Stephanie Gilmore’s secrets to a balanced life

At 30, Stephanie Gilmore is already a sporting legend – and with six world surfing championship titles to her name, she’s still making waves in and out of the water.

Having already achieved so much in her career, you’d think Stephanie Gilmore would feel content – but not just yet.

“I’m a competitive person,” says Stephanie. “Just sensing the crowd and the atmosphere of the event propels me to do my best.

“Right now I’m focused on the Maui Pro in Hawaii (starting November 25). It’s the last tour event of the year and the world title race comes down to it. I’m excited for some great waves.”

The champion surfer shares her top tips for living an active, balanced life.

Keeping fit around the world

While much of Stephanie’s training is based in the water, she also maintains a healthy diet and active lifestyle off-shore.

“My approach is balance. I surf as much as possible and yoga has become a staple in my routine. It’s all about strength and flexibility in one, which parallels with surfing,” she says.

Because of her touring schedule, she often has to adapt her training and exercise habits.

“My approach changes depending on where I am in the world,” she says.

“If I’m home, I work out with my trainer and we do a lot of balance work, plyometrics and sprints, which is insanely good cardio building for competitive surfing.”

Eating for the season

Stephanie adopts a similarly relaxed approach to her diet.

“My general rule is keep it local and in season. I try to follow this no matter where I’m touring around the world as it makes a big difference to the quality of food you’re consuming,” she says.

Stephanie says she’s not a fan of fad diets or cutting out food groups.

“I don’t eliminate food groups because it becomes too restrictive, but I do keep dairy to a minimum,” she says.

“I prefer fresh fruits and vegetables, as the importance of wholefoods was always drilled into me. Most importantly – hydration. Water. All. Day. Long.”

A natural beauty

Stephanie’s love for natural products extends to her beauty routine.

“I’m constantly in salt water, which dries out my skin, so I like to stay hydrated with oils at night under my moisturiser,” she says.

“I love honey facials too. Honey has healing, antibacterial properties and helps with any sun burn.

“For sunscreens, I always try to use a zinc base as it acts as a protective barrier between my skin and the elements.

“I’ve also started surfing in hats as much as possible and use long sleeve lyrca suits for my body’s protection.”

The importance of peak nutrition

Maintaining healthy nutrition levels shouldn’t be overlooked in anyone, let alone an elite athlete travelling the world.

“As a professional surfer, I have to ensure I’m giving my body what it needs. I was on the hunt for synthetic-free vitamins, so I was ecstatic to come across The Natural Vitamin Co.,” says Stephanie.

Her ambassadorship for the brand was an obvious pairing.

“To team up with an Australian business that produces natural vitamins made from organic fruit and vegetables is a great fit for me and it’s become an essential part of my routine,” she says.

“I use The Natural Vitamin Co. Women’s Multivitamin daily, so I have consistency with my nutrient levels, no matter where I am. Additionally, I take Hair, Skin and Nails from The Natural Vitamin Co. to boost collagen, keeping skin looking and feeling healthy.” 

A day in the life of Stephanie Gilmore:

Dawn:

I like to see the ocean as soon as I’m up, which is usually around 6.30am and I either go for a drive to see it or walk to my local beach. If there’s wave activity, I’ll surf.

Morning:

I’ll meet a friend for coffee, either from my local beach cafe or I’ll make it at home.  I like to be at home when I’m in Australia, where I typically play guitar as it’s a hobby of mine.

My dad always encouraged me to pick up a guitar and learn a song from one of his books.

I love blues and jazz because they are so beautiful, but I also love the simplicity of a Rolling Stones song because it’s so easy to play chord-wise. I also love Jeff Buckley.

I’ll also spend time emailing and just pottering around my space with good music on.

Afternoon:

I usually meet up with my board shaper or see my parents and then head home to surf again and cook dinner with some friends over.

Evening:

I try to watch a film, there are so many great ones I’m yet to watch.

I like to stretch and roll my muscles out while I’m watching.

When I’m not on the road I like to keep things pretty simple and calm. A glass of wine at the end of the day is always nice too.

This post is brought to you by The Natural Vitamin Co.