Namita Nayyar:
How do you integrate spiritual practices (meditation, breath work, journaling, etc.) into a lifestyle that also involves glamorous events and frequent travel?
Alena Mills:
For me, spiritual practices are what make that kind of lifestyle sustainable. From the outside, glamorous events and frequent travel can look exciting — and they are — but constant movement, time zones, social obligations, and long flights also create a real load on the nervous system. That’s why meditation, breath work, and self-reflection are so important to me.
They help me stay grounded and emotionally aware, especially when life becomes overstimulating. I don’t approach it as a rigid ritual I must perform perfectly every day. It’s more about understanding myself well enough to know when I need to slow down, reset, or process something. That self-awareness makes fast-paced living much easier to navigate.
Namita Nayyar:
Many admire your physique and energy. Please describe your weekly fitness breakdown by day (e.g., Pilates vs. tennis vs. yoga) – and why you chose this mix.
Alena Mills:
I try to approach movement in a balanced way rather than following an overly rigid routine. Typically, my week includes around 4–5 movement sessions, depending on travel and work. Pilates is a big part of that — usually two to three times a week — because I love how it strengthens the body in a very elegant, controlled way, especially the deeper muscles and posture.
My Pilates sessions are actually quite physically demanding, so for me they feel closer to strength training than gentle movement. I also love tennis, both for the physical and mental benefits. It’s incredible cardio, but it also keeps your mind engaged in a completely different way. Yoga plays a different role for me. It’s less about aesthetics and more about balance — breathing, flexibility, grounding, and nervous system support. Together, it feels like the right combination of strength, endurance, mobility, and wellbeing.
Namita Nayyar:
When you are in Dubai vs. Paris, does your workout routine change? How do you adapt to different environments and weather?
Alena Mills:
Yes, quite a lot. In Dubai, I naturally have much more structure in my wellness routine because life feels more grounded there. It’s easier to maintain regular Pilates, tennis, gym sessions, and the rituals that support my overall wellbeing. Paris is very different for me — it’s much more work-driven, especially during fashion weeks or event periods.
My days there are incredibly active in a different sense: constant meetings, fittings, events, shoots, walking across the city, and very little downtime. So instead of a formal workout routine, movement often becomes part of the lifestyle itself. Because Paris can also be much more mentally intense, I focus more on recovery practices there — breath work, stretching, meditation, or yoga — anything that helps regulate my nervous system and restore balance. I think wellness is also about adapting, not forcing the exact same routine everywhere.
Namita Nayyar:
Do you prefer morning or evening workouts, and what is your go-to warm-up and cool-down ritual to prevent injury?
Alena Mills:
Definitely earlier in the day. I’ve noticed such a clear difference in my energy depending on when I train. Morning or midday workouts give me momentum, mental clarity, and a completely different level of productivity. Evening workouts, for me personally, can sometimes be too stimulating and make it harder to properly wind down or sleep.
I keep my warm-up simple but intentional — usually 5–10 minutes of incline walking to fully warm up the body, followed by mobility work or light stretching depending on the session. And post-workout recovery is non-negotiable. Stretching afterward is incredibly important for flexibility, muscle recovery, releasing tension, and preventing injury.
Namita Nayyar:
What is a common fitness myth you believe women should stop following, especially those balancing aesthetics with long-term health?
Alena Mills:
The idea that women should be afraid of strength training. There’s still this outdated belief that resistance training will automatically make women look overly muscular, but in reality, building significant muscle takes a huge amount of consistency, time, and intention.
Strength training is one of the healthiest things you can do — not only for aesthetics, but for posture, metabolism, bone health, confidence, and long-term wellbeing. I also think extreme thinness is often mistakenly presented as the ideal of beauty, when true health and vitality look very different. For me, strength, energy, and feeling good in your body are far more important than chasing unhealthy extremes.
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
