By Emma Stessman
When you’re raising kids and have a busy, public-facing career, extra time is hard to find.
That’s why Hilaria Baldwin, the yoga instructor, author, podcast host, and mom to four little ones (and, yes, wife to actor Alec Baldwin), started posting her “found moment workouts” on Instagram. Instead of encouraging her many mama followers to find a way to carve out quality gym time, she shares the easy ways that she sneaks in two- or five-minute workouts, whenever she has a moment to herself.
“These are things like stroller leg lifts or getting in a quick ab workout before bed,” Baldwin says. “I like to work out multiple times a day, whether that’s for two minutes, five minutes, or 10 minutes. And there’s something to be said about moving throughout the day versus going to the gym for an hour. Any opportunity you get to move or stretch is a good one.”
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While that mentality allows her to find time to work out nearly every day, she struggles to make time for solo self-care moments (even her “found moments” often feature one or two of her kiddos playing nearby). “I wish I had more hours in the day for more ‘me’ time,” Baldwin says. “I’ve made a conscious choice to have four kids, and I would never regret the time I spend with them, but it would be nice to have a few extra hours in the day!”
Below, we sat down with Baldwin to get all the info on what she does fit into her (super healthy) lifestyle day-to-day. Think taking baths instead of showers and mini naps, thanks to her super enviable ability to fall asleep anywhere. (That’s like a mom superpower, right?)
How Does Hilaria Baldwin Live a Nutritious Life?
If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it? Why? A “plant-based” diet. My diet consists of real food and real ingredients only.
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What’s your go-to breakfast? My mornings are usually very busy taking care of my kids and getting everyone where they need to go. So, I go through phases. Usually in the morning I’ll go for a run, have some coffee, and then will grab a Health Warrior bar––in my house we’re big fans. If it’s a morning where I have more time, I’ll make a bowl of oatmeal.
Your go-to workday lunch? In my book, The Living Clearly Method: 5 Principles for a Fit Body, Healthy Mind & Joyful Life, I talk about something called “living clearly bowls.” These are plant-based bowls filled with vegetables, whole grains like quinoa or rice, and various proteins like beans, tempeh, or tofu. I’ll make them in advance––they’re healthy, fast, and affordable. It’s a good way to vary your lunch. Plus, I’ll change up the dressing or a few of the ingredients to keep it exciting but still include all the important food groups for a healthy and balanced meal.
What’s the one food you always have in your fridge? We always have a variety of nut butters, tofu, hemp milk, veggies, and quinoa in the fridge. Anything that’s easily reachable and healthy.
The snack you always have with you when traveling? A bar and veggie chips. It’s important to always have something on you!
What do you eat before and after a workout? I’m not the biggest advocate of working out on an empty stomach, but I also think it’s important to allow yourself to feel true hunger sometimes. The biggest superpower is to listen to your body and know when you’re full and when you’re hungry. When I work out in the morning, I usually go for a run and then pick up coffee and have a bar or oatmeal.
Your favorite food indulgence? Definitely chocolate—dark chocolate. I also love pasta, bread, all the usual carb indulgences.
Other than water, what do you sip regularly? I love Spindrift sparkling water. I drink it every day! It’s made with only a few, clean ingredients: sparkling water and real squeezed fruit. I love that I know exactly what I’m putting in my body. My favorite flavors are lemon, lime, cranberry-raspberry, and grapefruit. They’re in my fridge at all times.
How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? I work out almost every day even if that means doing something small. I believe in combining three things; cardio, strength training, and stretching. I like to go for runs and take barre and yoga classes. It’s important to do a variety of exercise and listen to your body.
What’s your go-to tool for managing stress? In my book, I talk about the five principles of wellbeing: perspective, breathing, grounding, centering, and letting go. 90 percent of our problems come from not connecting with our bodies. Ultimately, if you can connect to your body in the moment, you can figure out how to control the habits you continue to do but don’t necessarily want to. It takes practice, but I go through these steps to reconnect with my body and the moment and find that I can look at the situation differently and let go of what’s not serving me in that moment.
How do you pamper yourself when you need it? I like to do things to pamper myself regularly. Instead of massages or manicures, while lovely, I like to do very small things for myself, like running and listening to music or podcasts. I love to take baths and find “me time” when I get a chance to step away every once in a while.
How do you express and spread love? I express and spread love by being straightforward and honest. We’re so focused on differences, but we’re much more similar than we are different. If we start to see each other’s similarities, we can bond in a different way. That’s what I try to show how important it is to take down the mask of trying to impress each other.
What’s your weirdest healthy habit? I don’t think it’s too weird, but I take a bath two times a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. I can also fall asleep anywhere. I’ve been hanging out with friends and can always find somewhere to curl up. They know to put a blanket over me.
Lightning Round
Meditation or massage? Massage. I could meditate while I’m getting a massage!
A hot shower or a soothing bath? Bath, 100 percent.
Almond butter or peanut butter? Almond butter, but I go through phases.
Coffee or tea? Coffee!
A long run outside or a dark spin class? Long run outside for sure.