Over 50? So what? We uncover the health and fitness secrets of young-at-heart celebrities who are still on top of their game. And no, there's not an extreme workout regime or faddy diet in sight...

By Jane Murphy

The secret? Variation is key.

OK, she may have good genes on her side - but Twiggy has worked hard to keep her body and health in tip-top condition. But working hard needn't mean toiling away in the gym: Twiggy keeps things enjoyable and interesting by varying her fitness routine to include Pilates, tap-dancing, swimming and long walks along the Suffolk coast with husband Leigh Lawson. And what about her diet? ‘I eat healthily, I don't eat fried food, and I'm lucky to be married to someone who doesn't like dessert, so I just have a bar of Green & Black's in the fridge for when I need my chocolate hit,' she says.

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The secret? Learn to embrace change.

Since losing her husband John Thaw to cancer in 2002, Sheila has gradually come to terms with widowhood by throwing herself into new experiences, such as travelling alone. ‘Looking back from a great old age, you have to accept that change constantly happens, and embrace the change rather than try to ignore it,' she says. Sheila was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1988, but made a full recovery. ‘It made me more determined to enjoy life while I had it,' she later recalled. ‘On a practical level, I did improve my diet, take time to rest and try not to get stressed out over ridiculous, unimportant things. But most importantly, I made a conscious effort to live in the moment.'

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The secret? Stick to your workouts.

That much-charted 2004 facelift certainly helped Anne maintain her looks. However, the Watchdog presenter says her current healthy shape and boundless energy are all down to a strict - but not too daunting - exercise regime, comprising regular three-mile runs and plenty of stretching exercises. ‘If I wasn't fit, I'd be in trouble,' she insists. ‘Aside from exercise and slaving over a hot pair of weights, I don't know any other way to avoid having bat-wings under your arms.' Anne also tries to stick to an organic diet, which includes plenty of fresh fish and vegetables - and she hasn't drunk since overcoming alcoholism 30 years ago.

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The secret? Keep calm and carry on.

Dame Vera recently made the headlines when her greatest hits album reached No.1 in the charts - making her the oldest living person to have hit the top spot. She's also been busy signing copies of her new autobiography. So how does she keep going at such a grand old age? ‘The secret to my health is routine,' she says. ‘I get up every day at 7.30am and never miss a meal. I draw my old age pension, and when I'm at home in Sussex, I do my own shopping and cooking.' Dame Vera admits the death of husband Harry Lewis 20 years ago has left a ‘void that nothing can fill' - but she's learned to control her emotions. ‘Keep calm and carry on is what I say,' she insists.

The secret? Ignore your age.

She may have been dumped from the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel in favour of a woman less than half her age - but Arlene insists the key to good health and happiness is to ignore how old you are. ‘I've never felt that age is a barrier to anything - whether it be a career, success, love or looking fabulous,' she says. Arlene keeps fit by dancing (obviously), as well as swimming - but she also watches what she eats. ‘I always carry around a bag full of fruit - with lots of grapes and orange - so I can dive into it whenever I have hunger pangs,' she reveals. ‘I never allow myself to eat treats because once I start, I can't stop.'

The secret? Try acupuncture to boost your energy levels.

Gloria battled depression after her daughter Caron Keating died from breast cancer in 2004. ‘I never resorted to antidepressants,' she says. ‘What helped were letters from other grieving people and throwing myself into work.' Nowadays, she has acupuncture sessions every six weeks to help boost her energy levels. ‘My practitioner uses Japanese needles as they're much finer and less painful than Chinese ones,' she explains. Gloria also suffers from an underactive thyroid, which means she has to keep her cholesterol levels in check even more than most. ‘We cook from fresh and I'm eating red meat just once a week,' she says.

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The secret? Walk when you can - and hold your head up high.

Sex and the City star Kim says she loves food - but simply steers clear of bread and alcohol when she wants to lose some weight. She also keeps fit by building exercise into her day. ‘If I don't exercise, I feel sluggish,' she says. ‘I try to do 30 minutes a day. But if I can't get to a gym, I walk. I find it a release.' Kim says she maintains a healthy attitude to ageing by learning to love her maturity. ‘I think I look my age, but I don't want to be 20 any more - or even 30 or 40,' she insists. ‘And I look at people such as Helen Mirren or Judi Dench - these amazing women who look great, but they also look their age. Sex appeal is all about confidence - and that comes from self-knowledge.'

The secret? You get out of life what you put into it.

Trisha's recent battle with breast cancer saw her running (yes, running!) to radiotherapy sessions and refusing to allow herself to have ‘dark moments'. ‘I wasn't my illness,' she explains. ‘I didn't want to become the poster girl for breast cancer. I had weekly psychotherapy, so that was great support, and I took one day at a time.' Her cancer treatments left her menopausal - but she insists her fitness routine helped her through. ‘I was waiting for hell, but the menopause isn't that bad,' she insists. ‘If you're fit, you don't get the extremes of it. You get out of life what you put into it.'

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The secret? Maintain a healthy attitude - but don‘t get obsessed.

That picture of Dame Helen in her red bikini saw younger women turn green with envy - but the actress insists it was just taken from a flattering angle. What's more, she doesn't stick religiously to a fitness regime. ‘I go through phases of exercising,' she admits. ‘If I start getting puffy when I go upstairs, I'll force myself back into minimalist exercise. I'm a great believer in the Canadian Air Force exercises because they only take 15 minutes.' And what about dieting? ‘I've gone through many diets that are also very boring,' she reveals. ‘You stop eating, and that's what makes you lose weight: not eating. But as you get older, losing weight doesn't make your body look better, don't you think?'

The secret? Keep on partying!

GMTV presenter Penny doesn't allow those early-morning starts to meddle with her social life - and insists she rarely turns down an invitation. ‘I go out at least five times a week,' she admits. ‘Sometimes I drag my carcass out of the house and think, "I don't want to go" - and that's when I have the best nights.' Penny's even adjusted her sleeping pattern to fit her busy lifestyle. ‘I sleep in two shifts - four nights at night, four after work in the morning,' she admits. ‘Otherwise I'd have no social life.' But it's not just partying that keeps Penny happy and healthy: she also does plenty of yoga and goes on hiking holidays with friends, including fellow party girl Mariella Frostrup.

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