Lara Spencer basically lives her life in the public eye, but every time a photo drops of her on a beach, the internet goes into a bit of a meltdown. It’s not just about the swimsuit. Honestly, people are obsessed with the bikini Lara Spencer aesthetic because it feels earned. We’re talking about a woman who has spent decades as a fixture on Good Morning America, balancing a high-octane career with a genuine, grit-filled athletic background.
She isn't just "TV fit." She’s athlete fit.
If you’ve followed her for a while, you know she doesn't gatekeep. She’s been open about the surgeries, the 4 a.m. wake-up calls, and the reality of staying toned when you're navigating your 50s. Most recently, in late 2025 and heading into 2026, she’s been spotted filming Olympic-related content in skin-tight gear, proving that her commitment to movement hasn’t wavered one bit.
The Secret Behind the Bikini Lara Spencer Look
It’s easy to look at a vacation snap and think "good genes." While Spencer certainly has those, her physique is actually a leftover "gift" from her days as a competitive diver. Back at Pennsylvania State University, she wasn't just a student; she was an All-American springboard and platform diver. That kind of training builds a specific type of core strength and muscle memory that stays with you.
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She’s mentioned before that she prefers sports over traditional gym sessions. She’s a massive fan of tennis—playing on a USTA team with a 4.0 rating. Think about that for a second. That’s a serious level of play. Tennis provides the lateral movement and cardio that keeps her legs incredibly toned, which is usually what fans notice first in those Instagram posts.
- Primary Workout: Tennis (Singles and Doubles)
- Low Impact: Swimming laps and paddleboarding
- Mindfulness: Yoga and stretching, especially during the winter months
- Daily Activity: Walking her three rescue dogs twice a day
She’s famously said, "Life is too short." She isn't the type to deprive herself of a cupcake or an espresso martini—which, by the way, is her favorite drink—but she leans into "clean" foods like kale, blueberries, and spinach because she knows they fuel her busy schedule.
Overcoming Major Health Hurdles
What most people get wrong about her "effortless" look is assuming it’s been a smooth ride. It hasn't. Lara has been incredibly transparent about the physical toll her athletic past has taken on her body. In 2016, at age 47, she had a full hip replacement.
She admitted she felt a certain stigma about it. "It sounds like an old person’s problem," she told her GMA audience at the time. But she had hip dysplasia, and her cartilage was essentially gone. Fast forward to late 2024 and early 2025, and she was back in the news for double foot surgery. One was a simple plate removal, but the other was a major reconstruction of an old diving injury where she’d literally shattered joints hitting the board years ago.
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Seeing her rock a swimsuit after all those procedures is what makes the bikini Lara Spencer searches so prevalent. It’s a comeback story.
Style and Substance in 2026
As of January 2026, Lara is still balancing her role as a GMA contributor with her production company, DuffKat Media. She’s lean, she’s healthy, and she’s still a style icon for women who want to look "sporty-chic." Whether she’s in a vintage-inspired lemon-patterned bikini celebrating her husband Rick McVey’s birthday or wearing full spandex to cover the Milan Cortina Winter Games, she carries herself with a specific kind of confidence.
It’s about "living an authentic life," as she puts it. She doesn't try to look 25. She looks like a 56-year-old woman who takes care of her joints, eats her veggies, and plays a mean game of tennis.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Own Fitness
If you're looking at Lara Spencer as a "body goal," the real lesson isn't in the specific brand of bikini she wears. It’s in the lifestyle.
- Find a sport, not a chore. If you hate the treadmill, don't do it. Find a USTA local league or a pickleball group.
- Prioritize recovery. Spencer’s shift to yoga and stretching wasn't optional—it was necessary for her joints.
- Address the pain. Don't "live with it" like she did with her foot for decades. Modern medicine, like the procedures she had at the Hospital for Special Surgery, can actually restore your mobility.
- Keep it moving daily. Even on off-days, those two dog walks keep her metabolism and mind in a good place.
The hype around her beach photos isn't going away anytime soon, mostly because she represents a version of aging that feels active, joyful, and—most importantly—real.
Next Steps: To get started on a similar longevity-focused routine, look into your local USTA community for adult tennis clinics or schedule a consultation with a physical therapist to check your hip and foot alignment, especially if you have an old "athlete's injury" that still flares up.