While I was researching my book, “Prime Time,” I was struck by the depth of research showing that staying physically active is just about the #1 factor in whether you have a good Third Act or not. As Jane Brody, New York Times health writer says, “It’s not that very old people…can exercise because they are healthy…rather, they achieve a healthy old age because they exercise.” Activity strengthens the heart and bones, improves circulation, reduces obesity, thickens the skin and can help with depression because of the endorphins released into the system. Endorphins are brain chemicals that give relief from pain, enhance the immune system, reduce stress and bring us a sense of well-being. For some people it takes only ten minutes of moderate exercise to experience the endorphin rush. For others it might take 30 minutes.

Some people mistakenly think, “Oh, I can’t exercise. I’ve never done it…or I stopped that years ago!” Well, we’ve all heard the truism, “Use it or lose it.” What this leaves out, however, is that if it’s lost we can get it back. Not only can we recover lost functions but “in some cases we can actually increase function beyond our prior level.”

It’s important to do both cardio (aerobic) as well as resistance exercises. Aerobic activity is the only thing that gets rid of fat from all over your body including the marbled fat deep inside your muscles — dieting alone can’t do this. There’s more: All brain experts will tell you that physical activity will do more for brain health than the expensive computer-based brain games that are so the rage these days (though doing both might not be a bad idea!). Aerobics also helps the brain by reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke and improves cognitive functioning by slowing the age-related shrinkage of the frontal cortex of the brain which is where “executive functioning” like reasoning and problem solving take place. Reports show that as many as fifty million older Americans may get Alzheimers by mid-century. While research is underway to prevent or postpone the disease, scientists already know, as Jane Brody writes, “…people who exercise regularly in midlife are 1/3 as likely to develop Alzheimer’s in their 70’s. Even those who start exercising in their 60’s cut their risk of dementia in half.” Now THAT’S saying something!!

All of us know that we tend to put on weight as we get older. This is due partly to our tendency to be less active while continuing to eat the way we always have. But it is also due to the fact that we lose, on average, 3 to 5 percent of our muscle tissue each decade after age 30 so that by the time we reach seventy-five, our resting metabolism (basal metabolism) will have slowed, and dropped by about 10 percent– unless, of course, we become active enough to maintain our muscles and consciously eat fewer (but more nutrient-rich) calories.

Here’s a dramatic example of what can happen: If you eat just 100 calories more than you burn up every day, you can expect to gain more than fifty pounds in five years. In order to lose this fat, you have to burn it up as a source of energy. (ie., if the calories you eat are less than the number of calories you are burning as energy, then the additional energy you need will have to come from stored fat.) To sum up: Aerobic or fat-burning types of activities will help with weight loss as will increasing your resting metabolism rate through weight-training or resistance exercise to maintain muscle mass. According to research done at Tufts on people fifty to seventy-two years old, muscle mass can actually be increased more than 200 percent with exercise.

I had been out of the workout business since the mid 90s, but what I learned from my research motivated me to get back into it. I created a new brand, Jane Fonda’s PRIME TIME workout. I figured ‘who better than me? I’m old, I’m have physical issues like most people, I can’t do what I used to do—jump up and down, splits, etc—and I have credibility in this area. Why not make a whole new series of programs for boomers and seniors that are safe and effective? Nobody else is doing it!’

On the set of Firm & Burn

My first two DVD’s (Fit & Strong” and “Walkout”) came out last year and are best sellers they are currently available online and in stores. “Fit & Strong” won the Best Fitness Disc Award from Home Media Magazine. Now I am excited to announce the release of my two newest DVD’s. The first, called “Firm & Burn” is available right now at Target Stores. The second is called “Trim, Tone & Flex” and will be available, along with “Firm & Burn” in stores everywhere and online on December 6th. Both titles are available for preorder on Amazon. They are more like my older videos in that I have other people with me, real people, not models or buff dudes, and the music is fabulous: A live band on set doing Doo Wop, Funk, Latin…it’s really fun.

Home Media Magazine Best Fitness Disc Award

So just keep in mind what The MacArthur Foundation’s Study of Successful Aging, concluded: physical activity is “perhaps the single most important thing an older person can do to remain healthy… the crux of successful aging, regardless of other factors.”

And, please, if you do use these programs, let me know your thoughts—good or bad. You have no idea how much I learn from the people who write to me on my blog, facebook, and twitter.

And there’s work-related meetings—that part I love, especially story meetings with a group of talented people who leave their egos at the door. You feel free to make all sorts of suggestions knowing that if they’re not good, someone will tell you and visa versa. My BBF, film producer Paula Weinstein and I had one of those story brainstorming sessions with some wonderful writers last week. What fun!! Hopefully I can reveal more when the time is ripe. Stay tuned!

Then there was Lisa Nova. I got so many comments on my blog telling me I just had to have lunch with Lisa Nova, a major Youtube/social media maven. So I checked it out. Rather I had my blogmeister, the awesome social media entrepreneur, James Andrews, check her out. Of course he knew all about Lisa and was , like, OMG…you gotta do this. So I did. It wasn’t lunch. I was doing Leno and she was—well, busy doing her myriad things involving her company, videos, etc etc.

I didn’t know what to expect, though James assured me she wasn’t psycho. Around 7:30pm, in walks this gorgeous blonde—I mean movie star beautiful, but in a 100% natural way—with her brother who filmed everything from the first moment on a flip and a camera man with lights and regular camera. We moved some of Richard’s furniture, sat down in front of a roaring fire and began talking. No food (sorry Lisa) but my favorite polish vodka. She is very smart, easy to be with, someone I hope to stay friends with.

In a week or so, she is going to interview me on camera about my new DVDs. It’ll be live on Ustream. If you are a blogger interested please reach out to James Andrews (james@janefonda.com)

Tonight I’m going to a Christmas party at Jennifer Aniston’s. I will try to remember to bring a camera and then get a feel for the vibe—if it’s camera friendly.

I have one and a half more weeks of heavy duty press stuff and then, whew, I will collapse and have fun…walk more, read more, wrap Christmas presents (I shop all year so don’t have to hustle for gifts in Dec). xxxxxxx

P.S. Looking for a nanny for your kids? Laura Masseur was nanny for my 2 grandchildren in Atlanta and I was very impressed. You can contact her at lmasseur@yahoo.com

Click here to watch the full episode Available Until: 12/18/2010

episode aired 12/02/10

Jake's testing to see if I'm as strong as I was when he trained me...30-some years ago.

Jake came by the studio where we were filming my DVDs to do a shout-out for World Fitness Day and chat with me about the changes in fitness since we first met 30-some years ago. We used to work out in my driveway, using a broom handle, as I recall. He told me yesterday something I had not known: Ted Turner called him up one day and asked him to do a TV exercise show on TBS. “Ted gave me my big break,” Jake said. We had fun together, Jake and I, as these photos show.

We are exploring way to work together. He is a good business man and a really nice guy.

The whole crew celebrating after 3 full, fun days of taping my DVDs. I'm attempting to assume the iconic first Jane Fonda Workout legs-in-the-air pose (click photo to enlarge)

Even Tulea got into the act

With Karen Kawahara, my makeup stylist, looking at the monitor of what we just shot

Waiting in front of the lights to start the first interview

Richard Simmons just arrived to join me in the interviews. Doesn't he look fantastic!!

Can't be serious around Richard for long.

Richard and I being interviewed...and, actually, it did get serious (and quite moving) for awhile

With Darren Capik, producer/director of my new dvds

Yesterday’s blog about Valentine’s Day will come tomorrow because the photos from last night’s party haven’t been sent to me yet.

Stay Tuned

See you next time.