If 50 is the new 40, then 40 is the new fabulous. This list doesn’t contain just a few celebrities who have maintained their figures into their fourth decade—but rather, a gorgeous dozen. While they may vary from voluptuously curvy to streamlined and slim, celebs like Salma Hayek and Sandra Bullock show no signs of letting age slow down their sex appeal. Click through to find out how they maintain their physiques—and how you can, too.
Singer, actress, dancer, returning American Idol judge, and the epitome of 40s fierceness, Jennifer Lopez is one of Hollywood’s most inspiring celebs. She finished her 30s by delivering twins and, in her 40s, catapulted her career to a whole new level. According to her trainer, Kathy Kaehler, Jennifer does full-body workouts that include circuit training, cardio and strength training. A fresh, consistent diet is paired with all that hard work.
Source: PR Photos
Running, yoga, Pilates, countless hours on the elliptical…and you say you still don’t have slim thighs like Jennifer Aniston? Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, certain areas on the thighs are resistant to exercise. That’s where liposuction can come in.
“The outer thighs respond positively to liposuction because the skin is more elastic,” says New York plastic surgeon Tracy Pfeifer, MD. “The inner thighs are less elastic, and the skin is thinner, so there is a greater risk of irregular contours.” However, patients with good skin tone may see improvement in both the inner and outer thighs.
Pro: Fat won’t return to the treated area.
Con: Leaves a scar.
Source: Getty
Think back for a moment—can you recall a time when actress Halle Berry ever looked anything less than amazing? Didn’t think so.
“It’s impossible to tell if Halle had surgery because she has always had a terrific figure,” says Los Angeles plastic surgeon Daniel Yamini, MD. “If you follow her over a period of time you will notice significant fluctuation in the size of her breasts. If she had breast surgery, it fits her figure perfectly! I don’t believe she had surgery anywhere else…just hard work at the gym.”
Source: INF Daily
Who can forget singer Gwen Stefani doing one-armed push-ups during one of her early music videos? She’s obviously kept up her workout routine to maintain her amazing physique—especially those toned arms.
If you’re not happy with your own arms, get to work doing strength-training exercises that target the biceps and triceps. Meanwhile, avoid wearing sleeveless shirts and tank tops, which attract attention to the arms.
Source: Startraks
Having children is one of the greatest joys in life, but getting your hot pre-baby body back takes work and diligence—just ask Denise Richards. For stubborn areas that are forever changed—like your breasts and belly—a mommy makeover may be the answer.
Mommy makeovers include a combination of surgeries, typically a breast lift or implants and a tummy tuck. Sometimes other procedures are added to get optimal results, like fat-eliminating liposuction.
“Liposuction will vacuum away excess fat and leave behind a thinner abdomen with firmer skin; a tummy tuck will tighten and flatten the stomach and get rid of any skin that’s loose and flabby,” says New York plastic surgeon Alan Matarasso, MD.
Pro: Results are typically permanent.
Con: It’s strongly advised that you wait until you’re done having children to undergo a mommy makeover.
Source: INF Daily
While her fresh-faced good looks can stop you in your tracks, there’s no denying that actress Naomi Watts has one of the hottest 40-plus bodies around. She credits Pilates and a balanced diet for her toned figure, and her skin looks nice and smooth.
To go cellulite-free, some skin toners offer virtually painless laser, heat and radio-frequency energy along with suction to even out fatty deposits. Velashape II is one that merges suction, massage, radio-frequency and heat to get a 30 to 40 percent improvement in skin tone.
Source: Startraks
Genetics may play a big role in helping mother-of-four Brooke Burke keep her abs in great shape (and running helps, too), but not all of us are so lucky.
A tummy tuck procedure—either a full tuck or a mini, which addresses only the lower half—can completely and permanently transform your torso.
“We can take someone who has a lot of loose skin and a protruding belly and make the skin and stomach completely flat, smoother and free of many of the stretch marks,” says Miami Beach, FL, plastic surgeon Leonard Tachmes, MD.
Pro: Dramatic transformation that diet and exercise can’t achieve.
Con: Lengthy and uncomfortable recovery
Source: Startraks
Miniskirts and spider veins just don’t mix, but unfortunately the enlarged veins can appear on your legs thanks to advancing age and hormonal changes. If you’re not ready to ditch the miniskirt, like 40-plus beauty Sandra Bullock, consider sclerotherapy, an injection therapy that causes the superficial (and unsightly) veins to collapse and eventually disappear.
“Some patients express concern as to whether or not sclerotharpy will affect how their veins and body function, and it won’t,” says New York dermatologist Doris Day, MD. “The veins that are treated are extra veins on the surface with no real purpose.”
Source: INF Daily
When supermodel Elle Macpherson hit the scene in the 1980s, she was aptly nicknamed “The Body,” thanks in part to her lanky 6-foot-tall frame. While you might not have that kind of height, choosing a monotone, head-to-toe, body-skimming ensemble will create the illusion of a long, lean body.
Source: Startraks
Sure, liposuction seems like a natural choice to reduce a bigger booty or bulky thighs, but it can also be used to address smaller areas, creating awesome upper arms, like those of talk show host Kelly Ripa.
“Liposuction is a good choice for those with minimal skin laxity and excess fat that is localized to the upper arm area that’s resistant to diet and exercise,” says Seattle plastic surgeon Richard A. Baxter, MD. “For those with minimal amount of excess fat and mild to moderate skin laxity, skin-tightening technologies might be more appropriate.”
Source: Getty
Full, lifted breasts are a necessity when traveling all those red carpets, wearing designer gowns that are cut low, like this number worn by Elizabeth Hurley, or one that plunges down-to-there. If you aren’t happy with the size and fullness of your breasts, consider augmentation surgery.
But when choosing your new size, keep in mind that not all sizes and shapes work on everybody, which is why skin elasticity, natural breast size and shape need to be taken into consideration.
“Think of breast augmentation like putting a bigger pillow into a pillow case,” says Duxbury, MA, plastic surgeon Christine A. Hamori, MD. “There are some limitations, but for the most part, the skin stretches very well.”
Source: Startraks
At 47 years old, actress Salma Hayek proves one thing: Curves in all the right places are completely timeless.