6 things Halle Berry does to look + feel *this* strong at 56

For Bruised Halle trained intensely, learning five versions of mixed martial arts—Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, Muay Thai, tae kwon do, and kickboxing—and upping her weight-training regimen by lifting heavier than usual.

She even broke two ribs while filming fight scenes with UFC champion and costar Valentina Shevchenko. Broken bones are common during MMA bouts, but not so much during stunt shoots with A-listers. Still, Halle kept filming.

‘I’m at my best when I have to work hard and when I’m facing challenges,’ says the actress, who describes working on Bruised as totally empowering.

‘To be the age I am and push my body to its limits reminded me that age is just a number. We can control how we define ourselves, and I’ve never been healthier and felt stronger. This movie helped me realise that.’

Seriously powerful stuff.

To stay strong in everyday life when she’s not on a regimented fighting schedule, Halle exercises six days a week (she rests on Sunday), often with longtime trainer Peter Lee Thomas.

She'll do sets of weighted lunges, stairs with weights, squats, and plyometrics (a blend of cardio and strength training), which includes jumps with weighted balls, sprawls, and Turkish get-ups.

To really target her core, she'll even do sit ups and crunches upside down.

Sticking to a set workout routine isn’t really Halle’s thing, so she does a daily body assessment to determine which exercises to do. If her back feels sore, for instance, she’ll focus on stretching, Pilates, or yoga.

Determination and a passion for fitness matched with an intuitive, self-led approach? We love to hear of it.

After being diagnosed with diabetes when she was 19 years old, Halle sticks to a low-carb diet to help manage the fluctuating blood sugar levels that come with the condition.

When she wakes up, Halle fuels her morning with coffee (duh) as well as a collagen-boosted protein smoothie. Lunch is a lamb chop or rib eye paired with brussels sprouts, green beans, spinach, beetroot, or homemade cauliflower rice. For dinner she opts for a salad with plenty of protein.

FYI, WH does not endorse cutting out any food groups, unless directed to do so by a medical professional.

Halle's wellness habits extend beyond what she eats and how she works out, into the psychological realm.

Meditation, Halle believes, has become key to keeping her mind right - as well as keeping her connected to her true self. To practice, she retreats to a quiet place in her garden and allows her thoughts to quieten.

Halle recently added acupuncture to her self-care mix, too - after how she found it helped her concentrate, and feel grounded, during lockdown.

Acupuncture also aided in regulating her 'out-of-whack hormones' - which, she thinks, are a result of perimenopause.

Halle has recently sought out a professional to talk about her kids.

'I have two different daddies [exes Gabriel Aubry and Olivier Martinez], and I see [my kids] half the time,’ she says. ‘That’s a lot to manage. So, I have to go sometimes to talk to people to help me figure out, "How do I make the best decisions for my children? How do I help them deal with this life that we—my dads and I—have given them?"'

'I feel guilty a lot. You think, God, I should’ve done better. But at the same time, I’m reminded that we always have to take care of ourselves first, because I can’t be a good mother for my children if I’m not fundamentally happy and feeling good about myself.’

Wise, wise words.