Jane Fonda Has Been a Fitness Icon for Decades—Here’s Her Longevity-Minded Fitness Routine

At present, Jane Fonda has a mere three TikTok videos, and in two of them she’s solidifying her status as a fitness icon. The longtime actress and political activist has had a varied and impactful career, and we admire her for all of it. But in the midst of a pandemic, stuck at home with the same workouts on repeat, her aerobics workout—a top-selling VHS tape in the 1980s—has brought mega-joy back to bouncing around the living room—at a time when we, no doubt, need it most. Given her know-how, we reached out to ask what her fitness routine is like today.

Unsurprisingly, Fonda still prioritizes movement in her day-to-day life. “I have to keep moving, because when you get older, it’s more critical than when you’re young. You have to keep your body moving,” says Fonda. “For me, if I don’t, not only does my body begin to deteriorate, but so does my mind, and I know that I need those endorphins.” Though Fonda is diligent about her workouts, you won’t find her doing anything that will take a toll on her body. “I have osteoarthritis, so I can’t lift heavy weights or anything,” she says. Instead, she opts for resistance bands to work in her strength training. “I use resistance bands, and I do floor work, and I work every muscle group but I do it slowly and very intentionally,” says Fonda.

To help with sore muscles and pain that Fonda gets from osteoarthritis, she turns to CBD and hemp. “I love hemp, let’s just put it right there,” she laughs. As a new ambassador for hemp personal care brand Uncle Bud’s, Fonda loves using the brand’s products for muscle ache relief. “The one I use the most is the Maximum Strength Body Revive Roll-On ($27),” she says. This is a CBD-spiked blend with coconut oil and omega fatty acids that works to melt away tension as one form of recovery.

Just because Fonda’s workouts are low impact doesn’t mean that she skimps on other forms recovery, either. “I always stretch. I stretch every day,” says Fonda. Also in her recovery regimen? “My number one thing is that I sleep. I have to sleep eight or nine hours every night,” she says. To aid in her longevity-friendly wellness habits, the actress and activist is conscientious of how she eats, too, for broader environmental impact. “I eat fresh fruits and vegetables every single day. I eat almost no meat. And I’ve cut way back on fish,” says Fonda, explaining that she recently learned that big fish stocks are disappearing. “There are places in the world where fish is people’s only source of protein, so in a country like ours, where we have other choices, we should reduce our eating of fish.”

Fonda, who has become a leading environmental activist, hosts Fire Drill Fridays digitally where she sheds a light on climate change issues and galvanizes her community to advocate for real, long-lasting change. She continues to be an inspiration—not just from a fitness perspective, but for overall wellness and caring for others. But she’s learned that the foundation of all that she does involves serious self care. “I’ve learned a long time ago that if you’re an activist that isn’t taking care of yourself, you’ll pretty soon burn out,” she says. It’s a good thing the icon is savvy on longevity practices, because she still plans on doing a lot more for our planet.