You’ve seen the photos. It’s early 2026, and Christie Brinkley just posted another video from Turks and Caicos, laughing in a red bikini that honestly makes the concept of "aging" feel like a total lie. She’s 71. Most people are thinking about retirement homes or slowing down at that age, but Christie is out here "greasing the joints" and building coral-mirrors by hand.
It’s easy to look at her and think it’s just good luck. Or maybe just great genes. But if you actually dig into how she lives, it’s a bit more methodical than that.
The Reality of the "Ageless" Supermodel
For decades, we’ve associated the name Christie Brinkley with the Sports Illustrated "girl next door." She was the one who broke the record with three consecutive covers in the late 70s and early 80s. But staying relevant for fifty years in an industry that usually tosses women aside by thirty? That takes work.
Actually, it takes a specific kind of mindset.
She calls it an "attitude of gratitude," which sounds a bit cheesy until you realize she’s survived a near-fatal helicopter crash and, more recently, a scary brush with skin cancer. In 2024, she revealed she had basal cell carcinoma removed from the side of her face. She didn’t even have an appointment; she was just at the dermatologist with one of her daughters and asked the doc to look at a "tiny dot" she felt while putting on foundation.
He biopsied it on the spot. It was cancer.
Why the "Rainbow Diet" Actually Works
Brinkley has been a vegetarian since she was about 13. She saw a book about a slaughterhouse and basically went cold turkey—pardon the pun—on meat forever. These days, she’s leaning more toward a vegan lifestyle, though she’s not dogmatic about it. If it’s someone’s birthday, she’s eating the cake.
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She focuses on what she calls a "rainbow diet."
- Morning: She starts with a powerhouse coffee—usually mixed with RYZE adaptogenic mushrooms, oat milk, and a massive amount of colorful fruit.
- Lunch: Usually a massive salad with beans or nuts for protein.
- Dinner: Vegetables over bean pasta, quinoa, or rice.
It’s not about restriction. She hates the word "diet" because it feels like "deny-eating." Instead, she looks at food as a way to "gift" herself nutrients. It's a subtle shift in how you think about a plate of broccoli, but it's clearly working for her.
Moving to Stay "Un-Rusted"
If you stop moving, you rot. That’s her mantra.
She’s a huge advocate for the Total Gym—that machine she’s been the face of for years—because she keeps it at home. She knows if it’s right there, she’ll actually use it. But she doesn't just stay in the gym. She’s out there paddleboarding, kayaking, skiing, and biking.
She’s 71 and her "Honest Jeans" are her scale. She doesn't weigh herself. If the jeans are tight, she moves a little more. Simple.
The Business of Being Christie
It’s not all bikinis and beach days. Brinkley has turned her brand into a massive business empire that’s reportedly pushed her net worth toward the $100 million mark. She isn't just a face for hire anymore.
Her prosecco brand, Bellissima, is organic and vegan—fitting her lifestyle perfectly. She also launched TWRHLL on HSN in 2025, a clothing line inspired by her home, Tower Hill, on Long Island. It’s all about that casual, coastal "surfer girl" vibe she’s had since the 70s.
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The Secrets She Actually Admits To
She’s surprisingly open about the stuff that isn't just "drinking water." While she’s wary of Botox (she tried it twice and hated that it made her eyebrows droop), she’s a fan of non-invasive tech.
- Ultherapy: She uses this for skin tightening on her neck and chest.
- Fraxel: Twice a year to undo the sun damage from those years of modeling in the sun without SPF.
- SBLA Beauty: She’s actually an equity partner here, using their neck wands and lip plumpers.
She regrets not using sunblock sooner. Growing up in Malibu, she was told to "get a tan" for every shoot. Now, she won't go outside without SPF 50 and a wide-brimmed hat.
What We Can Actually Learn
Christie Brinkley isn't trying to look 20. She’s trying to look like the best version of 71. The takeaway isn't that you need a $50 million real estate portfolio to look good. It’s about the consistency of small things. Eating the rainbow. Moving every day so your joints don't "rust." Checking your skin for weird dots.
It’s about choosing to be interested in the world. As she says, curiosity keeps you young at heart, and that’s the part that actually shows up in the photos.
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If you want to start moving like Christie, the easiest first step is to ditch the "all or nothing" mentality. Stop "dieting" and start "gifting" your body better fuel. And for heaven's sake, put on some sunscreen before you head out today.