Dame Helen Mirren, 79, swears by gruelling 12-minute workout to keep her in shape

Dame Helen Mirren shared her secret to staying in shape for 60 years (Image: Getty)

Dame Helen Mirren has divulged her age-defying fitness secret, revealing she has followed a gruelling 12-minute Canadian Air Force exercise plan for six decades.

The Hollywood actress, 79, divulged to Woman's Weekly her penchant for the no-fuss routine that means she can avoid pricey gym memberships. She maintains her enviable physique thanks to the women's exercise programme from the Canadian Air Force which lasts for just 12 minutes.

"[Exercise] doesn't mean joining expensive gyms," she said. "I'm a big believer in the Canadian Air Force women's exercise regime which is 12 minutes."

Dame Helen continued: "It is an exercise regime that starts from very low and easy, then if you follow it through it can become quite difficult. I've never gotten past the second level but it's a nice little exercise programme."

The actress has followed a gruelling 12-minute exercise plan for 60 years (Image: Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images for Paramount )

The XBX (ten basic exercises) routine, crafted in the 1950s by Dr Bill Orban, was designed to whip Canadian Air Force's female recruits into shape, boosting fitness with easy-to-escalate exercises.

The routine consists of toe touches, knee raises, lateral bends, and arm circles, all for 30 seconds.

Additionally, it incorporates one minute of chest and leg raises, another minute for side leg raises, two minutes of push-ups performed from a kneeling position and regular sit-ups before concluding with a three-minute combination of running and hopping.

Despite following the military regime, the Long Good Friday star is more relaxed with her food as she confessed to having weakness for classic British dishes.

"I'm the first one at the fish and chips," she divulged in 2021.

Dame Helen is also a firm believer in the connection between diet and mental health (Image: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images)

Dame Helen is also a firm believer in the connection between diet and mental health, advocating for a focus on internal well-being: "But what you're putting inside your body does influence how you feel about yourself, so start there."

The Oscar-winning actress has been candid about her views on ageing, asserting that she has no desire to chase youth.

In an interview with The Standard, she declared: "I'm sure I'll go all pear-shaped soon. But I'm not interested in being young. I'm interested in being exactly who I am."

Reflecting on her life, she expressed amazement at her age: "I never thought I'd be 79. I'm not full of youth, but I am life full. I much prefer that phrase...

"And I feel so grateful that I lived in a world without technology for quite some time. I knew a world without technology in a deep and full sense. Human connection was a very different thing back then."