From Runways To Red Carpets: Gisele Bündchen's Killer Legs Never Miss A Beat

One thing is clear: Divorce from Tom Brady and getting older are not slowing Gisele Bündchen down. No, the famous supermodel looks better than ever. While some women accept that their bodies change after motherhood and with age, Bündchen seems determined to maintain her famed figure as possible. It's hard to say which of Bündchen's parts are most famous: the envy-inducing beach waves that prompt women to bring photos of Bündchen to their hairdressers to attempt to mimic, or those toned abs? The blue eyes that have mesmerized countless photographers' lenses, or arguably, is it her killer legs?

The 5-foot-11-inch tall model, who is one of the highest paid in the industry, has flaunted her gams on runways since she was discovered at age 13 in her home country of Brazil. Whether she's strutting on a catwalk, showing off her assets on social media, or revealing her God-given goods in an advertising campaign, Bündchen's legs seem to have a gravitational pull of their own, as evidenced not just in various Fashion Weeks over the years, but on the red carpet too.

Nothing propelled Gisele Bündchen's career like modeling lingerie for Victoria's Secret. She signed on with the lingerie brand when she was 19, appearing regularly in its print catalogs. However, it was their annual fashion show that showcased her assets to the widest audience (above left at the 2005 show, and in 2006 on right). Her dramatic outfits included donning a $15 million bra (the world's most expensive) and oversized angel wings. Despite the theatrics, watchers could always count on Bündchen appearing scantily clad in a bra and underwear of some sort, which always flaunted her BAL — boobs, abs, and legs. Sure, the barely-there outfits were eye-catching, but the way she confidently commanded the runway with her long stride was truly a thing of beauty to watch.

Though the bra retailer accounted for 80% of her income in the early 2000s ($25 million from Victoria's Secret alone, per The Guardian), as she revealed in her 2018 memoir, "Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life," she ultimately discontinued her relationship with the brand in 2006, explaining that she was tired of exposing herself in tiny outfits.

It's hard to believe that Gisele Bündchen's body used to be the object of ridicule, but it was. In "Lessons," she wrote about being teased with a variety of nicknames and even compared to a skeleton due to her long, thin legs. Another revelation from her memoir was that modeling caused potentially permanent damage to her body. In particular, she suffered from "major issues with my knees that became worse after spending hours not only walking back and forth trying my best to balance in impossibly high heels but also contorting my body during endless photos shoots."

A brief perusal of Bündchen's Instagram reveals that the mother of two spends little-to-no time contorting her body, unless it's a yoga pose, and seems to spend a lot of time in nature. She posted on her Instagram about the benefits: "I love being in the middle of nature. Taking off my shoes and walking barefoot, watching the birds flying, surfing early in the morning and watching the sun rise, are some of the things that bring me the most joy. Nature always brings me balance and peace. It heals and nourishes my soul."

Gisele Bündchen and husband Tom Brady (married from 2009 to 2022) were stalwarts on the annual Met Gala red carpet. You could always expect the dashing couple to grace the event with their presence. To onlookers, it appeared that their goal wasn't to make waves with outlandish outfits (unlike other gala goers, such as Katy Perry, a Met mainstay that always goes OTT on the theme); this golden duo strove to look flawless. The 2018 event was no exception. Bündchen wore gold Versace with a high slit up to the thigh. (To coincide with the model's eco-friendly desires, the gown was organic.) Naturally, she landed on plenty of best dressed lists. And did she hit the brief with the theme, which was Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination? She nailed the heavenly body part, at least.

Bündchen is known for her relaxed style, telling Vogue in 2018 that "I'm just not a glitter-fancy person." She may feel more at home in jeans and a T-shirt or stretchy yoga pants, but that doesn't mean she doesn't kill it on the red carpet.

Along with focusing on exercise, sleep, and mental wellbeing, Gisele Bündchen is known for following a clean diet to make sure she looks and feels her best. In fact the model, pictured here at a dinner in NYC in February 2024, launched a cookbook, "Nourish," in March of 2024, that features many of her tried-and-true recipes. 

"I don't feel like eating this way is sacrificing anything," the model told GMA. She explained that before she puts anything into her body, a.k.a. her temple, she asks if it will nourish her. Per The Wall Street Journal and Women's Health, Bündchen doesn't drink alcohol, eats three meals a day (no snacking) that are loaded with vegetables and a bit of clean protein, and loves sweet potatoes. Oh, and she never eats white sugar.

So how does her diet relate to her legs? Bündchen revealed to Women's Health that she eats based on her exercise; for example, if her morning workout involves muscle toning, she eats eggs for breakfast. Eating protein helps with muscle repair, which means a post-workout omelette helps keep Gisele's gams toned.

There's no denying that Gisele Bündchen is metabolically blessed, but she can also attribute her gorgeously toned legs to regular exercise. Her exercise routine includes working out daily in a variety of ways that include playful ones as well. She's a devotee of early-morning exercise, including yoga and pilates, surfing, horseback riding, and muscle toning. She's also a skilled volleyball player and considered pursuing the sport before modeling interfered. Plus, she's one of the many supermodels that are into boxing. There's a long-list of her fellow Victoria's Secret angels that also enjoy putting on the gloves, including Gigi Hadid, Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls, and Jourdan Dunn.

And then there's martial arts, namely jiu-jitsu, which her boyfriend, and father of her third child, Joaquim Valente, specializes in. (The pair were spotted riding bikes together, above.) She has been practicing the technique with him since 2021. One of the main benefits of jiu jitsu for the body? It tones the legs, proving that once again, Gisele isn't messing around when it comes to keeping those killer legs in peak condition.