You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t think Dame Helen Mirren looks amazing. At 77, she is still very much a sex symbol and a sought-after actress in Hollywood.
Are you a fan of The Office? They spent a large chunk of an episode talking about how gorgeous she looked in that bikini photo!
She’s not showing any signs of slowing down, either. Over the past few years, Mirren has starred in action vehicles like Fast & Furious, Shazam!, and Yellowstone: 1923.
With obvious pop-culture love, multiple awards, and even working with L’Oreal, Mirren might just be one of the best examples of living her life in the healthiest way.
Growing Older, Happily
In a recent interview with Vogue, Mirren gave some amazing advice on how to happily and satisfyingly grow older.
Her top tip? Work from the inside out. She suggests you take control of your diet and find one that makes you feel good. Recognizing that what we put in our bodies influences how we feel, she recommends starting with a healthy diet that you can make work on a daily basis.
Her other recommendation? Staying active. And her own personal workout doesn’t even require a fancy gym or membership either. In fact, Mirren has famously talked about her love for a simple, classic 12-minute military workout.
Her Royal Canadian Air Force Exercise
Created by a doctor in the 1950s, this stretching and toning regime was originally designed to keep men and the women in the military fit without the need of gym equipment.
The simple routine includes five exercises, such as push-ups, sit-ups, running in place, and arm circles to work all of the muscle groups in the body.
She’s talked about how she uses this simple routine to get her back on an exercise routine and gently lead her back into the gym for more rigorous workouts.
Designed for everyone – from complete beginners to those simply out of practice, this routine is a great way to get back into the swing of things and assess your overall fitness level.
The Helen Mirren Workout
Want to know what all Helen Mirren’s workout includes so you can try it at home?
This original plan has different timings for different difficulty levels, but the beginner workout should take you 12 minutes and includes:
- Toe touching – 5 reps. Bending at the hips and touching your toes with straight arms.
- Knee raises – 8 reps each side. Standing up, bring your knee into your chest while balancing on one foot.
- Lateral bending – 5 reps each side. Feet shoulder-width apart, raise one hand above your head and slide the other down to your knee.
- Arm circles – 12 each side. Keep that shoulder-width stance and rotate your arm in a wide circle, elbow straight.
- Sit ups – 5 reps.
- Chest and leg raise – 5 reps. Lie face down and bring your chest and knees off the floor into a slender arc, so your stomach is the only thing touching the floor.
- Side leg raise – 5 reps each side. Roll onto one side and, keeping your leg straight, lift it to a 45-degree angle.
- Push ups – 5 reps.
- Leg raises – 5 reps. Lying on your back, keep your leg straight and lift it straight up 90 degrees.
- Run and Hop – 50 reps, plus one jump. Jog on the spot, counting your steps. At 50, bend your knees, reach your arms back and do a big double-footed jump, stretching your hands in the air.
Embrace Your Insecurities
Even though Mirren went viral for that beach bikini photo in 2008, she’s been open with the fact that there were a lot of insecurities that went into making that photo look good. (Including sucking in her stomach for the photo her husband took and a paparazzi snapped at the same time.)
While she admits that the photo has helped her career, she’s also very vocal that the key to true happiness and confidence is to not “feel paralyzed by your own insecurities.”
We should all try to follow her amazing example!
