Naomi Watts is covering Shape this September, which is nice to see. She has a bunch of projects she’s promoting, including The Loudest Voice, the Showtime series about Fox News where she plays Gretchen Carlson, and the movies Luce and Ophelia. She also talks about her work with UNAIDS and her motivation for helping that charity. Plus she has a high end skincare boutique, Onda Beauty, she started with two friends. I’m going to cover the skincare stuff separately early next week as I have so much I want to say about that! In this post I’m focusing on her comments on exercise and fitness, another one of my favorite topics. At 50, Naomi finds it harder to keep and maintain muscle. She addresses that with heavier weights and less strenuous workouts, including yoga and pilates. She eats what she wants within reason and doesn’t ascribe to any diet restrictions, which is nice to hear.
Her diet has “wiggle room”
“The minute I put myself in any kind of constraint with eating, I’ll end up rebelling and not doing the right thing. So I allow myself room for naughty and nice. I grew up in the ’70s, and my mom was a hippie in the day who baked her own bread and made vegetarian dishes. So that’s my comfort food. Superhealthy. It’s what I crave.When I was first trying to get pregnant, I cut out a lot of wheat, sugar, and dairy in my diet—and I remember drinking tons of wheatgrass juice. So I’ve tried to stay with that, but there’s wiggle room. It doesn’t mean I won’t eat french fries. I’m done with wheatgrass juice, though. In fact, it may make me gag just thinking about it.”
She works out differently now that she’s 50
“I love the feeling of exercising. But the days of getting up at 4 or 5 a.m. to work out are long gone for me. I’m not fanatical, so I change it up. I love yoga, and I have a Pilates Reformer in the house. Also, as you get older, you have to work harder to keep muscle tone, so that’s why I do strength training with weights. Not the three-pound kind but with higher-level weights using barbells. I have a trainer, because I can’t exercise very well if I’m not being instructed. It’s as if I suddenly develop amnesia: I can’t remember any moves. And nobody is watching, so I’m not going to care if I do three instead of 20.”On being an ambassador for UNAIDS
“Living in the ’90s in the fashion world and losing friends was just incredibly upsetting. I felt privileged to be able to help in Zambia [on a 2006 UNAIDS fact-finding mission] and to see how hard people were working there to make it better. In the last 10 years that I’ve been working with UNAIDS, people have been getting hold of the antiretroviral drugs, so there’s [significantly reduced] transference from mother to child. We still need to do more and remove the stigma, but it’s great to have witnessed such a positive change.”
This was a great interview which Shape kept short and full of interesting details, which is hard to do for Naomi. She’s not usually highly quotable as she keeps her personal life private. I’m glad we got to hear about her diet and exercise habits, especially since she sounds so reasonable. I’m like that with my diet in that I don’t limit what I eat but try to keep it healthy for the most part. (I’m a calorie counter as you may know.) As for exercising, I’m trying to be less fanatical as she mentions but it’s hard. Fitness classes help a lot, and I’ve been doing classes which are half cardio and half circuit training, similar to working with a trainer just in a group. It’s firming me up but I’m so much hungrier than when I mostly did cardio! She’s right about the need for more strength training as you age. Also the fact that we need to do more stretching and body work. The older I get the easier it becomes to get hurt doing high impact exercise.
Great. So she expects people to keep obsessing about their appearance after 50? Christ, I thought one of the perks of being old was that you got to relax and stop caring about trying to impress people.
yeah true. but i also think that when i’m 50 i’ll be able to force myself to walk as much as i do now and stay in some sort of shape. i don’t have a toned body even now in my 30’s; like i’m skinny but soft. but i would love to invest more time in taking care of it, and do that no matter how old. i wouldn’t call it obsessing with my appearances, rather staying in shape in a way of staying healthy. she is an actress though, and hollywood is not gonna change – they’re always gonna be under pressure and questioned for their looks so i have to cut her some slack.
What are you talking about? She’s eating healthy and working out to stay fit. Um, nothing wrong with that! I’m 45 and like when I look good, I like to be fit and I want to stay fit and healthy long into my golden years so we can do everything we have planned.
It has everything to do with how I feel and nothing to do with what others think.
@Drea: Good for you. I stopped working out because it made me tired, took up too much time and it was boring. I don’t miss it at all.
@actual Denny Lsu – I don’t “work out” really. I walk about 5-7 miles a day though. I walk to the train, walk at lunch and about a 2 mile walk home from work. I enjoy it, gives me time to daydream. Oh, and I do squats and push ups at night.
Seriously. Where has she said anything about expecting anyone else to do the things she does? Maybe you care more than you realize if you took this comment personally and it upset you somehow.
And exercising is healthy, there’s nothing wrong in wanting to have strength and look fit. You’re not supposed to just give up at 50, that sounds like being depressed, not comfortable with yourself…
I think that due to it being for Shape magazine there is a certain audience and the subject is: the body and how to keep it in shape. And in her business she is image focused. Nature of the beast.
The older I get the more I realize weights are needed. She is being vocal about what happens as we age. But the older I get the less I care what other think, I’m doing it more for myself because balance begins to go and flexibility. And that causes falls which become dangerous. Growing older is a bitch and we need to take care of ourselves. Exercising regularly and keeping it up pays off and I see the difference in people who are 70 and do so.
Amento being fit helping you as you age. My dad has always been athletic and at 85 he still walks a ton and is generally healthy. My mom, who’s pretty much always been sedentary, has so many health issues cropping up. She’s 8 years younger than my dad but she moves as if she’s older than him.
Like most of Hollywood, I’m sure appearance plays a big part in her motivation, but she is absolutely right about needing to work harder to keep muscle – (and bone for that matter). The use of “tone” is a bit problematic (a muscle can shrink or get bigger but can’t be “toned”)…
I don’t think it’s just about ‘obsessing’ about how you look. I’m in my early 30s but I lift weights because I want to feel strong, have more energy, and it helps with my anxiety. Weights are really important as you age because it helps maintain healthy bone density. Why wouldn’t you want to keep healthy past fifty?
1. Fifty is not old. 2. She’s in a profession that requires a bit of obsessing about appearance. For women, at least. 3. I don’t see anywhere in the quotes where she’s telling anyone else what to do. She’s talking about herself to the magazine interviewing her.
I am going to tell you something that you will learn soon enough, probably the hard way. Once you hit 50 you either work at staying fit or you begin a slow decline into immobility. I like being mobile.
Ugh, so true!
Darla, this is such a simple way to look at it…and so true. I am not old, mid-40s and I have been going through a health slump…just not exercising, eating poorly. At this point, motivation to stop this BS and get serious about my health is not about looks. I am never going to look 22 again*. But I see the future, and yes, I want to remain mobile.
*plenty of women my age look FANTASTIC, not saying that anyone in their mid-40s should just give up. I just think *I* personally do not have what it takes to get there. But I could be a LOT more healthy.
Hi Turtle…I totally understand as I have gone thru a period like that. It was just prior to and then in the aftermath of a hysterectomy. Just start walking. It may even hurt. But if you can just do a little each day, or every other day, it’s a good beginning.
I believe it.
I’ve always been someone who can gain weight easily (between 5-10 lbs) but I also used to be able to lose it just as easily. Now at 40 if it takes me two or three weeks of bad eating to put on weight, it will take me 4-6 weeks to lose.
It sucks, but it’s just the reality of getting older.
Darla’s approach is really the one that we all should have as we age. It’s not just about looking good and feeling good, it’s about retaining a level of fitness that allows us to be mobile.
Darla absolutely true. One of my biggest fears is not being mobile and strong in my golden years, if I reach them. I’ll be 50 in a couple of months and i go to the Gym to lift weights , not to look good, but to be strong and take care of my bone density, i also go to my chiropractor twice a month. Mobility… i want to be mobile and strong in my 70’s and 80’s!
First of all, being in the 50s isn’t ‘old,’ it’s the latter part of middle age. In current demographic speak (which will shift over time), ‘old’ starts in the mid-late 60s and even that is young-old. Old-old starts in the mid-80s. Fastest-growing demographic group.
Second, she’s not talking about fitness in terms of obsessing over one’s appearance. The use of the word muscle “tone” is unfortunate because that was traditionally the way to soften the sense that women could built strong muscles. Men never “tone,” they “bulk up.” !
Third, building strength is exceptionally important as we get older, for both women and men. For women, there is that extra bonus of helping maintain bone as well as muscle strength (although men can lose bone density, they just start later, unless they have a medical condition). Strength training has also been shown to have cardiovascular and cognitive (mental) benefits.
Due to our hormonal differences, we women don’t tend to show muscle the way men do, but we can still be stronger and fitter. As well, we can work for muscle stamina as well as size. We have lots of things to do as we age and being strong can help us make sure we can do them.
Oh, PS, strong muscles help support aging, arthritic joints to help reduce that pain.
WATP, speaking as someone fast coming up on 75, old starts around 85 and old-old around 95. Lol.
But, agree with all your other points.
Where did you get obsessing from? It is healthy to exercise and eat well. It’s not about impressing anyone.
Actual, I actually went back and read the passage to see what I missed.
No, she’s not expecting people after 50 to obsess over their looks.
Whahhh??? I’m 66 and work out 5 days a week – the older you get the more important it is to keep a steady workout routine going or you’ll face weight gain, loss of balance, arthritic joints and, for women, osteoporosis. Furthermore I’m not doing it to impress people I’m doing it to stay f*cking healthy.
How old are you? You sound like a snotty teenager.
LOL good for you, Jaded 😀
It also helps ward off Alzheimer’s.
I think the key here is that she says she likes the feeling of working out. I don’t think she’s expecting anything of anyone else. She’s talking about what she likes to do. And her looks are part and parcel to her job!
She’s talking to Shape magazine. It wouldn’t really make sense to tell people not to exercise…
She sounds balanced to me. She didn’t sound vain — she’s stating a fact about losing muscle after a certain age. And I’m not sure why you would look for non-exercise advice about aging in a magazine called Shape.
Yes to everything Naomi and CB said about exercise after 50. The tricky thing for me is I am also much hungrier now that I’m lifting heavy weights and weight can really pile on quickly after you turn 50 (although for me the more obvious aging effects started happening at 51-52). I’m a vegetarian and I pretty much still eat whatever I want but some weeks I just try to cut back a bit on portions and sweets.
My muscles are actually more toned than they’ve ever been but I’m not super happy with how I look because my skin has started to sag. I have to keep reminding myself that the twenty and thirtysomethings that I’m working out alongside have twenty and thirtysomething skin. Sigh.
The main thing working out does for me and always has is help keep my depression and anxiety under control. It really helps a ton.
Yay Esmom! Thanks for this, I’ve found the same things. And that skin sag thing is just so weird. Like suddenly understanding why the older ladies at family weddings wore illusion sleeves (LOL).
It’s hard when you’re younger to imagine all these changes later on but they just keep coming and we have to adjust. I’m in my early 60s and arthritis is underway simultaneous with the need for bone density improvement – starting to figure out a shift in my regimen. It’s not easy, and anything we can hear about how to make that work is beneficial.
Yes, WATP, on the illusion sleeves. I do know I’ll adjust to this, just like I adjusted to the hot flashes and the emerging propensity for more aches and pains. I’m sure one day I’ll think I looked pretty banging for 52, lol, since it will only get worse.
I don’t really care that much how people think I look, I’m also more interested in staying healthy and fit enough to remain mobile for as long as possible. Good luck with your keeping your bones strong and your arthritis under control. It’s a project to keep healthy, for sure, but I have no complaints.
She doesn’t have Hollywood white teeth, interesting
Ps I’m obsessed with teeth at the moment
Yes! Me too, though I always have been. I totally noticed it.
Oh I really relate to her saying that at 50 her days of getting up 4-5 am to work out are long gone. Do you know for years I was at the gym at 4:30 am every single morning? And i loved doing it? Sometimes I would get there at 4:20. I went to a World Gym that was open 24 hours. I ran on the treadmill five miles and did the machine circuit. I think about that now and it seems insane. I could just imagine my face if someone woke me at 4 am and told me time to get dressed for the gym. I still have a headache at that time from my half bottle of Rose the night before.
BUT…a long walk later in the day, a 2 hour bike ride at the park on weekends? Yeah, I am down for that.
From about 21-35 I did that shit. Not 4AM but 5AM and that still seems insane to me, looking back.
Also relate to having sleep through the booze, although my drink of choice is beer lol.
I love that her generation is changing the way we culturally look at women in their 50s ( Halle, Naomi, Salma, Nicole, Jennifer Connelly, Jennifer lopez, Marissa tomei, Jennifer Aniston, etc) . Men historically get to retain a level of attractiveness and virility for decades, it’s finally time for women to get the same opportunity. No more stigmatizing menopause as a woman’s social death. No more requisite old lady hair and grandma roles ( unless they want them)
I love it too. But it’s going to take a long time to change the mindset.
Surprisingly it’s younger women who I find hanging on to these stereotypes more than others. I see so many young women using “old” as an insult to any woman over 40! 😀
THIS! I love that women over 40 are now the biggest stars in Hollywood – Naomi, Charlize, Nicole, Reese, Jada, Gabrielle Union, Laura Dern, Laura Linney… Naomi looks fantastic. I didn’t get serious about exercise until I was 30, and now ten years later I’m in the best shape of my life. I don’t care if I’m old – I can run a 5k now, no problem.
I started to take care of my body at 30 years old and I regret not starting in my 20s. Weight lifting is amazing and I love it. I still have a long road ahead of me towards a toned body and Michelle Obama’s wonderful arms.
I’m 60!! Woot woot! I exercise because it makes me feel good, to preserve muscle strength, and to be healthy. The older you get, the more likely you are to get a belly, and that’s not healthy. “Looking good” is an extra benefit. I don’t care at all what other people think about my appearance. I do it for me. And that is a MAJOR benefit of aging. You just don’t give a s—t what others think!!! If only we could have that attitude when we are young. It’s something I wish for all my younger friend, b/c they ROCK!
I’m 46 and for the first time a few months used actual heavy weights and loved it. I’ve always liked running but as I get older I know I need to use weights to keep my bones strong. I’ve somehow gained weight over the past year and I hate diets so I’m hoping increasing my running and weight lifting will help me lose some weight. Part of that hope is vanity, but I’m also hoping that getting in better shape/losing some weight will help my energy levels and make it so that my feet don’t hurt all of the time! Plus, running is the only thing I’ve found that really helps improve my mood/reduce my anxiety in this nightmare of an existence we call America these days.
Everything she said is true! You *do* have to work harder at 50+. When I was young I was a skinny minnie. I could eat anything in any quantity and not gain weight. Le Sigh! Then, when I started gaining weight and I was like — omg I’m 25 lbs overweight. I would cut out chips (my vice) and do a few things and the weight would fall off lickety split. Now? Yeah, exercise is necessary. I cut out or cut way down on bad eating habits, drink only water and herbal tea — and does the weight “fall off” like it used to? NO. Not even close.
We all know that to be fit and in shape is important at any age, but around 50 it really hits home. Do I want to be mobile and not suffer from constant aches and pains? No, I don’t. So, even though I would love to sit on my butt, binge on Netflix and wish eating pizza counted as some sort of aerobic activity, I can’t do that anymore. Exercise and watching my diet is a necessity. We just bought an stationary bike, because my hubs work schedule during the week makes it difficult to go to the gym–but we need to do something. Anything. So now, I just put a show on TV, and haul my butt up on the bike and do my best for as long as I can.
The other thing that has changed is vanity. I have also reached the point where I don’t give two cents what anyone else thinks (which is so freeing), but I do care about my health and exercise does indeed help with stress and anxiety. It’s a win-win.
What happened to GYPSY season 2?! Such a great show, been waiting forever.
I’m pushing 50 and used to be able to eat whatever the hell I wanted and not gain weight but those days are long gone now. I work out and eat sensibly (mostly) but I’ve got about 15lbs that I just can’t seem to get rid of and I am my worst critic. I HATE that I care so much but also, why don’t men have the same pressure to have a flat tummy? It sucks!
Cut carbs (not out but how much you eat in a day) and the weight will move. I’m 53 and work out every day but I couldn’t move 10 extra lbs. I cut carb 2.5 weeks ago and I’ve lost 3lbs so far.
Mel is right – I don’t eat white bread, pasta, rice, etc. I don’t eat sweets, I get my carbs from whole grains in modest proportions. Portion control is important too. Breakfast is usually fruit and yogurt or cottage cheese with a bit of granola. Lunch is usually a salad with chick peas, hard-boiled eggs, hummus and brown rice crackers. Dinner is lean chicken/turkey/fish (I don’t eat beef, pork or lamb), some combination of veggies i.e. broccoli salad/bean salad/roasted beet salad – pretty much anything can be used in a salad – and a modest amount of brown rice, whole grain pasta, quinoa, or steamed potatoes. Key word is “modest”.
There’s ton of studies linking lack of cardio with higher mortality, but recently there’s also studies that show a correlation between higher mortality and muscle strength (not muscle mass).
what? muscle strength and mortality? WHY? Thanks.
Sorry. I meant lack of muscle strength, of course.
As others have said, for me too the issue is staying fit and healthy, which gets so so so much harder and takes so much more work with each year. There is a bit of vanity to it for sure, but mainly it’s about avoiding the diseases so commonly related to weight gain — heart disease, diabetes, etc. There’s also so much that’s so unhealthy in our culture — the sugar and toxins in our food, the massive stressors of work and politics, etc. Staying healthy is at least one defense against that. I’ve found that doing activities I truly love (ballet, hiking, rowing, kayaking, etc.) and cooking most of my own meals w whole foods is healthy and a really nice way to live.
Just found this quote too — In “A Burst of Light,” Audre Lorde writes, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” I know some may come at me here for getting political w this, but I do think there’s a measure of reclaiming power by taking care of ourselves, tending our own garden…