Unveiling the Workout Secrets That Keep Susan Lucci in Star Shape

Susan Lucci is one of the most well-known soap stars of all time. She played the iconic character, Erica Kane, on All My Children from 1970 to 2011. Lucci was nominated for 21 Daytime Emmys for the role, notably winning once in 1999. She also appeared on season seven of Dancing With The Stars. Lucci’s other TV roles include Devious Maids and Dallas. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 7 ways Susan Lucci stays in shape and the photos that prove they work.

1. She Was Inspired By Her Mother

Noam Galai/Getty Images

Lucci is passionate about wellness. She tells Closer Weekly that her late mother inspired her to do so. "She was a registered nurse who believed in prevention. She encouraged everyone to do the best with what you’ve got. Get up off the couch, take it day by day and do what works for you."

2. She Reduces Stress

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Lucci notably had a heart attack which resulted in surgery. She tells Closer Weekly that she has learned to reduce stress to take care of herself. “Mine was caused by a calcium buildup. I learned with my heart incident that stress plays a very real role in our health. Physical exercise, in addition to keeping you physically healthier, is a great way to de-stress.”

3. She Loves Pilates

Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Lucci is a big fan of doing Pilates to stay in shape. “I do several forms,” she told Closer Weekly. “I love my Pilates Pro Chair because it gives me cardio at the same time, but I also work out with a mat and a vinyl ball. I intend to keep it up this year, and I am looking for ways of stepping it up, too.”

4. She Eats Better

Rob Kim/Getty Images

Lucci makes sure to eat healthy. She revealed to Harper’s Bazaar that doing Pilates has helped her eat better. "Once I started doing Pilates, I lost my taste for things like cheeseburgers and French fries," she explained. "I rarely eat dessert, never snack, and I don’t eat a lot of bread and pasta. I’ll have one glass of champagne when we go out to dinner, but I don’t drink at home."

5. She Loves Hot Water With Lemon

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Lucci loves to drink hot water with lemon. She tells New Beauty, “Drinking hot water with lemon was something I learned when I was 18 and working in the summer during college. I observed older people who were having breakfast, and each of them was ordering it to drink. All of them were well into their 80’s, or at least that was my perception at the time. And I thought: ‘Gee. They are traveling on their own steam and that’s what they are having. Put that in the back of your head; it might come in handy some time.’”

6. She Takes Care of Her Skin

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Lucci shared some of her skincare secrets in her New Beauty interview. “My husband is from Austria and I got married young. When we would travel together, something I noticed and admired very much was beautiful skin that was taken care of, which made me realize early on that you don’t need a lot of makeup or a lot of cover-up, just start with a beautiful canvas. So I started going with my husband to local pharmacies [in Europe] and he was able to translate what the ingredients were in those beauty products for me. Of course, over the course of time, so many of those products have been brought here.”

7. She Does Cardio

Patrick McMullan/PMC via Getty Images

Lucci loves to do cardio workouts. She tells The Huffington Post, "I try to combine some cardio, too, and whatever I'm doing, it's all about the core and flexibility and balance." The Cleveland Clinic states that cardio has a lot of benefits. “When part of an overall heart-healthy lifestyle, not only can regular cardio exercise lead to a decrease in your resting blood pressure and heart rate, but these basic changes can also mean your heart doesn’t have to work unnecessarily hard all of the time. Maintaining a good cardio routine also helps improve good cholesterol levels while lowering blood fats.”