7 Weight Loss Tricks From Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda is considered one of the top diet and fitness gurus in the world. For decades the actress and workout video queen has maintained a fit and healthy figure, and at 85, is still looking sensational in her swimsuit. Over the years she has let a few of her top secrets and weight loss tricks slip out. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 7 of Jane Fonda's top weight loss tricks for staying in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

In a 2012 video for BeFiT, Fonda revealed that diets are not, in fact, the key to weight loss. "Most diets focus on weight loss on the scale, and they impose temporary and often unhealthy restrictive behavior," she said. "Unfortunately, this scenario sets us up to fail." She cited research stating that 80% of dieters "will regain all or most of the weight that they lost within two years." This is why drastic diets are not part of her approach. "Fad diets are the ones promising unrealistic results. You should not try to lose more than two to three pounds per week, max," she said. 

You won't find Fonda on any intermittent fasting plans. "Every morning, commit to starting the day with a nutritious breakfast. People who do so tend to lose weight," she said in the video. "Breakfast, by the way, is the most important meal of the day, and making a good choice there will set you up for success for the rest of the day."df44d9eab23ea271ddde7545ae2c09ec

Fonda says, allow yourself to indulge on occasion. "You don't want to feel deprived," she points out in the video. "You can't sustain that over the long haul. So, if you have a piece of chocolate, it's OK—just don't eat the whole box, or maybe take a longer walk tomorrow."

Fonda eats a healthy, clean diet that is as plant-based as possible. "I eat a fairly healthy diet. I'm not rigid," she dished to Vogue. "I have cut way back on red meat. I've cut back on fish because fish supplies are dwindling. I eat vegetables. I eat salads. I eat fresh food. I'm just careful about what I eat. I don't eat a lot of sugar, except lately I have."

When Fonda does indulge in "unhealthy" food she will exercise more. "I was in Italy for two and a half months making the sequel to Book Club, and ate gelato and pasta every single day while I was there," she told Vogue. "But I never gained weight. I would get up at six in the morning before the heat hit and walk for an hour, hour and a half, two hours on days when the work permitted me to do that. I walk a lot, and that helps me."

Fonda encourages movement. "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," she told Well + Good. "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."

Mix up your workouts, says Fonda. "It's important to do both cardio (aerobic) as well as resistance exercises. Aerobic activity is the only thing that gets rid of fat from all over your body including the marbled fat deep inside your muscles — dieting alone can't do this," Fonda wrote in a blog post.