If you haven’t heard of Tracy Anderson (where have you been for the past two decades?), you will at least be familiar with her work in the form of the honed haunches of the Hollywood elite. The movement mogul whose notoriety has almost eclipsed that of her famous clients (think everyone from Tracee Ellis Ross to JLo and even Harry Styles) is forensic about fitness.
It’s this ‘research and results-proven fitness methodology’ that has kept her relevant in a world where algorithms rule, pioneering online fitness programs filmed in real time with the help of Gwyneth Paltrow, who dubbed her a ‘pint-sized miracle’.
Having tried her classes both in her LA (the ultimate status sweat) and London (housed in chic wellness member club Surrenne) studios, I can attest that they are not for the faint-hearted. Hairs will whip out of place, faces will look more than artfully flushed and every single muscle will be felt (for days afterwards) thanks to her Super G Floor designed to burn triple the calories while minimising impact.
© WireImageTracy Anderson and Gwyneth Paltrow have been training together for many years
Now 50 – and still looking as fabulous as ever – Tracy shared her multi-pronged approach to looking amazing in midlife.
1. Finding balance
Tracy shares that she went to college on a dance scholarship, but found herself gaining 40lbs – which set her on her health journey. “It was gaining 40lbs at dance college that set me off on this journey. I never felt any less beautiful but being body shamed made me want to advocate for finding a way to bring bodies into balance at a time in the 90s when people were doing such unhealthy things to stay a certain weight.
Tracy Anderson says that weight training is essential to stay fit and toned in midlife
“For me, step aerobics and Pilates weren’t transformative enough and it wasn’t until I realised that balance is continuous that I started studying the movements that could take any woman from any genetic background and turn them into their most balanced self. At the end of the day most women just want to get into proportion and you can’t do that by relying on one thing like running.”
2. Swapping my skincare
“Now I’m 50, I’ll take all the anti-wrinkle stuff you can sell me but what’s actually made the biggest difference to my skin is when I swapped over to Scarlett Johansson’s The Outset range after a bad experience with retinol.
“I initially bought it for my 12-year-old as it’s so pure and simple but within a week of using it my skin was clearer and calmer and now it’s my favourite thing.”
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3. Not being afraid
“I think it’s great that we’re having more conversations about menopause but I’m also seeing the fall-out from doctors scaring women into thinking they suddenly need to start flinging ropes and lifting heavy weights. You only actually lose between 3 and 8% muscle mass per decade after the age of 40 which isn’t much so you need to outrun rather than overcorrect that loss by investing in a range of movements (running isn’t going to cut it) and adding incremental weights without injuring yourself.”
© Getty ImagesRunning alone isn’t enough for us to stay well in midlife, according to Tracy Anderson
4. A healthy lifestyle
“I’m vegan and I really only support organic or local farming. I say I’m responsibly vegan, which means I take third-party tested vitamins you need in a vegan diet, like the Bs. I believe that knowledge is power so I get my bloodwork done once every three months to make sure I’m not deficient in anything and to make sure my hormones are okay.
“I’m 50 and I’m not taking anything for perimenopause or menopause yet as all my hormones look good right now. Before you start on any medication, you need to make sure you’re exercising in a meaningful way and eating healthily. I try and stay away from chemicals, from switching to clean beauty products to making sure that my workout equipment is made from natural products like algae or wood. My relationships matter a lot to me and animals always make for a healthier life – as family members – not to eat!”
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