HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Cindy Crawford is enjoying the fact that life has finally slowed down and allowed her to appreciate all of its beauty.
"I think I'm holding up pretty well, but what I like most is the sense of power I have," the 44-year-old mother of two tells Ladies Home Journal. "So much of your life you spend trying to prove yourself, trying to make things happen, trying to get somewhere else. But then you get into your late 30s and 40s and realize life is pretty amazing right in front of you if you can just be present in it."
Crawford, who has been married to nightclub honcho Rande Gerber for 12 years, says growing older has also meant getting used to the aging process.
"I don't expect to look the way that I used to," says Crawford, who still hits the gym three times a week, "because at best that would be deeply frustrating. I work out to feel good and get energized."
"If I put on a few pounds it goes straight to my butt," she adds. "I risk a picture in the National Enquirer with the headline, 'Cindy Does Cellulite!' Well, I do have cellulite."
To stay fit, Crawford maintains a mostly Mediterranean diet filled with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fish and meat. She will also indulge on occasion in order to set a good example for her children, 11-year-old son Presley and 8-year-old daughter.
"If the kids want to go for ice cream, I'll get ice cream, too," she says. "I don't want my daughter to think that being a beautiful woman is about depriving yourself. She sees me exercising. She sees me eating right. I want to be a good example for her."
Crawford also follows a daily regimen of sunscreen, moisturizer, and anti-aging night cream to keep your youthful appearance. She also admits to an occasional visit to the dermatologist for Botox injections.
"When I was 30 I might have said, 'I'm just going to age in a way that honors time and is completely natural,' but I'm no longer so highbrow about it," she says. "I've tried Botox but it scares me. Plastic surgery is really scary, but as long as you don't use these things to change your face, I think it's okay."
Also see: Cindy Crawford Pictures
- Comment
