In a workout rut? Elle Macpherson wants you to think (and sweat) like a kid

If you’re dragging yourself to the nearest fitness studio every day just to check the “workout” box on your to-do list, it might be time to mix things up. Here, supermodel-turned-wellness entrepreneur Elle Macpherson shows that the best way to get moving—and have a blast—is by connecting back to the past. 

Rather than sweating it out in the gym or pounding the same pavement every day, I find it’s a variety of sports—and getting out in nature as much as possible—that bring me true joy and motivate me to move my body every day.

When I think about what I loved as a kid, it’s those same activities I gravitate toward now as an adult.

When I think about what I loved as a kid—riding bikes, water sports, skiing, swimming, exploring in the bush, really anything that involved being outdoors—it’s those same activities I gravitate toward now as an adult.

Another thing I’ve always loved (that you might too)? The thrill of competition. If I’m swimming, I like to set myself a goal, whether it’s a number of laps or a certain route or time I have to complete in the session. It makes it more fun!

From surfing to hiking to just about anything that gets me fired up, here are the four ways I keep my inner-child alive.

1. Waterskiing/wakeboarding

I grew up going on waterskiing weekends down the south coast of New South Wales, to a place called Mollymook. It has the most beautiful surf beach and a large natural rock pool known as the Bogey Hole. It’s the reason I love being out on the water. I go wakeboarding a lot—it’s so much fun and such a workout for the entire body, but arms and core especially.

2. Hiking

I travel a lot, so I like to combine exploring my new surroundings with exercise. If it’s a city I generally go for a run and see where it takes me. But if I can, I love to go hiking. If I’m in Los Angeles I’ll hike in the Hollywood Hills, or if I’m in Aspen there are some truly breathtaking trails there. I think it’s the fresh air and the sense of discovery—and the added bonus of getting my daily exercise in—that I love.

3. Surfing

I grew up surfing and still love it. (I’m a longboard girl!) Surfing is such good exercise: I get the cardio workout from all the paddling, and strong legs and core from the time spent standing on the board.

4. Bike riding

There’s something carefree and childlike about hopping on a bike that I love. Last year I visited the Maldives and rode the island with the kids, and it was brilliant. I also spent a weekend in Montauk, at the tip of the Long Island peninsula with my business partner Andrea Bux, and we rode bikes everywhere—it was a spectacular way to relax and unwind.

Elle Macpherson is a member of the Well+Good Wellness Council, our handpicked holistic health squad with the best advice this side of your own personal guru. The perennial “Australian Girl Next Door,” Macpherson has been a prominent figure in business, fashion, film, and television for the past 30 years, winning scores of awards for her ingenuity and entrepreneurial drive. Today, she serves as the co-founder and creative director for WelleCo, a premium wellness brand known for its alkalizing Super Elixir organic supplements. 

What should Elle write about next? Send your questions and suggestions to [email protected].