98-Year-Old Dick Van Dyke Shares His “Secret Weapon” To A Long Life With No Retirement

Not only is Dick Van Dyke going to celebrate 99 years around the sun this winter, but he also boasts a career that spans 77 years—and counting. That’s because for his age and the inevitable hurdles aging causes, Van Dyke maintains a certain practice he swears by for keeping his body fit and his mind sharp.

Van Dyke was recently honored by CBS with Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic. The special is dedicated to celebrating his impactful career that not only bore witness to major changes in the industry but also ushered in some changes of its own. On top of that, the Disney Legend made history at the Emmys. Here is how he keeps himself going each day, with no plans of retirement in sight.

Dick Van Dyke shares his “secret weapon” lifestyle choices he makes to keep going

To this day, Van Dyke continues to work—and make history along the way. He followed up becoming the oldest Emmy nominee with becoming the oldest Emmy winner thanks to his celebrated four-episode arc on All My Children. With that out of the way, it’s on to the next project!

Speaking with ET, Van Dyke shared that he swears by going to the gym, at least three times a week.

“Yes, I do. For being this long lived, I really do,” confirmed Van Dyke. “And I recommend it to everybody. That’s my secret weapon.” Even if he can’t hit the gym, Van Dyke tries to get in some sort of physical exertion at least once a day at home. When he’s able, his routine includes crunches and leg raises to keep his body feeling spry.

The ‘Mary Poppins’ star still has no retirement plans, but he does have one lofty goal in mind

As for calling it quits, that’s not even on Van Dyke’s radar. “It isn’t work, it’s play,” he stressed. “Actors are so lucky. I’ve had such a good time.”

He’s also eyeing the illustrious status of EGOT winner, with just one letter to go: the elusive Oscar. He hopes the powers that be will “give me a shot at it,” especially after his historic Emmy win, “now that I’m a dramatic actor.” The one caveat: “I hope it’s not posthumous.”

Regardless, Van Dyke still has quite a few statistics to be proud of, like the six Emmys total he has, which puts him just behind the legendary Ed Asner who won seven. He can believe that more than he can believe he’s the oldest to ever win won.

“Am I really the oldest?” he wondered in his interview with Entertainment Tonight ahead of the ceremony. “I’ll be darned. I think I’m the last of my generation. I’m 98. I have — almost — all my marbles. I can’t remember what I had for breakfast.”