Dick Van Dyke has unveiled the secret to his longevity just months away from his 100th birthday in December. In conversation with Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, he expressed amazement at his impending milestone while shedding light on his weekly fitness routine.
“When you think… I go back to 1925, I’m almost 100. This is insane. I’m going to have a big party,” he said, according to the Mirror, before adding: “Somebody said, ‘to what do you attribute your age and physical condition? ‘ and I said, ‘I’ve always exercised.'”
Incredibly, the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang actor maintains a strict workout schedule, visiting the gym three times a week. In light of this, Ted observed: “If I got there early enough I would see you literally work out on some weight machine. Then, almost like you were doing circuit training, you would not walk to the next machine, but dance.”
Van Dyke’s wife, 53-year-old Arlene Silver, also confirmed with pride: “He still does that!” Despite Van Dyke’s ambitious fitness targets, the NHS asserts that you ‘do not have to walk for hours’ or strain yourself to reap the benefits of exercise.
As it turns out, just a short 10-minute walk per day can help you burn off calories and build stamina while possibly boosting heart health. NHS advice adds: “Adults should do some type of physical activity every day. Exercise just once or twice a week can reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke.
“Speak to your GP first if you have not exercised for some time, or if you have medical conditions or concerns. Make sure your activity and its intensity are appropriate for your fitness.”
Meanwhile, Professor Claire Steves from King’s College London previously revealed on the ZOE Podcast that 45 minutes of walking three times a week could improve cognitive health too. At the time, she said: “So, to improve your cognitive health, you need to do more exercise than you’re doing now – up to a point – unless you’re an Olympic athlete.
“That’s the key thing. If we look at really big population studies, we can see effects, even with minimal levels of exercise and it’s fairly linear…So, whatever you’re doing, if you go up by a third, you’ll be improving yourself.”
News of Van Dyke’s routine comes as the couple just recently faced an evacuation from their Malibu home due to the wildfire dubbed ‘Franklin Fire’. Van Dyke said he was too ‘exhausted’ to make it to his car during to the incident and was saved by neighbours who rushed to help.
On the Today Show, he reportedly said: “It was coming from the hill, you could see it. And oh my God, and we got out of here. I was trying to crawl to the car, I had exhausted myself, I couldn’t get up.
“Three neighbours came and carried me out and came back and put out a little fire in the guest house and saved me.” According to RadarOnline, he also added: “I was trying to crawl to the car. I had exhausted myself. I couldn’t get up. And three neighbours came and carried me out and came back and put out a little fire in the guest house and saved me.”