‘It isn’t top of my agenda’: Maxine Peake’s laid-back approach to fitness at 52 & why she loves hoovering

If you don’t have Last Seen on your to-watch list, you’re missing out. The Apple TV thriller drops this week and, by all accounts, it’s due to be an excellent watch. Not just thanks to a twisty plot with a big mystery at its centre, but due to its exceptional cast – including Maxine Peake as Jenna Reid.

As we await our next binge-watch, we were pondering how Maxine Peake likes to spend her time – and how, exactly, she takes care of her fitness in her 50s (the actor turned 52 in July). Well, we’ve got the answer to both points.

If you remember seeing Maxine as Twinkle in Dinnerladies, you’ll know that she went through quite the physical transformation in the early 2000s. Maxine has previously revealed that she was prompted to lose weight by a comment from her good friend, the late comedian Victoria Wood.

Speaking on The Graham Norton Show in 2016, Maxine Peake revealed: ‘I was a lot larger then and the wonderful Victoria gave me a little chat. She said, “You’re fat, you’re blonde and you’re northern, you’ll get typecast”. She felt it was what she had experienced. I’d been told at drama school but when someone like Victoria said it I took notice and lost loads of weight. But unfortunately, I did it a bit too quick and I had to wear a fat suit for the second series!’

These days, the actor, known for her roles in Three Girls and Black Mirror, isn’t on such a dramatic weight loss plan. In fact, Maxine has a laid-back approach to health and wellbeing that’s super refreshing – and relatable.

‘Keeping fit isn’t top of my agenda, to be honest,’ the actor previously told the Financial Times. ‘I go through phases when I’ll go to the gym and go to yoga, I keep it up for three months, then something comes up and it goes by the wayside.’

The one constant for staying in good nick for Maxine is simple: plenty of walking. The I Swear star has a rescue dog – a Bedlington terrier-whippet cross named Castro – so always has a reason to get outdoors and have a trudge. Her farmhouse is in the Herefordshire countryside, too, so she has a lovely setting for her strolls. Sometimes, she and Castro will venture further up North for walks in the Peak District or the West Pennines.

View full post on Instagram

The science says this approach is pretty solid – although there’s room for improvement. The physical and mental benefits of walking outside are well-proven, and a daily long walk with a dog is a fantastic way to get in low-impact cardio. However, experts advise that in your 50s and beyond, you pair walking with some form of strength training.

Dr Reuben Chen, a physician specialising in sports medicine, pain management, and longevity, told Good Housekeeping: ‘Walking is great for cardiovascular health, but it does not adequately train every major muscle group. Adding resistance exercises, especially for the legs, glutes, hips and core – can help build and maintain muscle strength, stability and functional capacity as we all age.’

Strength training doesn’t necessitate a full-on commitment to heavy weights or a gym membership. Simply balancing your walking routine with bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges and resistance bands will make a big difference to your fitness in your 50s and beyond.

Another, more unexpected, component of Maxine’s approach to wellbeing? Vacuum cleaning, which she says immediately puts her in an improved mood. ‘I love hoovering,’ she told The Guardian. ‘People go to therapists, I’ve got a Hoover.’

Diet-wise, Maxine takes a similarly laid-back approach. She’s not a fan of cooking and says her long-term partner Pawlo Wintoniuk, who she calls Pav, is far better in the kitchen. Maxine does have a tendency to comfort eat and loves carbs. ‘I’ll be in the kitchen and I don’t realise I’ve hoovered up six biscuits and a slice of bread while I’m thinking about what to eat for my lunch,’ Maxine has previously revealed. Her favourite food? Crumpets – specifically those by Warburton’s.