Paulina Porizkova credits gym routine for managing anxiety in her sixties

Paulina Porizkova has stated that adopting a regular exercise routine in her sixties has alleviated her severe anxiety and improved her physical strength. The 61-year-old supermodel shared these details in a recent Instagram post, describing the shift as a personal revelation after years of avoiding the gym.

Porizkova explained that she did not begin working out until her 40s, a period when she realized physical activity helped manage her anxiety. "I really used to hate to work out," she said in voice-over footage of herself lifting weights. "And so I didn’t do it until I was in my 40s, and I realized that it really helped with my pretty severe anxiety." She added that the routine also made her look better, though she admitted she would much rather be reclining on the couch reading novels to feed her brain, but chose the gym because it benefits her body.

The model now aims to visit the gym three days a week, alternating between upper-body and lower-body focus, with one day dedicated to working both. Following advice from doctors and Instagram influencers, she focuses on lifting heavy weights and incorporates Pilates into her regimen. In the video, Porizkova performs exercises including hammer curls, cable pulls, deadlifts, pull-ups, and lunges.

She noted that the routine has made her significantly stronger, allowing her to dance energetically despite gaining 10 pounds. "I can dance the night away with people half my age," she said. In a separate clip, Porizkova was seen dancing at a wedding for her son's friend, where she claimed she and her husband out-danced younger guests.

Porizkova and her husband are currently working with a trainer who taught them proper lifting techniques to prevent injury. She described feeling at ease in their bodies during their sixties, a state she reached after navigating significant health challenges. These included a bilateral hip replacement that previously caused her severe pain for years, menopausal weight gain, her husband Jeff's knee trouble, and arthritis in both of their shoulders.

"To feel like we’re in the best shape of our lives in our sixties is a revelation," Porizkova wrote in the post caption. Fans responded with messages of support in the comments section. One user, who is considering a future hip replacement and currently doing physical therapy, wrote that seeing Porizkova's activity after having both hips replaced gave them hope.