91 And A Picture Of Health, Clint Eastwood Shares The Longevity Code He Has Mastered – Times Now

When the famous English broadcaster, journalist and author — Sir Michael Parkinson interviewed Hollywood actor Clint Eastwood for The Guardian (UK) in 2003, he summed up the latter’s fame in a sentence. “The oldest adage in the business; the bigger the star, the shorter the introduction. Clint Eastwood.” The man needs no introduction. 

But he has just been going on working forever. Beginning as an actor in 1955 with “Revenge of the Creature“, he walked into everyone’s hearts with the Dollars Trilogy: A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) and created history. Who can forget the cop in Dirty Harry (1971)? With a couple of Oscar awards and Golden Globe awards won along the way, Eastwood has had a lifetime of achievements — at the age of 91, he is the actor, director, producer of Cry Macho (2021) — with no plans to hang up his boots. 

It’s unbelievable how Clint Eastwood — this man who played the brutal and courageous hero of the Western movies — has made ageing look easy. The 91-year-old who has achieved endless success within Hollywood has also achieved remarkable success in fighting off the effects of ageing. What is the star’s secret to living a long life?

Eastwood’s secret to a long and healthy life:

What are the habits this healthy 91-year-young man has been following? What is his secret therapy? What makes it look like at 91, he still has a lot to live for and to contribute? In a famous interview with Ellen Degeneres, we also saw how during one of the raging California fires that threatened to burn the Warner brothers’ studio down, he rushed in with an idea of attempting to salvage and save whatever he could before the fire engulfed the iconic place… luckily the fire did not reach the studios, so Clint Eastwood instead chose to sit down and work on the sound edits of his film in its sound studios then.

Stay young, “Never let the old man in”!

According to Express.co.uk, Clint Eastwood — in his talks in the past, has revealed that the “trick” is to simply “lay back and enjoy” growing older, along with a healthy diet, enjoying time outdoors and keeping your mind on top form.

“I have a friend that is in his 90s, and I said to him, ‘You look real good – what’s the deal?’ Eastwood said when talking to Closer.

“He says, ‘Never let the old man in.’ And he never did,’ the star added. Express.co.uk reports that after losing his father to a fatal heart attack at the age of 63, Eastwood became even more focused on his own health.

In stark contrast to his late father, Eastwood prioritised his diet, and actively worked on keeping his cholesterol levels low.                     

Clint Eastwood’s fitness regimen:                          

In an article by Muscle and Fitness, Eastwood opened up about his diet. He listed the following habits:

1. I’ve never carried much body fat, but I’ve always been pretty good about watching my diet. 
2. Stay away from carbohydrates, especially rich desserts.
3. Keep a scale in your bathroom. 
4. Get proper rest. 
5. Try to be optimistic. 
6. Eat fruits and raw vegetables. 
7. Take vitamins. 
8. Skip beverages loaded with sugars. 
9. Avoid alcohol in excess.

Express.co.uk report also quotes Clint Eastwood’s doctor at the time, Dr Harry Demopoulos as listing the following lifestyle habits of Clint Eastwood:

Eastwood’s doctor says of Clint:

1. He never eats fat, 
2. He takes his antioxidants faithfully, 
3. He works out like a demon, 
4. He gets plenty of sleep, which is an area that is often neglected in a fitness program.

In early 2019, the actor appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and talked to host Ellen DeGeneres about his feelings when it comes to ageing. “I don’t think about it,” the Unforgiven star admitted when asked what he thought about nearing his 90th birthday. “I sometimes think, when I was a little kid and I used to hang out with my grandfather who was in his 90s, and I thought, ‘Jesus, who the h— would want to live this long,’” Eastwood recalled with a laugh — to which, Ellen quipped back, “Turns out you do.” 

Clint Eastwood’s son Scott Eastwood revealed how dedicated his elderly father is to his diet and exercise. In a 2017 interview with Men’s Health, he discussed the “Eastwood Code”. “Yeah, it’s actually a thing,” Scott Eastwood spelt out a few elements of the family playbook:

The Clint Eastwood Code:

1. You show up on time. 
2. When you say you’re going to do something, you try to do your best at it. 
3. You don’t backstab people. 
4. You don’t bitch and complain about what you’re doing. 
5. Being compassionate is big. 
6. And it’s always important to act like a gentleman.

Scott also added that his dad taught him the value of money and dignity of labour: “My dad never gave me a cent. He made me work for everything.

“My dad is a machine about food and exercise. He showed me how to lift when I was 14 or 15 — the bench press and other basics. He made it clear it was more important to do the moves correctly than to put on more plates.”

At 91, Clint Eastwood exercise-diet model:

1. Working out makes up only 10 per cent of a healthy lifestyle and eating healthy makes up the majority.
2. At 91, the body cannot keep up with the same workouts he used as a young actor. 
3. Today he admits to not doing anything “too strenuous”.
4. Clint still golfs…. he likes to take long walks,” a source told Closer. 
5. He looks forward to a good meal, reading, getting scripts, golf. 
6. He’s very comfortable with his daily routine.

Yoga for a calmer mind:

As well as physical exercise, to keep his mind “on point”, Eastwood has used the same 2-minute meditation technique for over 40 years. Talking to the David Lynch Foundation about the practice, the actor said: “I have been using transcendental meditation for over 40 years and it is a great tool for anyone to have to use for stress and anxiety. It is something that can benefit everybody.”

There! We have given you the secret “Eastwood Codes” to living beyond your 90s with a healthy body and a happy, aware mind.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a professional healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about any medical matter.