Dick Van Dyke feels “physically diminished” as he nears his 100th birthday, but says he keeps a strict fitness routine

Dick Van Dyke is closing in on his 100th birthday next month, and the actor says the milestone is landing with a mix of realism and resolve. The screen veteran spoke about the day-to-day changes he’s facing at this age, describing the adjustments as “frustrating” but also manageable with routine.

What the actor said about aging

In an article published on November 13 for The Sunday Times, Van Dyke, 99, wrote that he feels the impact of physical decline more clearly now. He mentioned foot trouble, fading eyesight, and difficulty following conversations in groups. Even his hearing aids, he noted, have become a frequent source of annoyance.

“It’s frustrating to feel diminished in the world, physically and socially,” he wrote. He added that travel invitations and work requests are now harder to accept because long-distance trips drain his energy. Most of his interactions, he said, happen at home.

Fitness routine and daily structure of Dick Van Dyke

The Mary Poppins star said he still heads to the gym three times a week. Missing sessions, he explained, leads to stiffness that sets in quickly. His routine includes circuit-style training with no breaks, starting with core machines before moving to leg work, which he called “two of my most cherished possessions,” and then upper body exercises.

Music plays a role, too. He described himself humming between stations, sometimes even dancing, a habit that helps him stay motivated.

The Sunday Times piece is drawn from Van Dyke’s new memoir, 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life. In it, he reflects on the distance between playing “old man” characters in earlier decades and reaching what he calls “centenarian authenticity” now. As he put it: “I’m not playing a super-old any more. I am a super-old.”

Earlier in October, at a Vandy High Tea event in Malibu, he joked about the birthday ahead. “I’m not officially a hundred until December,” he said, according to People. “Two months. Two months. It’d be funny if I didn’t make it.”

The actor turns 100 on December 13, a date he says he is taking “day by day.”