How ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ Star Barbara Eden Stays Fit at 93: Home Workouts and ‘Chocolates, of Course’

Mar. 15, 2025

‘I Dream of Jeannie’ star Barbara Eden in Beverly Hills in 2023.Photo:Jon Kopaloff/Getty

Jon Kopaloff/Getty

I Dream of JeanniestarBarbara Eden, whoturned 93in August, shared that she relies on at-home workouts to stay fit — but is prone to a sweet indulgence or two.“I used to work out all the time,” Eden toldFox News. “I used to do spinning classes and then do weights with a trainer … [But] whenCovidhit, that ended my heavy workouts. Now I have a stationary bicycle and I lift five pounds. I use very lightweight weights, but they’re good for your bones.“As theMayo Clinicexplains, “By stressing your bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk ofosteoporosis,” the disease that can cause your bones to become brittle and break.‘I Dream of Jeannie’ star Barbara Eden in 2024.Franziska Krug/GettyShe shared that she sometimes misses “the camaraderie” of going to the gym, telling the outlet, “I loved the spinning classes.““It gets you going. And I’m not much of a self-starter. I have to remind myself to go to the bicycle.“Eden, who played the iconic 2,000-year-old genie who fell in love with a mortal on the hit showI Dream of Jeanniefrom 1965 to 1970, looked back at fitness trends, and shared how it’s important to find the exercise routine that works for you.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!“I remember when aerobics was all the rage,” she said, referring to the ‘80s workout regimen. “It was good for you. I tried it, but no, it wasn’t for me. Butwalking? Now that’s another thing. If you can walk briskly, which suits me just fine, that’s good for you. It’s good for your knees and ankles. I find it better than running.“She shared that while she doesn’t follow a specific diet, she tries to maintain balance.Barbara Eden as the iconic genie in ‘I Dream of Jeannie.'.Silver Screen Collection/Getty"I was lucky to have a mother and father who were conscious of eating well and living,” she said. “My mother’s mantra was ‘moderation of all things.’ That’s how they lived, and that’s how I’ve lived.”However, she shared that she can be “a sugar eater.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I like sweets. I like key lime pie,” Eden told the outlet. “My sister brought me one for my birthday. I also like angel food cake. I make my own angel food cake and then put a very sharp, sweet lemon icing on it.”“And chocolates, of course — I love them,” she continued. “You can’t miss with me really. You want to give me something? Just give me anything sweet.”

I Dream of JeanniestarBarbara Eden, whoturned 93in August, shared that she relies on at-home workouts to stay fit — but is prone to a sweet indulgence or two.

“I used to work out all the time,” Eden toldFox News. “I used to do spinning classes and then do weights with a trainer … [But] whenCovidhit, that ended my heavy workouts. Now I have a stationary bicycle and I lift five pounds. I use very lightweight weights, but they’re good for your bones.”

As theMayo Clinicexplains, “By stressing your bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk ofosteoporosis,” the disease that can cause your bones to become brittle and break.

‘I Dream of Jeannie’ star Barbara Eden in 2024.Franziska Krug/Getty

Franziska Krug/Getty

She shared that she sometimes misses “the camaraderie” of going to the gym, telling the outlet, “I loved the spinning classes.”

“It gets you going. And I’m not much of a self-starter. I have to remind myself to go to the bicycle.”

Eden, who played the iconic 2,000-year-old genie who fell in love with a mortal on the hit showI Dream of Jeanniefrom 1965 to 1970, looked back at fitness trends, and shared how it’s important to find the exercise routine that works for you.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

“I remember when aerobics was all the rage,” she said, referring to the ‘80s workout regimen. “It was good for you. I tried it, but no, it wasn’t for me. Butwalking? Now that’s another thing. If you can walk briskly, which suits me just fine, that’s good for you. It’s good for your knees and ankles. I find it better than running.”

She shared that while she doesn’t follow a specific diet, she tries to maintain balance.

Barbara Eden as the iconic genie in ‘I Dream of Jeannie.'.Silver Screen Collection/Getty

Silver Screen Collection/Getty

“I was lucky to have a mother and father who were conscious of eating well and living,” she said. “My mother’s mantra was ‘moderation of all things.’ That’s how they lived, and that’s how I’ve lived.”

However, she shared that she can be “a sugar eater.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“I like sweets. I like key lime pie,” Eden told the outlet. “My sister brought me one for my birthday. I also like angel food cake. I make my own angel food cake and then put a very sharp, sweet lemon icing on it.”

“And chocolates, of course — I love them,” she continued. “You can’t miss with me really. You want to give me something? Just give me anything sweet.”

source: people.com