7 Weight Loss Tricks From Lynda Carter

Lynda Carter is the original Wonder Woman—and at 71 years old, she's still rocking a strong and toned physique worthy of a superhero. "People are always trying to put me in a box," she has said. "Either I'm too tall, I'm too pretty, [or] I'm too this … or 'You're Wonder Woman,' or 'You're an actress,' or 'You're a singer, so you can't do that.' I think that people like to put you down to one line — a synopsis of some kind. And I just don't pay any attention to it." Here are 7 ways Carter stays in incredible, age-defying shape.

Carter avoids starchy carbohydrates, as it leads to unwanted weight gain. "I am off of all bread and eat a tiny bit of pasta; because I just found that if I just go off of it because when I started eating a little bit, I put on pounds," she says. "I drink a lot of stuff with ginger in it. It seems to help my joints a lot and just basically trying to be healthy and not be a slug and keep my body moving."

Carter credits her Peloton bike with helping her keep in tip-top shape. "Indoor cycling is a rhythmic and dynamic cardiovascular workout that engages the entire body," says instructor Ally Love. "By pedaling to the beat, you elevate your heart rate and strengthen your cardiovascular system. Regular cycling sessions can improve endurance, boost circulation, and enhance overall heart health."

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Carter works out with a personal trainer three times a week and enjoys jumping rope. "I fight [age] every step of the way!" she says. For diet, the actress focuses on portion control and not restriction. "I'm a chocolate fiend," she once admitted. "I was awful last night, but I'm not going to do it again tonight!"

Carter finds it easier to stay at her ideal healthy weight if she doesn't keep clothes that enable fat gain. "I put on weight easily, but I've decided never to keep 'fat clothes' again," she says. "They mean that when your jeans don't fit, you move on to your fat clothes and fill them up. When I wore the Wonder Woman outfit, I never thought about my body. I just took it for granted. I don't have a 20-year-old's body any longer. You come to terms with it. It's just gravity, baby."

Carter loves to go rowing, but she always protects her skin. "I've stayed out of the sun," she says. "And I harp the same with my daughter. I have used Purpose soap for years and years, and [did not wear] a lot of makeup. I would always use Coppertone For Faces Only on my hands when I drive and sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreeeeen! I row on the Potomac River, so I also wear athletic wear that has built-in sunscreen, like Coolie. There are several that have really good protection, and some hiking gear that have it as well."

Excessive alcohol intake is notoriously bad for health and weight, and Carter lives a sober life. "I've been in recovery for 27 years," she says. "And I didn't even start drinking until I was in my mid 20s. It was baffling. I could not understand why I had this compulsion. How could this possibly be that I cannot handle something in my adult life that everyone else can?"

Carter enjoys delicious, nutritious eggs for breakfast. "Eggs are a good source of protein (both whites/yolk). They also contain heart-healthy unsaturated fats and are a great source of important nutrients, such as vitamin B6, B12 and vitamin D," says Kurt Hong, MD, an internal medicine specialist at Keck Medicine of USC. Carter even uses them for skincare benefits. "On Sunday mornings when I make eggs for the family, I'll crack an extra and put just the whites on my face to tighten and ward off any blemishes," she says.