and yoga.

Sharon Stone

At nearly 50, Sharon Stone is still something of a water baby. It’s reported that she drinks gallons of the stuff (at least six to eight glasses a day), which helps her skin stay young as well as her body in great condition.

Like many women, Sharon says she goes through stages of working out like mad, followed by “sloth-like periods”. To keep herself interested, she alternates different workouts including yoga, Pilates and cardiovascular activities.

Liz Hurley

After becoming a mum in her late 30s, Liz admitted she’d restricted herself to just one meal a day in order to slim down but she now favours a more sensible approach. Now 42, Liz detoxes when she needs a boost (watercress soup is said to be a favourite).

She is also constantly on the go, mixing up swimming with yoga, Pilates and jogging.

Julia Roberts

She may be tall and lean, but Julia is no stranger to food: she loves her tucker. She is even rumoured to use the services of a fridge doctor, who ensures no naughtiness makes its way into the Roberts’ family fridge. 

Julia is also said to be a fan of the odd-sounding BOSU, meaning ‘both sides up’, a board for balancing and fitness that helps develop core muscles. She also cuts a dash running and cycling.