The 45-year-old supermodel is admired for her trim physique and says avoiding white sugar is one of her non-negotiables when it comes to health. Gisele told WSJ, "To me, white sugar means poison. There are so many other ways you can sweeten your things that are delicious. Honey, maple syrup, dates." This approach also extends to other foods she avoids.
The Brazilian star also steers clear of fast food and anything that is overly processed. She wrote in her cookbook Nourish: "No McDonald's or shelf-stable cupcakes or candy for me. My body is my temple, and my temple is sacred. Eating processed food is not being loving to myself."
However, Gisele does give in to temptation every so often with her favourite indulgences, including truffle fries and a baguette with French butter. She said, "I still sometimes have it. I'm human!"
The model published her cookbook last year, which included over 100 nutrient-rich recipes that anyone can prepare, and explained that her cooking skills developed over years of striving to find the right meals. Gisele said, "I'm not a chef, I'm the furthest thing from a chef. But I'm like, how do I make things that are easy and nutritious?"
The supermodel is a fan of both herbs and supplements, but chooses not to follow a plant-based diet after it caused issues when she experimented with it in the past. Bundchen recalled, "I became anaemic. Then I was raw, and I was freezing the whole time. I was blue, my lips were purple in the summer."
Gisele works out daily but said her meal afterwards depends on which exercise she did. She said, "If I did more weight training, then I'll definitely have scrambled eggs or hard-boiled eggs because I want to have that protein."
The mother-of-three has maintained her toned physique and credits "movement" as the key to her success. She penned on Instagram last month, "If there's one thing I'd recommend to everyone, it's this: move your body. Your body is your home - and it was made to move."
"Movement is medicine. For your heart, for your muscles, and just as importantly, for your mind and soul. Every time you move, you shift more than just your limbs. You move stagnant energy. You release stored emotion."