Julie Andrews is 90 and still exercises every day - here's the 30-minute workout she's done for decades
Julie Andrews' daily workout habits include getting up and exercising first thing in the morning
Julie Andrews' daily workout habits are proof that a good routine is hard to get out of, for all the right reasons. At nearly 91, she still exercises every day, with yoga workouts among her favourites over the last few decades.
"I have all my life worked out first thing in the morning or something like that - a little less so these days," she told Yahoo Life in 2024. In the same year, she said she felt like she was still in her 50s on an episode of Wiser Than Me.
"Honest to God, as long as the brain holds out, I'm doing okay. You know, and I don't feel bad at all now," she said.
While the star used walking workouts to improve her energy levels and fitness for roles on London's West End early in her career, she told woman&home that it's actually flexibility-boosting workouts that she's relied on to stay "supple".
Back in 2000, she told us: "I work out as little as I can for as much gain as I can. Yoga and a little bit of ballet. Only 30 or 40 minutes every other day. I keep supple for myself more than for roles."
Then, in 2024, she told AARP: "I'm a bit guilty in [the exercise] department now, but I do work out. I do a lot of breathing. I do yoga when I can".
Is yoga a good workout?
Doing yoga is a great way to strengthen muscles, ease joint aches, and improve cognitive function, yoga instructor Libby Stevenson told us when asked about the benefits of doing yoga over 50.
"To stay healthy and to continue enjoying a good quality of life, we need to be proactive in our health to counteract the effects of ageing on the body and mind through good nutrition, regular movement, stress management and getting quality sleep," she says.
Yoga is a bodyweight workout, so it can help beginners strengthen bones and muscles and keep the heart healthy. It also actively improves balance and coordination. "All of which have a positive effect on cognitive function," she says.
That said, while you can do yoga for strength training, most yoga will not protect the bones and muscles as well past menopause as traditional weighted workouts will. The NHS also recommends doing some cardio exercise, e.g. running, walking, cycling, for good health.
Try this 30-minute yoga workout
With exercises including the bird dog, downward-facing dog, the classic plank, and lunges, this is exactly the kind of yoga workout that can help boost strength, mobility, and flexibility if you do it a couple of times a week.
