The Hollywood actress favours little-and-often exercise, strength training and finding opportunities to move throughout the day
At 68, Sharon Stone is making a convincing case for a more flexible approach to fitness. Rather than relying on gruelling gym sessions or spending hours lifting heavy weights, the actress prefers to build movement into her everyday routine – whether that’s doing exercises between filming takes, wearing weighted bracelets while working at her computer or using a ThighMaster while watching television.
It’s an approach that puts consistency ahead of perfection, and one that Stone discussed in a recent interview with Vogue.
“All you have to do is move,” she said. “People think that you have to go to the gym and you have to do 3,000 pounds of weight all the time, but you don’t. You have to move your body, and add a little bit of resistance.”
It’s a philosophy that underpins much of her approach to exercise. Stone prefers to spread movement throughout the day rather than relying on one dedicated workout, incorporating strength exercises, swimming, yoga and dance into her routine.
She fits strength exercises into her day
Stone doesn’t believe that exercise needs to happen in a gym to be effective. Instead, she looks for opportunities to move wherever she happens to be – including at work.
“Periodically throughout the day, I just move my body,” she told Vogue. “I do it when I’m on set. I do leg lifts and back kicks and pop down on the ground and do some jackknifes.”
She even gets her colleagues involved, explaining: “My crew is always like, ‘That’s so cool that you just throw down and do some kickbacks.’”
For her upper body, Stone uses light weights in a series of movements she calls ‘arm jazz’. “Also, I do all my ‘arm jazz’ with these lead weights,” she said. “Pushing upwards for 15 minutes with a lead weight in your hand makes a lot of difference.”
She also has a simple trick for adding resistance while working at her computer. “I have little arm strap-on weight bracelets too, and I put them on while I’m on my computer or at my desk and just leave them on all day,” she said. “You’d be amazed how much working out you can do on your computer with a couple of pounds on your arms.”
It’s a useful reminder that strength training doesn’t always have to involve a dedicated session. Short bouts of resistance exercise can help build activity into a busy day, although it’s important to choose a manageable weight and maintain good technique.
She hasn’t ditched her old-school workout equipment
Stone is also a fan of finding simple ways to exercise at home. One of her favourite pieces of equipment is the Suzanne Somers ThighMaster, the resistance tool designed to work the inner and outer thighs.
“I have the Suzanne Somers ThighMaster, and frankly, it is sensational,” she revealed. “I put that between my legs while I’m watching TV, and my kids and all their teenage friends think it’s hilarious but they do it too.”
She also likes equipment that is easy to take away when travelling. “It is the kind of thing you can throw in your suitcase because it doesn’t take up any space,” she said.
The appeal is clear: rather than waiting for the perfect time to exercise, Stone looks for ways to make movement convenient and accessible.
She mixes up her workouts with swimming and dance
Alongside her everyday strength exercises, Stone’s wider routine includes pool-based workouts, yoga and dance.
Water-based exercise can be a useful way to work muscles while reducing some of the impact associated with exercising on land. The water provides natural resistance, while activities such as swimming and aqua exercise can help improve cardiovascular fitness.
Stone has also spoken about enjoying movement that doesn’t feel like a conventional workout. She prefers activities that keep her engaged, rather than spending time on a treadmill simply for the sake of it.
Putting on music and dancing is another way she enjoys moving her body. It’s a reminder that finding an activity you genuinely enjoy can make it easier to stay consistent – and that exercise doesn’t have to look the same every day.
She makes time for meditation, too
For Stone, looking after her wellbeing isn’t just about physical fitness. She also makes time for
She listens to a meditation called the Green Tara chant and spends time reading Buddhist texts.
“I usually break out from whatever I’m doing and go sit down and do that one exercise sometime during my workday,” she said.
She also believes in checking in with herself regularly, considering whether she’s looking after her physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
“We have to ask ourselves, ‘Have we contributed to our body wellness, our mental wellness, and our spiritual wellness today?’” she said. “And if we have not, we have to ask which of those areas needs to be cleaned up.”
She takes a mindful approach to food
Stone has also spoken about making conscious choices around what she eats, although she doesn’t suggest that one particular diet is a universal solution.
Her meals include vegetables, tofu and other nourishing ingredients. At times she reduces dairy and cuts out sugar during a particular period.
“For dinner, I ate black rice and kale and yams, and maybe avocado or hummus and tofu, and then once a week I have poached eggs,” she revealed.
The actress’s approach is a useful reminder that staying active doesn’t have to mean committing to punishing workouts or following a rigid routine and can instead be fitted into everyday life – in her own words, “All you have to do is move.”
