How Soap Star Susan Lucci Is Fitter Than Ever at 71
It’s official: Soap opera actress Susan Lucci is hotter and fitter at 71. The Emmy award winner appears in this month’s Harper’s BAZAAR in an unretouched photo swimsuit shoot, and her figure is seriously #goals.
“I feel as good now as I ever did in my 20s and 30s, maybe even better physically,” she told the magazine.
So how does she do it? Luckily the “All My Children” star spilled her wellness secrets so we can all get a jumpstart on becoming septuagenarian goddesses.
She Does A Lot of Pilates
Lucci credits Pilates, which she’s been practicing for more than twenty years, for completely transforming her figure as well as her appetite.
“Once I started doing Pilates, I lost my taste for things like cheeseburgers and french fries,” she told Harper’s.
Lucci uses (and promotes) The Pilates Pro Chair, which is similar to a reformer as it allows users to combine the sculpting techniques of Pilates with easy cardio. When performed in a quick, flowing motion, the Chair delivers a cardio workout while strengthening your core.
The benefits of Pilates are numerous. Utilizing a mind-body connection, the core-centric workout helps to improve flexibility and strength as it tones your abs, hips, thighs, and glutes.
According to Women’s Health, Lucci does ten moves a day on the Chair, for 30 to 100 reps each, once through. Use that as a benchmark.
She Works Out Almost Every Day
How’s this for motivation? Lucci revealed to Women’s Health that she works out six days a week, and only takes a day off because “you’re supposed to,” adding that she always does something active “because I find my body craves it.”
Lucci works out in the morning “Because then I know, no matter what happens for the rest of the day, I’ve done something good for myself.”
Consistency is key when it comes to fitness. People usually become impatient with exercise because they expect instant results. However, healthy habits, including flat abs a la Lucci, aren’t built in a day. Sticking to a regular workout routine will reap the benefits you seek.
While a debate exists between early birds and night owls as to when is the best time of day to exercise, choosing to work out in the morning like Lucci tends to keep a lot of people motivated. One study also found that morning workouts reduce blood pressure and are preferable when you want a good night’s sleep.
She Eats Super Healthy
Lucci is just as disciplined about her diet as she is with her exercise regimen. She told Harper’s, “I rarely eat dessert, never snack, and I don’t eat a lot of bread and pasta.”
She also limits dessert and alcohol. “I’ll have one glass of champagne when we go out to dinner, but I don’t drink at home.”
An excess of sweetened foods and beverages can not only lead to weight gain, but also an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes, among other dangerous conditions.
Alcohol is a very concentrated source of calories, which means it doesn’t take much — for instance that extra glass of wine with dinner — to throw off your caloric intake for the day. In addition, alcohol acts as a diuretic, causing you to lose water, which you need in order to get lean and muscular.
The Takeaway
We can all learn a thing or two about aging gracefully from Lucci who not only values the strength of her body, but also of her mind.
As she told Harper’s, “What I’ve learned is that if you train hard, you can offset some of what you’ve got going against you. People look at me and say ‘Wow, she doesn’t seem old, but she is old.’ Meanwhile, the reality is if you’re strong, you’re beautiful, no matter what age you are.”
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