Nigella Lawson does this workout 3 times a week to 'feel great' and boost mobility

Nigella Lawson has been appearing on our TV screens for decades. At 66, she knows how important it is to stay active and healthy. With her work schedule showing no signs of slowing down, the chef and television star has found a way to look after her body that fits with her professional commitments.

Speaking to Good Housekeeping magazine, Nigella says that while she wants to look good on shows like Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off, how she feels is even more important.

There’s one type of exercise she turns to: yoga workouts. “As you get on in life, you value feeling well as opposed to looking well,” she explains. “Yoga certainly makes you feel great, and you want to carry on feeling great. I just do a bit in a very slow way. Sometimes, lying down!”

Nigella’s preferred form of yoga is Iyengar. This is a slower practice, which can be beneficial for people who are older and perhaps suffering from stiff joints or aches and pains. “I do yoga three times a week,” she tells Good Housekeeping.

“I have to do something I enjoy, otherwise I wouldn’t do it. The older I get, the more I realise I have got to do lots of stretching. So even if I’m not doing yoga, I make myself do lots of stretching.”

The presenter previously told the magazine that she’s “never been on a diet to lose weight”, and fans have praised her refreshing, no-guilt approach to judging and tasting treats on Bake Off.

“No one should be put on this earth to go on a diet! No one should eat themselves ill either. As you get on in life, you value feeling well as opposed to looking well. Yoga certainly makes you feel great, and you want to carry on feeling great. I just do a bit in a very slow way," she says.

What is Iyengar yoga?

Iyengar yoga focuses on posture, body alignment, and sequencing. Developed by B.K.S. Iyengar, it was among the first practices to use chairs, belts, blankets, bolsters, and blocks for support.

It's a popular yoga workout because many people of all fitness levels and ages can enjoy it. If you have joint stiffness or injuries, it's more comfortable than other types.

Positions you might expect to do in an Iyengar class include downward-facing dog, forward bends, half-moon pose, cobra, and bow.

Chair yoga poses stretch and strengthen our muscles, reduce joint stiffness, and improve our circulation. This aids overall mobility and flexibility, which is key as we age. It’s also beneficial for our mental health because it reduces stress and helps us relax and sleep better.

While yoga is great for improving flexibility, balance and strength, a personal trainer would recommend doing strengthening yoga workouts or combining it with other forms of exercise, such as resistance training and cardio, like jogging, cycling or swimming, to protect against osteoporosis, cognitive decline and cardiovascular disease.