Inspiring Vegetarian Beauty

Supermodel Christie Brinkley showed off her age-defying physique at the 2012 World Smile Day festivities at New York's Times Square on Oct. 5. The gorgeous 5-foot-9 Christie, 58, looks two decades younger than her age, thanks to her longtime dedication to a healthy lifestyle.

Brinkley has been a vegetarian since age 12, and stays fit by doing yoga, strength-training, running and walking. Brinkley, who has graced the cover of over 500 magazines, says the key to staying committed to exercise is to vary your workouts.

"Variety is the spice of sticking with an exercise routine," she told Shape. "Arm yourself with a few different things. Ask your friends to go jogging or on a long walk. Sign up for a dance class. I really think that mixing it up it keeps it fun, and that's really the only way that you can stick with it."

Christie also sneaks in calisthenics when getting ready in the morning. "I try to get in 100 push-ups every day," she says. "It's really easy. I keep a rolled up yoga mat under my bed. "I throw it down and I'll do 30 push-ups before I get in the shower. Then I do another 20 before I dry my hair, and now I've done 50. After I dry my hair, I'll come back and I'll do more."

Brinkley, who has been a vegetarian for over 46 years, typically has oatmeal with fruit with breakfast, a large salad for lunch, and pasta with vegetables for dinner. "I've been a vegetarian since I was about 12 years old," she said. "When I became a vegetarian I got my mom and dad to become vegetarian, and my brother became a vegetarian."

Christie got a facelift in early 2010 at around the same time her daughter Alexa Ray Joel, 26, got a nose job. Not surprisingly, her beauty has inspired mixed reactions from the men in her life. While they're attracted to her looks, they're also intimidated by them.

"You know guys are attracted to a woman’s looks — we’re shallow in that aspect of things — it’s just how we are made," Christie ex-husband Billy Joel, once said. "I felt like I was undeserving — it was extraordinary that I got her. But suddenly, this beautiful supermodel dug me. It was great."

Billy, 64, and Christie remain good friends to this day. At a time when many people her age slow down, Brinkley's ready to stir things up. "My age has so little to do with my image of myself because at a certain point, the number just didn't fit how I felt," she said. "It has become irrelevant to me. I just don't feel like that number is representative of my spirit, of my energy or anything...I love to fill my life with adventures."