Martha Stewart, 81, lands Sports Illustrated cover as she poses in daring swimsuit

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Martha Stewart has made history as the oldest woman to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit issue.

Stewart, 81, posed in a daring swimsuit as she revealed how she prepped for the photo shoot.

"I didn't starve myself, but I didn't eat any bread or pasta for a couple of months," Stewart said during the "Today" show. "I went to Pilates every other day and that was great; I'm still going to Pilates every other day 'cause it's so great. And I just, I live a clean life anyway – good diet and good exercise and healthy skincare and all of that stuff."

Martha Stewart poses for Sports Illustrated on newsstands May 18. (Ruven Afanador / Sports Illustrated)

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Martha Stewart is the oldest woman to model for Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit issue. (Getty Images)

Stewart was asked to participate in the Sports Illustrated cover shoot in November 2022, and the shoot took place at the end of January 2023.

"That was kind of a request that I've never had before," Stewart recalled. "To be on the cover at my age was a challenge. And I think I met the challenge."

For Stewart, the Sports Illustrated photo shoot was "fun." 

"I mean, they were prodding me and pinching me and pouring water all over my head! ... There's no tricks. They tell you you look okay. That's nice. They sort of reinforce that it's okay to be doing what you're doing."

The former cooking show star remembered how she was "shaking" after seeing the cover photo for the first time. Stewart posed in nine different swimsuits during the island photo shoot. The TV personality said the cover photo "turned out okay."

Martha Stewart modeled nine swimsuits for the cover shoot. (Photo by Nina Westervelt/Variety via Getty Images)

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The TV personality was asked to be a part of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue cover shoot in November 2022. (Getty Images)

Stewart noted she got "good" genes from her mother.

"My mom was my role model," Stewart explained. "After four kids, she was still wearing a two-piece bathing suit. And she still had two more after that, and she was still wearing a two-piece bathing suit, so that's pretty fabulous. My genes are good."

The businesswoman explained her life philosophy does not focus on aging but "good living" instead. 

"I think all of us should think about good living, successfully living, and not aging. The whole aging thing is so boring. You know what I mean?" Stewart said. "I have a hospital called the Center for Living at Mt. Sinai. I started this hospital with Mt. Sinai and it's all about growing old gracefully. We don't think about aging, we think about successful living, and we try to install in people the desire to eat well, exercise well, have friends to have pets – to do all the things that make you happy as you get older. So that's what I'm all about."

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