Jane Fonda reveals the workout routine that keeps her fit at 87

• Jane Fonda, 87, says her workout routine hasn't changed much over the years.
• "I essentially do everything I used to do, just slower," Fonda told People, adding that she loves walking.
• Research has shown that walking just 4,000 steps a day can lower a person's risk of dying early.

Jane Fonda may be 87, but she's still as fit as a fiddle.

In fact, her workout routine hasn't changed much over the years, the actor told People in an interview published over the weekend.

"I essentially do everything I used to do, just slower," Fonda said. "I used to be a runner, but now I love walking. I love being outdoors in the woods, especially up and down hills."

Regardless of her schedule, Fonda ensures that she gets a bit of exercise every day.

"I work out every day, so it is important to mix up the way I move. I alternate days doing upper body and lower body work for strength. I also find some way to get cardio in. Walking outside is one of my favorite ways to do so," she said.

The actor has long been passionate about fitness. In the '80s, she released a series of home workout videos, beginning with "Jane Fonda's Workout" in 1982.

Looking back at her home workout tapes, Fonda said she had "no idea" they would become so popular.

"When I was starting out, there weren't many rigorous forms of exercise available to women," Fonda said. "I learned the basic workout from a charismatic teacher named Leni Kasden in the '70s."

After the videos were released, she would receive "amazing letters from around the world" from fans about how the workouts impacted their lives, she added.

"One was from a young woman in the Peace Corps in Guatemala who did the exercises in her mud hut," Fonda said. "Another woman said she looked in the mirror as she was brushing her teeth and noticed new muscles in her arms. She wrote that it made her feel empowered, and that day she went to work and stood up to her handsy boss for the first time."

Walking can help you live longer

For those who lead sedentary lifestyles, the best thing they can do for their health is to start somewhere, Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventative cardiologist, told Business Insider previously.

"Doing something is better than doing nothing," she said. "If walking is the beginning stages of embracing a heart healthy life, then it is the initial stages that will create habits that will be sustainable and last for a lifetime."

A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology in 2023 found that walking just 4,000 steps a day can lower a person's risk of dying early.

Research shows that walking can help reduce stress and anxiety while improving heart health. Some studies also suggest that brisk walking — at about 2.7 to 3 miles an hour — can make a bigger difference in terms of health benefits.

A representative for Fonda did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.