AN AGE-defying grandmother who still models swimsuits in her 60s – and gets mistaken for being 20 YEARS YOUNGER – reveals her top five tips for looking and feeling young.
With her luscious golden locks, deep brown eyes, and slim hourglass figure, it’s no surprise that Leslie Carleton has modeled in magazines, catalogs, television commercials, and billboard advertisements around the world.
Even now at 62-years-old, the grandmother-of-two continues to turn heads, as she has maintained her incredibly slim figure and stunning youthful glow – meaning she often gets mistaken for being at least 20 years younger.
The model and author is proving age is just a number by being one of the oldest women to compete in the 2021 Sports Illustrated swimsuit competition – something she never dreamed possible for grandmothers aged in their 60s.
Leslie, who is engaged to Hollywood actor Matthias Hues, 62, mom to sons Sephton, 44, and Aurelius, 42, and grandmother to Olivia, 10, and Lilyana, 10, is now sharing her top tips for looking and feeling happy, healthy and youthful at any age.
The model – who spends her time living between her home in Bali, Indonesia, and Los Angeles – said: “I never imagined I’d look the way that I do in my 60s.
“The majority of people guess that I’m in my 40s, and are shocked when I tell them I’m 62.
“In my teens and 20s, I never worked out or participated in sports. I watched what I ate and luckily I stayed slim.
“I followed my grandmother’s advice. She was a dancer, and she would eat small, healthy meals frequently throughout the day, every 2-3 hours.
“I also followed the rule of thumb that carbs and protein should be the size of your palm, while vegetables should be twice that size.
“Then in my 30s, I began doing sports and I fell in love. I started skiing and I became a black belt in karate.
“And it’s only in the last 10 years that I began lifting weights. That has helped me maintain a strong and toned figure into my 60s.
“I look at photos of myself in my 20s, and I have the same body. My skin is different but the body is the same.
“You have to keep working at it to keep your physique. You are what you eat, you are what you think.”
Leslie was just 17 when she gave birth to her eldest son, and 19 with her youngest – making her one of the youngest mothers to pick up their kids at the school gate.
The mum said being a teenage mum meant she was often mistaken for being her son’s sister when they were young – and then their girlfriend once they got older.
She said: “I was a teenage mother. I got married at 16 and I was pregnant when I was graduating high school.
“When they were younger, they did not like that I looked like their sister. They were teased at school about it.
“When they were teens they hated it because their friends would call me ‘hot’. No son wants to hear that and they are both very protective of me.
“Then as young adults, they hated it when people thought I was their wife or girlfriend, since it sort of ruined their game.
“Today, they are both in their 40s and fathers. With that comes maturity.
“So even though people still think I am their girlfriend or wife, or even sometimes say my sons look older than I do, they smile and say thank you.
“They are proud of the way I look now and thank me for being a teenage mother that stayed young and healthy for so long because as a result, I am a healthy strong grandmother to their daughters.”
The ageless beauty credits her youthful looks to a myriad of lifestyle choices that she believes have helped her stay in shape and look young.
She said: “I weigh myself each morning. This helps guide me on how I should eat that day, and it really keeps me on track.
“Eating frequent small and healthy meals throughout the day keeps me energized, and I like to keep them balanced with a mix of healthy protein, carbs, and greens.
“I make sure to get at least eight hours of sleep at night and I drink lots of water.
“I also think it’s imperative to have time in nature every day and also have some alone time each day when you can. It does wonders for your mental health.
“For six days of the week, I do watch what I eat. I don’t eat fried food, and I try to limit flour and sugar.
“But always on Sundays, I allow myself to relax and have a cheat meal, like some wine, burgers, etc. This keeps my metabolism in check also.”
Leslie began her career as a teenager modeling for the makeup brand Max Factor, and she soon saw her face plastered in magazines and on billboard advertisements all over town.
And now in her 60s, she continues to model and is even competing in the highly coveted 2021 Sports Illustrated swimsuit contest, going up 40 years her junior.
If she wins, she will be one of the oldest models to ever feature on the cover.
She said: “I want to inspire women and show that we can be beautiful at any age.
“I am fitter now at 62 than I was at 40. I never thought that was possible.
“I never imaged I’d be rocking a bikini after the age of 50.
“My dream is to be a voice for all women in the world to believe in themselves and to be the best they can be, no matter what circumstances they live in and no matter what body they were born into.
“Beauty comes in all different packages, no matter what your size, race, or age.
“It has no expiration date. We can all stay beautiful and youthful well into our later years with a healthy lifestyle and a good attitude. “
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