The Golden Girls may have been a show about four older women living it up in Miami, but Rue McClanahan wasn't about to let age slow her down.

McClanahan was in her 50s when The Golden Girls premiered in 1985. As Blanche Devereaux, she was known for her love of romance, good food and, of course, a love for cheesecake.

But off-screen, McClanahan had a different recipe for feeling young: fitness, a healthy diet and plenty of walking.

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The Golden Girls proved that getting older didn't mean slowing down. The ladies were always full of energy, quick on their feet and ready with a comeback. And McClanahan seemed to take that same philosophy to heart in her own life!

According to a 1988 interview with The Daily Spectrum, staying healthy and feeling young were important to the actress. She believed that what you eat and how you move can have a big impact on how you feel and live.

McClanahan shared her personal fitness routine, which included 40-minute walks three times a week, along with an exercise program and a healthy diet.

No fancy equipment, expensive memberships or complicated routines required. Just a good pair of walking shoes and a little motivation!

"There is a possible benefit from fitness walking in improving a person's mood state and reducing anxiety," McClanahan explained.

"I don't do impact aerobics and I don't recommend them," McClanahan continued. "I personally recommend good stretching to benefit all of the body. I also use light weights for part of that workout."

And when it came to her diet, it wasn't cheesecake all the time! Unlike Blanche, McClanahan didn't make meat a regular part of her meals. She ate fish, plenty of fresh vegetables and incorporated foods like tofu and skim milk into her diet.

For McClanahan, the goal wasn't simply looking good. It was feeling good, too.

"With fitness you can feel good about yourself, and you look and feel better, too," McClanahan said. "With fitness and health you have everything."

By 1988, McClanahan was enjoying her success on The Golden Girls while also finding fulfillment in her personal life. She knew plenty of viewers were looking up to her, and she wanted to set a positive example.

"Our fan mail, interestingly enough, is mainly from younger people, not older adults," McClanahan said. "This may mean that younger people are learning more things positive about being older and yet very much alive."

And if Blanche Devereaux taught us anything, it's that life doesn't stop being fun as you get older!