Jane Fonda Shares How She Manages to Still Look and Feel So Young at Age 82

Have you noticed that some celebrities seem to defy aging? They don’t just age gracefully, they age at a crazy slow pace. Have you also noticed that some celebrities never stop working? While many people retire in their 60s, celebrities often work until they are literally no longer able to work. 

Jane Fonda is one of these celebrities. She has worked as a model and actress. She is also known for her workout videos and books. In fact, a Vogue article in 2018 claims that Jane Fonda’s Workout video from 1982 is still the best workout yet.

At 82 years young, Fonda is starring in the 7th season of the Netflix series Grace & Frankie. She certainly doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Want to know her secrets for thriving in her 80s? 

What You Do When You’re Young Matters

Fonda says that she’s not able to do a lot of the things she used to be able to do when she was younger, but she feels that her active lifestyle, and her emphasis on exercise are still paying off today. In 2016, she told the Daily Mail, “I feel lucky that I did a lot of fitness work earlier in my life because it means I’m stronger now.”

Stay Active

Even though Fonda has had to slow down, she still exercises. She knows not to push herself too far, and she focuses on lower impact activities like long walks, cross-country skiing, yoga and resistance training. She wants to stay independent as long as possible, and she knows that if she keeps moving, that will help.

Fonda said, “The mistake that so many people make is that if they can’t do what they once did, then they don’t do anything. Big mistake.” 

The takeaway? Keep moving, no matter what, even if you’re in a wheelchair. Fonda told Healthy Living, “If you’re in a wheelchair, move your arms.”

No Crash Diets

Fonda doesn’t believe in dieting, but she does believe in healthy lifestyle changes. In a video for BeFit, Fonda shares her top 10 tips for weight loss, and the first several tips involve not dieting. She also says not to focus on the number on the scale. She doesn’t even have a scale. Instead, she says to exercise, eat a healthy breakfast, keep healthy snacks in your house and be patient.

Stay Busy

This doesn’t just mean exercise. Remember how we mentioned that Fonda has no plans to retire? Perhaps you don’t want to work into your 80s, but it’s important to find something you’re passionate about to keep going. Maybe it’s volunteering, a hobby or travel. Just stay busy.

Natural Makeup

Even when Fonda is on set, her makeup artist doesn’t pack on layers of makeup. She knows that Fonda prefers lightweight, natural foundation instead.

Don’t Be Afraid of Therapy

When Fonda started filming Grace & Frankie, she admits that she had a mental breakdown that drove her to therapy. She was struggling with anxiety. She told The Hollywood Reporter that in the first episode, where her husband on the show tells her that he’s leaving her after 40 years, it brought up abandonment issues from her past marriages in real life. She got the help she needed to deal with these issues, and she’s learned to love her character on the show.

Don’t Smoke

Fonda told Healthy Living that not smoking is the number one most important key to aging gracefully. It’s right up there with exercise and staying active.

We love these tips from Jane Fonda, but she’s not the only celebrity who never seems to age. Watch the video below to see some other celebrities who are thriving well past the age of retirement.