Susan Lucci, 71, Models Swimsuits in an Unretouched Photo Shoot

All My Children icon shares her diet and fitness routine in a new interview

By Jess Cohen Sep 18, 2018 4:57 PMTags
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Susan Lucci is feeling better than ever before!

The stunning 71-year-old All My Children icon is modeling swimsuits in a new, completely unretouched photo shoot for Harper's Bazaar's October issue. "I feel as good now as I ever did in my 20s and 30s, maybe even better physically," Lucci, who has been doing Pilates for over two decades, tells the publication. "What I've learned is that if you train hard, you can offset some of what you've got going against you. People look at me and say 'Wow, she doesn't seem old, but she is old.' Meanwhile, the reality is if you're strong, you're beautiful, no matter what age you are."

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Talking about her diet and exercise routine, Lucci shares, "Once I started doing Pilates, I lost my taste for things like cheeseburgers and french fries. The Pro Chair is great because it allows you to do a full-body workout in just 20 minutes. You can do cardio on it too."

The actress, who will celebrate her 72nd birthday in December, adds, "I rarely eat dessert, never snack, and I don't eat a lot of bread and pasta. [And] I'll have one glass of champagne when we go out to dinner, but I don't drink at home."

Lucci stays connected with her fans through Instagram, sharing posts of herself doing her workout routines. Shortly after joining the social media platform in 2015, Lucci posted a photo of herself in a bikini, which went viral.

"I'm a private person by nature, so at first I really didn't think it was for me. [While vacationing in St. Barts] I put on a bikini, my husband took some pictures, and a friend of mine said, 'You need to post this shot on Instagram!'" Lucci recalls. "The reaction was very unexpected—and sooo flattering. After the pictures came out—and they went everywhere—it occurred to me that Instagram could be a great way to stay connected to my fans."

Back in February, Lucci was on vacation in Barbados when paparazzi started taking pictures of her in her swimsuit, but that didn't bother Lucci one bit. "I didn't realize they were taking pictures until about the third day, when I saw two telephoto lenses following us," she tells Harper's Bazaar. "The pictures were so good! By the fourth day I was looking for the paparazzi. I wanted to thank them."

To read more from Lucci's interview, pick up a copy of Harper's Bazzar, on newsstands Sept. 25.