Elle Macpherson has revealed she used to survive on a few hours' sleep and "snack on coffee" in her modelling heyday.
The Australian model, who was famously nicknamed The Body, discussed the bad habits she picked up during the early days of her career, which came back to haunt her when she hit her 50s.
"Genetics can only get you so far," she told Red magazine. "By the time you reach 50, you realise it's all about caring for your body and your levels of vitality, so you can do the things you want to do."
"I've tried all sorts of workouts and diets, but now a lot of the things I did in my 30s and 40s no longer work for me," the 56-year-old continued. "I used to think I was healthy because I could survive on three hours' sleep and snack on coffee."
However, Elle didn't feel like herself while indulging in bad habits and said a poor diet also affected her mental health.
"In people's eyes, I suspect I still looked great, but I didn't feel great. That was demoralising. I didn't have a sense of vitality. I felt unlike myself, sort of… fragmented," she explained.
The mother-of-two also revealed that, despite being referred to as The Body, she was often unimpressed by her own physique.
"I don't think I was very kind to myself when I was younger, especially when it came to appreciating my own uniqueness," she confessed. "Physically, I was broad-shouldered, athletic – not a very fashionable body type in the industry at the time.
"It took me several years before I was able to fully embrace my individuality, be kinder to myself, and then take command of my business and wellness journey. I'm still working on it."
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