Jane Fonda, the famous 76-year-old actress and fitness activist credits an active lifestyle for keeping her emotionally centered and healthy later in life. “I believe in fitness,” Fonda says. “Whether you’re young, old, whether you’ve ever been exercising or just starting. It’s important. Maybe the most important thing in having a successful, long life.”

The star, who released her 23rd workout video just last year, says that staying physically active can play a crucial role in fighting depression and nervous breakdowns. “If you’re in the middle of a breakdown, working out really hard is not a bad thing because it does keep you from going over the edge – it gets the endorphins going. It makes all the difference in the world.” When asked how she’s stayed sane and humble in Hollywood after all these years, Fonda replied, “The fact that I have always remained physically active has had a great deal to do with it. It has kept me centred and balanced emotionally.”

The other motivating factor? Endorphins. “My energy is going, my blood is flowing and you know everything is moving. I also feel good because I am proud of myself – I did it! You know what I mean? That’s what keeps me going.”

All of the fitness, emotional balance, and endorphins contribute to Fonda’s positive outlook on aging. “When you’re outside of aging it’s really, really scary but when you’re in the middle of it it’s not scary at all,” she says. Fonda also isn’t embarrassed to admit she’s had a bit of plastic surgery for “bags and sagging” and has had hip and knee replacements. “I’m glad I live at a time when you can replace fenders and hubcaps… instead of saying ‘well, I have these problems so I’m going to stop’, what’s happened is I’ve adjusted how I work out to my physical limitations.”

Image via Wikimedia Commons