I’m a model in my 60s – I’m not concerned about wrinkles but my diet keeps me looking & feeling young, it includes pasta
A LIFESTYLE choice made over 20 years ago has helped a model in her sixties defy the signs of aging.
She revealed several tips anyone can use for glowing skin and high energy.
Miami-based model Hillary Bitar (@silverstorm777) has garnered almost 60,000 Instagram followers.
Speaking to The U.S. Sun, she revealed skincare isn’t the only important factor to consider for a youthful appearance.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Bitar said she would read glossy magazines throughout her twenties that promoted clean beauty brands.
However, they never mentioned the importance of a healthy diet for optimal results.
She began to notice for herself a difference in how her skin would look the day after eating junk food and drinking heavily.
She has been eating “cleaner” since her mid-30s.
“It’s kind of cliché, eating the rainbow, but all colored fruits and vegetables as much as you can,” she said.
“The more you’re healthy on the inside, the more healthy you look on the outside.”
Bitar said she cuts back on what she’s eating if she doesn’t feel good in her clothes rather than monitoring the scale.
She doesn’t recommend weighing food or counting calories and believes supplements aren’t needed if you’re eating a balanced diet.
She said tracking can be too restrictive and lead to an unhealthy relationship with food.
Her favorite homecooked meals are similar to those in a Mediterranean diet.
It’s “very vegetable-based” with olive oil, chickpeas, beans, and chicken or some other meat.
“I make a dressing from scratch, which is the easiest thing. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maybe some mustard,” she said.
“Many of the packaged dressings are loaded with fat for no reason.
I exercise daily and have been for at least 20 years.
Hillary Bitar
“There’s tons of vinegar and oils out there that taste delicious without adding too many calories.”
She also insisted that pasta is good for you — it’s just about portion control.
“Don’t use the big dinner plate try to have a small amount, maybe half a cup, and add your toppings, but it should be enjoyable,” she advised.
BANISH BOOZE
Bitar stopped drinking alcohol two years ago in an attempt to improve her diet.
“I said to myself it’s easy to fall into the trap of, oh, I’ll have a glass of wine and oh, I’m out, let’s have a drink,” she said.
“It was just doing nothing positive for me. It’s also high in calories, there’s no benefit to it.”
Bitar said she was drinking “minimally” but the small decision to completely stop drinking gave her “big results.”
“I love to have dessert, I’d rather have my calories in an ice cream or some cake or something,” she said.
“You don’t realize how much better you look and feel.
I’m not that concerned with having wrinkles.
Hillary Bitar
“Even if it was one or two drinks a week, it still stays in your system for a long time.
“There’s a lot of research on it now that shows cutting it you’ll feel so much better and look better.
“You tend to look kind of puffy after drinking and don’t feel great.”
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Alongside eating natural foods, Bitar has at least one gallon of water daily to maintain a glowing complexion.
“You can consider drinking other things but if you’re drinking a lot of coffee that’s going to dehydrate you,” she said.
I have freckles, I’ve never wanted to erase them. That’s my unique feature and I’m going to keep it.
Hillary Bitar
“A good 8-ounce glass of water would be ideal for most people.
“I might go a little more because I’m working out so I’m sweating a lot.”
She functions best when she’s hydrated and has slept at least seven hours.
“I’m not that concerned with having wrinkles,” she said.
“I have freckles, I’ve never wanted to erase them. That’s my unique feature and I’m going to keep it.
“Especially as I’ve aged, I’ve noticed a big difference if I’m not well hydrated.
“Sleep is key and it’s a struggle sometimes.
FIT AND FLEXIBLE
Bitar said weight training is “wonderful for women” but Zumba, yoga, and pilates classes are equally great for fitness.
“Daily exercise does wonders for your skin because it gets the circulation going,” she said.
“I think it benefits me more than just trying to go for some sort of invasive facial or other things that just address the outer part.
“I exercise daily and have been for at least 20 years.
“You can do all you want to your face and have all the procedures to make you look younger.
“But if you don’t feel good, can’t move, have no energy, it’s not going to make a difference.
“Women tend to seek out that youthful look but I would say it’s almost like a certain vitality that they’re looking for because youth is very vital, it’s very energetic.”
“I highly encourage women to get on an exercise program that they like,” she added.
“It doesn’t really matter what, as long as you’re consistent with it.
“And you have to adhere to a good nutrition plan. No crash diets.”
