At 78, Elaine Paige relies on these 3 simple fitness habits to help her ‘feel 25’

Actress, singer and West End royalty Elaine Paige, 78, has always had an active lifestyle by default. ‘I was in the theatre every night of my life except Sundays,’ Elaine told Great British Life. ‘It’s taxing. You get to a certain age and you physically can’t do it anymore and – as much as I miss it – you have to accept it and find something else to do.’

So, what else has Elaine found to do? As well as drawing, painting and volunteering, the BBC Radio 2 host – who is set to receive a Special Award at the Olivier Awards next month – has adopted several fitness habits to keep her strong and mobile.

1. She plays tennis

‘I think it’s really important to do sport or exercise as you get older because obviously your muscle strength diminishes,’ Elaine told Great British Life. Indeed, many people view playing sport as inferior to gym-based sessions, but it’s still a workout – often with additional mental and social benefits. Elaine revealed that she plays tennis three times per week – the health and longevity benefits of which have been the subject of several scientific studies.

One paper involving ​​more than 8,000 participants found that those who played tennis had life expectancy gains of almost a decade (9.7 years) compared with non-exercisers, and another study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, of over 80,000 participants, found that those who regularly played racket sports – including tennis – had a 47% lower chance of all-cause mortality than non-exercisers. Experts think these benefits could be as a result of tennis combining social interaction, enjoyment and endurance.

Joe Maher

2. She walks (a lot)

Elaine also said that she walks ‘much more today than I ever did when I was young,’ making an effort to walk to the shops and through the park.

If you don’t view walking as exercise, think again. One scientific review of existing research on walking concluded that ‘the evidence overwhelmingly supports walking as a powerful anti-ageing intervention that can reduce the risk of chronic age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cancer.’

3. She uses exercise snacking

Elaine also revealed that she believes in the power of smaller workouts: ‘If you’re sitting in a chair and lifting your legs up, one after the other, knees up, knees down, that kind of thing. There’s plenty of these classes that you can access on the computer.’

Also referred to as ‘exercise snacks’ by experts, these small bouts of movement can have a powerful effect on your health. One study found that a five-minute daily workout consisting of bodyweight exercises significantly improved participants’ physical fitness and mental health.

Elaine continues to recognise the importance of rest, too. ‘If you run the gauntlet day and night, doing everything all day long and all night long, you’ll eventually run out of steam,’ she told Great British Life. ‘I think what I’ve learned is the best way to get the most out of life, and out of one’s own energy levels, is to pace oneself.’

Balancing physical activity with rest has played a big part in helping Elaine feel young. ‘Mentally, you always stay young,’ she said. ‘I feel 35 or 40…. 25 maybe!’

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Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis.  She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity.  A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.