Linda: Size 10 at 62? Why not! Never give up on yourself…
She’s survived Covid and a naked skate, now 62-yearold former model Linda Lusardi shares her top tips on staying in good shape… Come on, ladies, we can do it!
She may not look it, but Linda Lusardi is actually 62. The mother-of-two (Lucy is now 25, and Jack, 21) has clearly been gifted with pretty fabulous genes (her mum, Lilian, now 88, has always been naturally slim). But, as the former model tells best, the key to toning up and losing weight (she has always been between a size 10 and a 14, currently a 10) really isn’t rocket science. And Linda – who’s been married to former
Brookside actor Sam Kane, 52, since 1998, has some proven tricks up her sleeve that she’s happy to share…
So, tell us, Linda – how does a woman in her 60s stay looking so incredible?
That’s nice of you to say! I just think, never give up on yourself. It’s important to stay fit and healthy, because you live longer – and if that also gives you a great figure, it’s a bonus! Move a bit more, eat a bit less and you’ll start to tone up. Then, once you see an effect, you’ll want to do more. One propels the other. Start walking, take a Pilates class. I’ve got a treadmill at home and I do what I feel like I can, maybe just 15 minutes, every other day.
Are you’re feeling stronger, following your battle with Coronavirus?
I’m pretty much recovered now, thank goodness. The first real exercise I did since I was ill was skating for the ITV show, The Full Monty on Ice, which I started doing last Summer. We didn’t even do that much skating, but the small amount I did really toned me up – it totally changed the shape of my bum! And it did make me feel like I was back into the working world, to a healthier state of mind – like I had some worth.
It’s easy to settle into damaging mindsets about body image, though…
Definitely, to think, ‘Oh, well, I’m this age, I expect to be a bit overweight’, or huffing and puffing as you go up a flight of stairs. It doesn’t have to be that way! I’ve said it before, but 60 is the new 40 – you’re never too old to be the best you can be. I know I feel happier when I’m slimmer. I don’t mean going on a crash diet or being underweight – I mean, when I can put a dress on and it fits – that makes me feel good.
Do you believe in the word ‘diet’?
No, I don’t think diets work. You do have to change your lifestyle, if you want to change your body. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink heavily. Actually,
I’ve had no more than two or three glasses of wine since last March when I got Covid, my tolerance was low. I did have a glass or two of bubbly over Christmas, which I enjoyed!
Did you put any weight on over Christmas?
Yes, six or seven pounds and that’s fine! Because after all the binge-eating, the mince pies and the Christmas pudding, I know I can pull it back – using the tricks of the trade that have always worked for me. Any time I’m on holiday, I’ll always put on five or six pounds. I can’t lose the weight overnight, it takes five or six weeks – but it works!
What are some of these tricks?
One is very simple – don’t eat for half the day. I don’t eat after 9pm, so no snacks before bed, no sugary drinks. And I don’t have breakfast until at least 9am. That’s 12 hours of a 24-hour period without food – it gives your body a chance to process what you’ve eaten, and for your stomach to be empty before you go to bed.
What else do you do?
Again, it’s deceptively simple, but I eat off a smaller plate! That automatically slashes the calories you consume. Instead of having a chicken breast and a leg on there, I’ll just have the chicken breast. Just shrink the portions. Say, I normally have four roast potatoes – I’ll have three, or two. At the end of the week, that’s all added up. Oh, and always drink a pint of water before a meal – it fills you up!
Has hubby Sam ever expressed an opinion on your weight?
Oh, he wouldn’t dare! I don’t think he really notices if I’m a few pounds heavier or lighter – men generally don’t! Us women, we beat ourselves up. We’re our worst critics! But by the same token, I don’t have an opinion on Sam’s weight, either. And I know if I’m sticking to a routine, he’ll do it with me, so any extra pounds he’s put on come off too.
‘We beat ourselves up – we’re our worst critics’