A day in the life of Molly Sims, including what she eats, drinks, and focuses on to stay healthy and fit

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Molly Sims, a model, actor, founder of YSE Beauty, and host of the podcast "Lipstick on the Rim." Sims lives in Los Angeles. This story has been edited for length and clarity.

I grew up in Murray, Kentucky — very western-middle America. I started modeling when I was 21.

Instead of studying abroad my junior year at Vanderbilt, I went to New York and got an agent, and then I was shipped off to Europe. It was a very difficult transition to suddenly have to focus on what I ate and how I looked.

I knew I couldn't model forever. Hosting MTV's "House of Style" from 2000 to 2002 was amazing. It gave me a name and a face at the time. I took a monthlong Sanford Meisner acting class and got to do what I thought would be a one-off pilot for "Las Vegas." It lasted for five years.

In 2023, I started YSE Beauty. I started to develop hormonal, cystic acne very badly in my late 20s. In my late 30s, it had kind of subsided until I had my first baby, and boom: I had hyperpigmentation. All the skincare options felt either very harsh and really expensive, or super cool but ineffective. There was nothing for me, which is the white space YSE fills.

As a founder, I'm also used to hearing "no" a lot. There was always that little voice in me that was like, "Well, let's just see."

Here's a day in my life.

I normally wake up between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m.

I come down, feed our dogs, Magic and Ruby, and make coffee. I love this brand called Caffe Luxxe. I buy the big beans, and we crush them.

I also drink Dria water, promoted by wellness creator Dria Murphy. I make a cocktail of creatine, vitamin C supplements, colostrum, and electrolytes.

I take other supplements, such as vitamin D and vitamin B12 shots.

I work out three days a week

Our oldest child is in 7th grade and takes the bus; my husband and I alternate taking our two younger kids, 5th and 3rd grade, to elementary school drop-off.

After that, I usually go to a Tracy Anderson studio. It's a full-body workout, and I'm stretching and lengthening my body in a very specific way.

I've changed my body in the past six months, and I've also changed the way I look at working out. I used to be the model who wouldn't use the two-pound weights at Soul Cycle. I was always told I was too muscular, too big, and it definitely got into my head.

Now, I walk on the treadmill with a weighted vest. I do the 12-3-30 workout — 12% incline, 3 miles per hour speed, for 30 minutes.

I put everything in my calendar, including facials

I'm very organized. I think that's my biggest superpower. It also helps to have a really strong team of people around me.

Every day is different. I try not to be all over the place with the podcast, YSE, and my production company, but my days do vary.

Sometimes, I want to go out for lunch or a drink. Being intentional with my time, though, I usually end up having a Goop Kitchen salad or turkey sandwich from Belwood Bakery.

I put it on the calendar if I'm going to get a facial or work out, or even take 15 minutes to myself. I'm Southern, so I love to please people, but at the same time, saying "no" is me saying "yes" to something else. Having me-time in the morning sets me up for better success.

I usually start winding down at 6 p.m.

I'm typically spent by then.

I probably have a glass of wine. I'll be with my kids. We'll work on math homework I can't do, and I have to use ChatGPT, even for 5th-grade-level work.

My kids are really good eaters — we eat salmon, steak, sushi, and Indian food. We've done well by constantly trying different foods.

Because we're in LA, the kids are often outside. We do a lot of sports. I keep them busy as much as I possibly can. Boredom is not your friend in a family, and I truly mean that.

The kids don't have phones or social media. We don't have iPads during the week, and I hate Roblox. We were inspired by "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt.

We didn't know three years ago, when everyone was getting phones in 5th grade, but we know more now. I'm waiting until they're in 8th grade, which is really difficult because there's a lot of social pressure to fit in.

We'll watch TV together. The kids are into "Modern Family" right now. We try to be intentional when we hang out.

Bedtime is between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., depending on the night

I'll do my nighttime skincare routine with YSE products: a gel oil cleanser and retinol for dark spots. Sometimes, I'll use hyaluronic acid or peptides.

I'll usually have some tea — I love PG Tips — or a calming hot cocoa from Four Sigmatic, which contains reishi mushroom. I also take magnesium glycinate at night, and because I also have a little joint pain, I take tart cherry supplements.

I like to unwind by reading. I read a lot of Lucy Foley, Lisa Jewell, and Freida McFadden. I also read a lot of parenting books. Often, though, I read scripts or decks.

Sometimes, I'll listen to a podcast or watch TV shows like "The Girlfriend" or "The Perfect Couple." I do love a thriller, and I'll never say no to an episode of "Dateline."

I'm very grateful for what I have. It hasn't come without working hard. I believe in luck, but I believe you make it. I'm 52, and I work as hard as I did at 22.

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