Hayek, who turned 54 on September 2, 2020, posted the snap to her Instagram in recognition of the milestone, sharing the photo of her wearing a turquoise bikini with the caption: "I am very grateful and proud for every single one of my 54 years."
The post immediately garnered more than a million likes and attracted plenty of comments from people echoing Hayek's 'age is just a number' sentiment, while expressing their admiration for her toned physique.
More than anything, Hayek's millions of Instagram followers were eager to know how the mother-of-one has managed to maintain her ageless appearance throughout a career spanning decades in Hollywood.
To find out, we've rounded up everything Hayek has ever said about her daily diet and exercise routine to see how she stays fighting fit and body confident.
DIET: Juicing
On top of a balanced diet, Hayek uses juicing to get ready for major events and hit re-set on her health. Hayek was reportedly a fan of fresh juices from a young age when she was living in Mexico, but found that they weren't as attainable when she moved to Los Angeles. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands by founding Cooler Cleanse, a line of organic pressed juices designed for three-to-five-day cleanses that are delivered to your door.
"When I feel stressed, I turn to food for comfort," Hayek said. "After doing a juice cleanse, I'm motivated to eat healthier and not emotionally. Cleansing is like my meditation. It makes me stop, focus and think about what I'm putting into my body. I'm making a commitment to my health and hitting the reset button."
DIET: No Restrictions
Hayek is a foodie and an avid cook who enjoys sampling cuisines from every corner of the globe and embracing unusual flavour combinations (in this photo, she's eating a "pineapple chilli and rose water ice-cream").
As such, she's not a fan of limiting her food intake (an approach also employed by Taylor Swift). "I don't like to diet and I'm not good at it," she has said, revealing that she prefers the occasional short-term juice cleanse if she needs to feel refreshed.
EXERCISE: Good Posture
Hayek's approach to working out is a little unconventional—she told PEOPLE that with her hectic schedule she often doesn't have time to exercise.
"Some people have the discipline to exercise in the morning, and I didn't develop that," she admitted.
Instead, Hayek favours a way of standing and moving that engages all of her muscles.
"I work with a woman in London who taught me how to hold my body in a way where the muscles are activated all day long. So even when you brush your teeth, you're working the muscles," she said.
"It's restorative yoga. She taught me how to tone [my muscles] without clenching them. You relax them and focus on the parts that need to be used, but never with tension. If you're aware of your body, you'd be surprised by the effect it can have."
EXERCISE: Dog Walking
Hayek is a proud dog owner and keeps up her activity levels via daily dog walks. "This is my version of exercise and these are my #dogs coaches ... These are my trainers!" she has posted of her pets on Instagram in the past.
EXERCISE: Short But Regular Workouts
When Hayek does have the time to work out, she tends to favour exercising five to seven days a week, but keeping the sessions short at 30 minutes or less.
Sara Shears, who has trained Hayek in the past, told Shape the actress is naturally "super petite" and tends to favour cardio and high-intensity interval training along with strength training to add definition.
"You won't get results by training only two times a week. You should be doing something every day, in shorter durations but higher intensity," Shears said of Hayek's approach.
WELLNESS: Massage
While Botox and plastic surgery may be popular anti-ageing methods in Hollywood, Hayek prefers muscle massage over going under the knife.
"Massage oxygenates, activates the circulation, and keeps the muscles healthy and firm. I cannot tell you, even just for the lymphatic [system], what the massage does for the face," Hayek said, according to Inquisitr.
