There’s a reason she looks this amazing.
5 food tips from a kick-ass 68-year-old nutritionist
I just got back from Memphis, where my son Kimbal opened a restaurant. I ate too much; I knew that instantly.
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Most people know Maye Musk by the mega-successful kids she raised—including Tesla founder Elon—as a single mom in South Africa.
But the 68-year-old is pretty kick-ass in her own right, balancing dual five-decade-long careers as an award-winning nutritionist (she's got advanced degrees in dietetics and nutritional sciences) and a model (she's been on the cover of New York magazine and Italian Vogue, and on billboards for Virgin America; she was the face of designer James Perse's fall 2016 collection). Even Beyoncé has bowed down, casting Maye in a cameo for her 2013 "Haunted" video. Maye shares her strategies for eating—and living—well.
Consider your schedule.
"Eat when you're hungry, but also eat when you're not quite hungry if it will prevent you from overeating later. I'm usually starving around noon, so if I'm giving a lecture then, I'll eat half my lunch—say, salmon with some whole-wheat pasta and vegetables—at 10:30, so I don't arrive home famished and wolf down whatever's nearby."
Eat what you love.
"If you don't like the flavor, you shouldn't eat or drink it, no matter how healthy it is.
Allow indulgences.
"I just got back from Memphis, where my son Kimbal opened a restaurant. I ate too much; I knew that instantly. But the next day I got up and had a big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. I don't believe in crash-dieting for 'making up' for 'mistakes' by juicing or working out extra hard. Just get back on track."
Stay informed.
"I keep up to date with nutrition news because that's my job, but everyone can benefit from knowing the latest science. Look for articles written by a dietitian—someone with an R.D. or R.D.N. after their name—which will be the most authoritative. You can also subscribe to newsletters from universities with nutrition sciences programs, like Tufts and Berkeley."
Celebrate each day.
"When I hear about somebody having an accident or being ill, I say to myself, 'Why did I put off anything that I could enjoy?' You really have to enjoy every day."
This article originally appeared in the Jan/Feb 2017 issue of Women's Health. For more inspirational advice, pick up a copy on newsstands now!
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