The Secrets to How Hollywood's Royalty Stays in Shape

There's no doubt today's young actresses can teach us all a thing or two about staying in shape. But so can Hollywood's timeless leading ladies. No matter if they're 55 or 76, women like Angela Bassett and Helen Mirren have workout routines and healthy outlooks that we want to copy ASAP. Have a look at our favorite classic ladies, and pick up a tip or two!

Goldie Hawn
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Goldie Hawn

A Hollywood legend — showing off her skills in films like The First Wives Club and winning an Academy Award for her work in Cactus Flower — Goldie Hawn knows how to stay in shape. It may be hard to believe, but the 68-year-old actress doesn't have a specific regimen, although she does enjoy yoga, walking, weight training, and even some in-line skating. "Sometimes I have 15 minutes to spare and sometimes I have two hours. I'll use my time accordingly," she said of a routine.

Angela Bassett
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Angela Bassett

If How Stella Got Her Groove Back was any indication of Angelas Bassett's body, the 55-year-old actress will forever stay in tip-top shape. Known for her toned arms and abs, she confesses that "as you get older, it takes a lot more work," and that she's hyperconscious of how much she weighs. When she's not filming for roles in films like Black Nativity and Olympus Has Fallen, the A-lister spends an hour on the treadmill and does an hour of weights daily to keep her figure.

Helen Mirren
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Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren has played everyone from Elizabeth II in The Queen, which won her an Academy Award, to a sniper shooter in Red 2. Something else the 67-year-old actress is good at is keeping a healthy body. Turns out, her secret to looking good and healthy living is moderation (and the occasional diet). "I've never done anything to excess," she's said before. "I've never drunk or eaten too much. It helps to stay balanced."

Ellen DeGeneres
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Ellen DeGeneres

At 55 years old, Ellen DeGeneres could easily pass for a woman in her 40s. The actress and talk show host knows how to live a happy life, and that often stems from her healthy lifestyle. Aside from not eating sugar, being vegan, and dancing every chance she gets, Ellen is a big yoga fan. She once said she'll opt for a daily morning yoga practice rather than snack on unhealthy treats. "I first started doing power yoga in LA, which really makes no sense. Power yoga? It's the opposite of what it should be. Yoga should calm you down!" She also said her "yogi" (aka — yoga instructor), leads her though 60 to 90 minutes of poses to calm her down before her hectic day begins.

Meryl Streep
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Meryl Streep

There's no such thing as "timeless Hollywood" without Meryl Streep. The 17-time Academy Award nominee isn't necessarily a fitness fanatic, but she keeps everything in moderation when it comes to her diet and exercise regimen. When the 64-year-old feels the need to slim down, she still allows indulgences but doesn't go overboard. She currently starts in August: Osage County, but when slimming down for her role in The Devil Wears Prada, she said, "I have been pushing the wine bottle away — at least after the first glass. I have to fit into these clothes."

Anjelica Huston
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Anjelica Huston

The Academy Award-winning actress famous for films like The Addams Family and who more recently starred in Smash has a long history of healthy living. Did you know her mother was a prima ballerina and she started a modeling career at age 17? The 62-year-old leading lady hasn't been shy to talk about how she's faced issues with body image throughout her career. Speaking of a photographer she met early on, she said, "We did some test pictures, and the answer sort of came from him through my mother that he didn't really think I'd be a model because my shoulders were too big. I was quite hurt by that, but anyway, onward."

Jane Fonda
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Jane Fonda

One of Hollywood's most famous faces, Jane Fonda isn't just known for her acting chops. The Academy Award winner exploded onto the workout scene with aerobics videos in the 1980s (hello, Jane Fonda’s Primetime Workout) and became known as a fitness guru. Most recently, before taking roles in The Butler and The Newsroom in 2013, she released a yoga DVD. "The goal is kind of like meditation, is to be totally present in your body in the moment," the 76-year-old said of the workout. "That’s when the most profound effects of yoga can happen. That’s what I urge people to try to do. It’s very important to be in your body." And as for food, she follows a strict diet and exercise regimen that includes no trans fats, partially hydrogenated oils, or dessert, and eats lots of fish and steamed vegetables.

Jamie Lee Curtis
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Jamie Lee Curtis

The famous True Lies actress never seems to age, and at 55 her secret has a whole lot to do with how she takes care of herself. Even though she has a funny nickname for her poochy midriff, she does all she can to maintain a healthy lifestyle. "I do Pilates, I do yoga, I exercise, I eat very carefully," she said. "I have a name for my middle here. Her name is Midge. When I do Pilates, we talk about Midge. 'Pull in Midge.'"

Susan Sarandon
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Susan Sarandon

It's safe to Say Susan Sarandon has a body women everywhere admire. And while the actress — who won an Academy Award for Dead Man Walking — takes care of her figure with workouts like yoga and ping-pong, she has a healthy attitude on body image and some advice to impart. " I look at pictures of myself when I was so critical and now I think, 'I looked pretty good! What was my problem?'"said the 67-year-old. "Girls, enjoy it! Get off your diets and stop complaining about your thighs because you have some roaming anxiety. Just enjoy the fact that you’re so naturally beautiful. So much of it has to do with attitude."

Sigourney Weaver
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Sigourney Weaver

This 64-year-old actress is used to playing the tough, muscly heroine in her movies, so it's no wonder Sigourney Weaver keeps fit. She has said that exercise keeps her looking and feeling young (she's been a devoted Pilates practicer in the past) as well as healthy. Plus, as a spokesperson for the American Heart Association, she helped spread the word of the importance of a healthy diet and exercise routine in the organization's Go Red campaign.