Elyse Taylor: Young mum reveals the benefits of leading a model life in active wear

AUSSIE model Elyse Taylor tells us about her daggy gym-fashion past, why juice fasts are “stupid” and how having her daughter transformed her approach to health.

REMEMBER the days when it was socially acceptable to enter a gym in a pair of old trackies and a T-shirt so huge that it also doubled as a nightie?

You wouldn’t think so, but Elyse Taylor does too. The Sydney-born, New York-based model may be famous for walking down the Victoria’s Secret catwalk and fronting international campaigns for Guess and homegrown brand Bonds, but she voluntarily admits she’s had her share of unfashionable activewear moments.

“I remember when I would first go to New York and work out, I would be a mess,” the 29-year-old laughs of her previous trackies-and-T workout attire.

“And now everyone’s in tights, their hair’s up and it’s completely changed.”

Elyse Taylor may be a mum but she’s also a model and that takes work. Picture: Steven Chee

Elyse says her day-to-day fashion is often just activewear and a long coat. Picture: Steven Che

The turnaround, all thanks to the athleisure trend, means that not only have gyms across the world had a style makeover but pieces that were once reserved for your Pilates class can now be worn in most sweat-free areas.

But before your legs become a Lycra-only zone, Elyse shares her fashionable tip: “It’s important to find the right active wear for [the workout] you’re doing, but then if it’s comfortable you can wear it all day. There’s a new athletic-inspired collection from Bonds which is the perfect balance of fashion and gym wear.”

Model fitness

AS A model, it’s a major part of Elyse’s job to exercise and eat healthily in order to stay slim, but she laughs as she confesses: “If it wasn’t my job, and work didn’t depend solely on what I look like, I probably wouldn’t be as in shape.”

So how does she motivate herself to get moving?

“I’ll always wear black tights and a bright top or sports bra so at least I feel bright and excited about exercising,” Elyse says.

Her workouts of choice when she’s at home in New York are 30-minute swims (“for me, it’s the same as running for an hour”) and personal training sessions with Justin Gelband, whose A-list clients include Taylor Swift.

“Justin’s great at low-impact, high-rep movements. He was really helpful after I had a baby.”

Elyse wears a bright top so she feels bright and excited about exercise. Picture: Steven Chee

Elyse can’t help but laugh about her old gym attire. Picture: Steven Chee

Health and motherhood

Becoming a mum to Lila, now 2, was the point Elyse’s health turned around. She says that after giving birth, she felt a self-imposed pressure to bounce back to her pre-baby frame.

“I really let myself go during pregnancy and then I just couldn’t get it off [the weight] as quick as everybody else. And usually girls take a month — like Alessandra [Ambrosio] — they just bounce back after four weeks and I took four months.

“That’s not a lot of time in the real world but when your body is your work, it was a little long. So I felt the pressure. My agency didn’t put the pressure on but I felt the pressure from myself.”

However, it was that pressure that forced her to find a healthier approach to dropping the kilos,

which she attributes to her personal trainer, Justin.

“I was juicing at the time and he told me that it was the stupidest thing ever because I’d had a baby and I was bloated and holding body weight.

“Everybody is different, but eating right and working out is really the only way to lose weight and tone your body. Unfortunately,” she laughs.

QUICK FIVE

1. FAVOURITE FOOD INDULGENCE?

“Dim sims or pizza — anything you can totally gorge on.”

2. FASHION ADVICE FOR TIME-STRAPPED MUMS?

“Just keep it simple. Half the time I’m wearing gym clothes and a long coat.”

3. DO YOU EVER TAKE LILA WITH YOU WHEN YOU WORK OUT?

“No, she’s a tornado! I’d never be able to concentrate. She’d be in everything and everywhere, so that in itself is a workout chasing after her.”

4. MAKE-UP AT THE GYM — YAY OR NAY?

“No. I don’t wear make-up when I’m not working because I like to give my skin a break and let it breathe.”

5. WHAT’S YOUR IDEA OF BEING HEALTHY?

“Just balance. Becoming a mum, I’ve learned how to balance my time, diet and lifestyle. Exercise three times a week, have a good diet, and also have your bad days but don’t go overboard.”

ELYSE’S BUSY MUM WORKOUT

“My advice is to try do something each day, even if it’s just for 20 minutes. For the below, I try do three reps of between 15 and 25 (start at 15 and build up to 25) of each move and rotate the routine depending on what area I need to target.”

• Single-leg hip lifts • Balancing squats • Crunches • Leg lifts • Ab bikes • Sit-ups