Halle Berry will shock you with her super fit body at 51. Here’s how India inspired her

Hollywood’s age-defying beauty, Halle Berry, has a svelte and toned figure. Now, as part of her ‘Fitness Friday’ series on Instagram, the actor is giving us an insider’s peak into her headstand skills and her secret to getting those sculpted abs.

fitness Updated: Apr 09, 2018 14:38 IST
Actor Halle Berry began a self-made Instagram ‘Fitness Friday’ program at the start of 2018. (AP File Photo)
Actor Halle Berry began a self-made Instagram ‘Fitness Friday’ program at the start of 2018. (AP File Photo)

Halle Berry looks as in shape at 51 as she did almost 20 years ago: Toned, slender, and just generally gorgeous. Whether she’s on the red carpet or laying by the poolside, it’s apparent the Hollywood actor gives extra attention to her svelte, toned body. And there’s a lot that goes into maintaining her toned physique that ensures she doesn’t look a day over 30.

With her ‘Fitness Friday’ series, Halle, with her trainer Peter Lee Thomas’s help, has been blessing her 2.6 million followers with her absolutely gorgeous looks, body positivity and openness. She has been killing it on Instagram, giving an insight into what it takes to look that stunning at her age.

Yay it’s #FitnessFriday! So many of you have asked about my meditation routine. A few months ago I had the good fortune of traveling to India and it was a life changing experience. While there, I met a yogi master who led me in meditation for 2.5 hours!! That was a first for me. The experience not only profoundly changed me, but it inspired me to never go a day without some sort of meditation. So, today I share with you my favorite spot to meditate at home. In the far back of my garden, I have a spot that’s super secluded with a fountain. I feel safe there, and the sound of running water relaxes me. I make sure I have on comfortable clothes and I decide for how long I’m going to meditate. I set my alarm so that I’m sure to reach my goal. I usually do some stretching first so that my body feels loose and stress-free. I then find a comfortable position that I can stay in for at least 30 minutes. I close my eyes and begin. I start by focusing only on my breathing. I try to clear my mind of everything. This is not easy to do, so don’t feel bad if you struggle for a while. Stick with it, I promise it does get easier. When thoughts creep in my mind, I gently push them away and get back to focusing on my breathing. Once I’m able to clear my mind, I start to repeat whatever mantra I have for day or I simply listen to the thoughts that come to me. Many yogi’s believe this is the time to hear the messages from your higher self, your higher power, the universe, Mother Earth or God! I let them wash over me, absorbing all that comes up. When I’m done, I have ultimate clarity and I feel at peace. Today I hope you can find at least 10 minutes to meditate. Trust me, it will start to transform your thinking, which will change your life. The time is not the key, the intention is. I encourage you to share a photo of you in your favorite mediation spot and tag #FitnessFridayHB! On my IG Stories I’m sharing my #Keto meal for the day and an exercise that complements a good meditation session. It’s called a Hindu push-up. It strengthens your upper body, decompresses your lower spine and provides a great stretch which is perfect before or after #meditation. Namaste 🙏🏽❤️

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In the latest instalment of Fitness Friday — the first post was on January 12, 2018 — Halle trades in her boxing gloves for meditation: Talk about balance. Introduced to the practice on her 2017 trip to India, she writes that “the experience not only profoundly changed me, but it inspired me to never go a day without some sort of meditation.”

Halle’s tips for meditating are to find a place that’s safe and relaxing, starting off with gentle stretching to relieve stress and focusing on your breathing. She begins her practice by clearing her mind (she even admits this can be hard), then begins to repeat her mantra of the day or simply sits with the thoughts that come to her.

If you’re unsure whether or not you can meditate, start with this simple advice from Berry herself: “Time is not the key; the intention is.”

It’s #FitnessFriday AGAIN! Today I’m proud to share my new #yoga pose. Thanks to all of you, I got super inspired and challenged myself to a head stand! I continue to challenge each of you to try new poses as well and share them with me by tagging #FitnessFridayHB. Today, let’s talk not just about yoga poses, but also about the meditative aspects of yoga. Many argue that some of the happiest people are those who spend time each day meditating. I can tell you that I’ve felt happier and more like my best self since I started. I’ve learned that meditation helps to balance your left brain and right brain, and as a result I feel more creative, I can absorb information faster and I experience better emotional health. #Meditation also helps me stay in touch with my "little me", that little girl who keeps me curious and open to the newness of each day and every new experience that comes my way. Meditation keeps me connected to God, Mother Earth, a higher power or whatever you prefer, and reminds me that while we are all on a solo journey, we are never alone! So today, if you don’t already, try to find 20 minutes to meditate or pray. If you can make this ritual a part of your dailies, watch how your life will transform! Also today on my IG Stories and fitness highlight, I’m sharing my keto lunch. Enjoy 💪🏽❤️

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In the post above, she shared exactly why she meditates.

“Meditation keeps me connected to God, Mother Earth, a higher power or whatever you prefer, and reminds me that while we are all on a solo journey, we are never alone!” Halle wrote. So, if you want to get Halle’s toned abs, her glowing complexion, and her dedication to fitness, you know where to start.

Welcome to the start of #FitnessFriday. Each Friday I’ll be posting something about fitness that I hope will inspire you. So many of you are asking how I have managed to stay in great shape over the years. Well, part of it is genetics, that’s true. I was a gymnast growing up and that certainly has helped as I have always been very athletic. I have worked with many trainers over the years and learned a lot from each of them. However, now I’d like to introduce you to my favorite trainer and what I call my secret weapon! Peter Lee Thomas! This man has changed my life. Besides being an all around wonderful human, he’s a trainer, martial artist, fellow actor, and nutrition specialist! With his help, I have learned so much about fitness and nutrition and I’m excited to share it with all of you. He’s taught me boxing, self defense, and much more. Not only am I in the best shape of my life, but I can actually defend myself and most importantly... my children! As a woman there is nothing more empowering. I’ll be launching #hallewood very soon and within that community, Peter will be laying it out! In 2018, he’ll help all of us get healthier, stronger and more fit! Swipe for more! #FitnessFridayHB

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The only thing more motivating than Halle’s inspirational Instagram captions are the videos of her and her trainer actually doing the workouts. In one of her first posts, Halle’s trainer shows us the “plank pull” — a stationary plank position with the additional bonus of grabbing something in front of you.

Halle’s exercise and wellness tips and secrets are totally motivating us to whip ourselves into shape, not only because of how descriptive they are, but because of how honest they seem. Scroll for more:

This #FitnessFriday is dedicated to the importance of stretching! After I work out, it’s important for me to stretch and lengthen. Fitness is not just about running, lifting and punching. For me, being athletic and super fit is also about being still, stretching and breathing. Including stretching in my fitness program helps my muscles stay long, limber, improves my mobility and range of motion and, most importantly, helps me avoid injuries. This is one of my favorite #yoga poses, the shoulder stand, that stretches my lower spine and legs. I feel 2 inches taller after this stretch! Some people use yoga poses to manage stress, increase circulation, for medication, recovery, better sleep, and mobility just to name a few. Check out my Fitness IG Story to see a stretch I like for hip mobility that lengthens my sides and for today's #keto meal. Today I challenge you to share your best yoga pose. If you don't have one, I encourage you to search for one, post about it, tag #FitnessFridayHB and tell me how it makes you feel. ❤️🙏🏽

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Let’s kick off this #FitnessFriday with the forward fold! It’s another one of my favorite yoga poses. Talk about getting a good full body stretch! I like to lay in this pose for as long as I can. The more you do it, the more relaxing it becomes. It took me a while to master this pose, as it looks a lot easier than it actually is. Thank you to all of you who sent me pics of you and your favorite #yoga moves. I loved them and encourage you to keep them coming and tag #FitnessFridayHB! Today I challenge you to send me your best forward fold!! If you’re just starting, do the best you can. Last week many of you shared new poses I had never seen. I was blown away and so inspired. I’m working on some of your moves as well and will share ASAP. Now let’s talk food. Many of you have asked me to share what I actually eat. So, on my IG Stories, I’m sharing the meals I’m eating today: a snack that you can have anytime you wish, a light salad and a chicken chili that I just love. Great for this time of year. Hope you enjoy.

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It’s #FitnessFriday. You asked how to get started? It’s simple... you just decide to start! You decide today that you are worth it! Trust me, I know it’s hard to focus up and dedicate time to working out each day, but with 24 hours in a day you can surely take ONE and dedicate it to YOU! You don’t need a fancy gym to get started - all you need is a living room, a patio, a kitchen floor, a driveway or a backyard, and a water bottle. This simple exercise is called a plank pull. This starts to strengthen your core, and a strong core has been key to my workouts. Each week until the launch of hallewood I’m going to pick a question that you ask and Peter and I will do our best to answer. First, we were asked: if you have weight to lose, is it better to lose weight before you start working out? Peter says it’s best do them simultaneously. You can start by walking each day or doing jumping jacks for cardio, while using very light weights, or again holding water bottles in each hand if you don’t have weights. And you can also start the plank pulls. Here’s to getting started! 💪🏽 Swipe to see the plank ➡️ #FitnessFridayHB

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It’s #FitnessFriday once again. Today I’m gonna share with you a few exercises that I do that you can do at home. Over the years I have enjoyed learning to box and shadow box as a way of mixing up my workout regime. The first exercise is shadow boxing with a sprawl. It’s good for the upper body, core and lungs. It’s also low impact and calorie burning. The second exercise is shadow boxing with a sit up. This is also a nice way to build upper body strength and the core! And trust me those punches get heavy after a while. If you wanna get extra with it you can add light weights. If you don’t have weights grab water bottles or even cans of soup. It works, I promise you! I do 10 to 20 reps of each one with a minimum of 10 rounds. However you can modify the reps and rounds based on your fitness level. Swipe once to see the shadow boxing with a sprawl and swipe again to see shadow boxing with a sit-up. Have fun! 💪🏽❤️ #FitnessFridayHB

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It’s #FitnessFriday and today let’s talk about the chest, LADIES! It’s seems like everyone I know is always complaining about their chest muscles or their lack of chest muscles! Many women I know often complain that gravity is taking hold of their breasts and they struggle to "keep 'em up". For me, working out my chest muscles have been key to keeping the ta ta’s right. Besides wearing a bra to bed every night since I was 16, doing very specific chest exercises over the years have helped as well. For me it’s been important to work my chest muscles in a gentle way because the goal is never to get too muscular, but to stay feminine and long. So ladies, today on my IG Stories I share with you a simple exercise that I love. All you need is a ball and you can get started at home. We call it a ball up! WARNING, it does look easy, but do 50 reps for 3 sets 3 days a week and watch how much you sweat and how you begin to defy gravity! And for the guys, I know you all worry about your chest too. Peter shares the regular ball up and, for the super fit, a version with a little "hot sauce" on it. That’s what I call the super hard versions of exercises. Share your favorite chest exercises and tag #FitnessFridayHB Have fun! 💪🏽❤️

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