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Healthy Habits Idris Elba Follows to Look and Feel His Best at 50

When Idris Elba is fit, he's "more focused."

There's a lot you may not know about Idris Elba, but should. Elba looks so great at 50 and has some stellar self-care habits he clearly takes very seriously. The British actor makes his overall wellness a priority regardless of juggling a busy schedule. He's delivered such great entertainment, including his role as Stringer Bell in "The Wire" HBO series; DCI John Luther in "Luther"; Nelson Mandela in "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom"; and the leading role of Commandant in "Beasts of No Nation." But that's not all! Elba is also a busy producer and musician. In his spare time, he enjoys being a DJ! Keep reading to learn more about this sizzling celeb.

Idris Elba makes working out and looking his best a priority.

Idris Elba
John Phillips / Stringer / Getty Images

One look at his Instagram account, and it's clear that Idris Elba makes working out and looking his best a priority. He explains, "When I'm fit, I'm more focused," adding, "I have greater patience and my temper is more stable, so I'm better in almost all my relationships. I'm more vigilant about the s— I put up with. I see clearer. When I'm out of shape, I'm emotionally lazy" (via PEOPLE).

Related: Healthy Habits Daniel Craig Follows at 54 To Stay in the Best Shape

He loves kickboxing.

kickboxing bag
Shutterstock

What does Idris Elba do to stay in shape? For one thing, he loves kickboxing. He says of the strength regimen, "Some guys want to be toned or want to jog for miles, but my ultimate fitness goal is to be fight-ready," adding, "If I step into the ring, could I go toe-to-toe for five rounds? That's what I strive for. That's what I consider fit. I want to know that if I'm being wrestled to the ground, I've got the strength to fight a man off" (via PEOPLE).

He calls kickboxing "rugged," as it requires total core strength, adding, "But when you're fight-ready, you feel like you can last forever." One of his secret moves? A standard burpee—but he brings it up a few notches, explaining, "I do these burpees where you have to stand up, and then you kind of crawl on your hands to the burpee position, burpee, and then crawl back up and do a star jump," adding, "I do about 15 of those and then I'm done."

Related: The Healthy Habits of Harrison Ford Make Indiana Jones Look Great at 80

He enjoys his hot yoga sessions and early-morning swims.

hot yoga setup
Shutterstock

When he's not kickboxing, Idris Elba enjoys getting in some hot yoga sessions. Elba reveals to Allure (via BANG Showbiz), "Hot yoga in a hot climate is different. It's not hot yoga, it's just yoga. Something about the elements being natural rather than having a heater … Everyone's sweating. But it's the fact you're warm and supple, and the environment is great."

Elba also enjoys a healthy swim in the morning, saying, "I started swimming early in the morning. It feels so alien to jump into cold water, but it's invigorating."

He sometimes even showers two times a day.

Shower with flowing water and steam
Shutterstock

You'll love this tidbit as much as we do! Some days, the celeb showers two times because he enjoys staying clean. He's also quite routine when it comes to grooming his facial hair, explaining, "I will shave! I'm the guy who gets new growth by five o'clock in the afternoon, so I keep on top of it. And I shower every day, sometimes twice a day. I just got a fresh haircut and, honestly, my energy levels feel different. My clothes feel different."

What else makes him feel good? "A haircut does that for me. I've gotta make sure the hair looks right. Buying new sneakers definitely makes me feel good. There's something about stepping in fresh shoes." Idris Elba, your self-care shows—and you'd look great stepping out in anything!

Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Deputy Editor of Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and delivering compelling fitness, wellness, and self-care topics to readers. Read more about Alexa
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