Lifestyle
Martha Stewart’s Secret to Staying Fit at 83: Discover Her Low-Impact Workout Routine
Martha Stewart, a name synonymous with culinary expertise and lifestyle elegance, continues to surprise and inspire at 83. Known for her extensive career spanning over 100 cookbooks, a successful home and hospitality line, and a strong presence on television and social media, Stewart shows no signs of slowing down. Her recent achievements, including becoming the oldest cover model for a major magazine at 81, highlight her belief that age is merely a number. However, maintaining her fit figure requires dedication and effort, and Stewart has shared insights into her fitness regimen, particularly her fondness for a specific low-impact workout.
In a conversation with Pamela Anderson, Stewart revealed her exercise of choice: pilates. This low-impact workout is renowned for its numerous benefits, including enhanced mental health, improved muscle endurance, flexibility, balance, and posture. Pilates is especially effective in targeting the core and surrounding muscles. As lead yoga therapist Judi Bar explained, “With the core, besides the stomach area, you’re also talking about your sides, your mid to lower back, your buttocks and your hips.”
Moreover, pilates can be a solution for those suffering from lower back pain. According to Bar, “Pilates helps lower back pain because, besides tight muscles, lower back pain also comes from misalignment and lack of core strength.”
Stewart’s commitment to her fitness is evident in her routine, which includes early morning workouts. She stated, “I do three mornings a week at 6:30 a.m.” Her dedication is further showcased in a January 2024 Instagram video where she performs an arm-and-abs workout on a pilates reformer with her trainer, captioning it, “Harder and more effective than it looks!!”
In addition to pilates, Stewart incorporates yoga into her fitness regimen. She has expressed her love for yoga, writing, “I love practicing yoga to keep my muscles long, limber, and flexible.” Yoga, much like pilates, is beneficial for strength, balance, and flexibility, and is also known for its relaxation and mindful breathing techniques. Natalie Nevins, DO, highlighted yoga’s ability to alleviate chronic pain and reduce stress, noting, “The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome.”
Stewart’s home gym is well-equipped, featuring a treadmill, free weights, and weight machines. Her cardio routine includes a 20-minute session on the treadmill, ensuring a comprehensive workout.
Beyond structured exercise, Stewart maintains an active lifestyle through her daily activities. Whether tending to her garden or managing her farm, she is constantly on the move, attributing much of her physical activity to these tasks. As she mentioned, “Just getting around from place to place on the farm and making sure the gardening is being done and the animals are taken care of [is a lot of exercise].”
Martha Stewart’s approach to fitness at 83 serves as a testament to the power of consistency and variety in maintaining health and vitality at any age.
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