Candice Bergen says turning 80 isn't 'what it used to be'

"I'm in denial! I'm just in total denial. I don't even want to talk about it. Being 80 is just unfathomable to me. You feel like you always felt. Except maybe you walk a little bit slower and more carefully, because you don't want to fall. So stepping off a curb is a big event for me."

"It's very little cardio; I barely break a sweat. It's just to remember how to move stuff, keep your joints ... to get the blood pumping a little bit. The best thing about growing older is treasuring time with grandchildren and learning to appreciate what I call the grace of getting older. It's a gift."

"My father died at 75, and at the time, I remember thinking, Well, that's a full life. I'm 79, and it is not a full life. I count on being there for my grandson's graduation from high school. Hopefully, my granddaughter. Well, that would make me almost historic."

Candice Bergen, a five-time Emmy winner approaching her 80th birthday in May, admits to being in denial about reaching this milestone. Despite feeling internally unchanged, she acknowledges the physical realities of aging, such as moving more carefully to avoid falls. Bergen maintains her health through five days weekly of low-intensity workouts with a longtime trainer focused on mobility and joint function. She values time with her grandchildren and describes aging as a gift deserving gratitude. Notably, Bergen has shifted her perspective on longevity; whereas she once considered her father's death at 75 a full life, at 79 she views it differently and plans to remain active for future family milestones.

Read at Business Insider