Ellen Hart, a cherished local icon at the age of 84, continues to captivate with her dynamic presence and dedication to personal health and wellness.
As the vibrant owner of the famed Ellen’s Stardust Diner on Broadway, Hart has embraced the importance of staying fit and healthy in her later years. Her focus on wellness, however, has evolved significantly over time. Initially driven by a desire to uphold her beauty and reputation as Miss Subway 1959, Hart’s perspective shifted in her 40s toward a quest for youthful vitality.
“Back then, it was all about beauty and looking good,” Hart shared with The Post. “But as I got older, my curiosity centered on how to maintain my youth.” Her journey over the last 40 years has yielded impressive results that speak volumes.
Hart’s commitment to fitness is evident through her accomplishments. At 52, she completed the New York City Marathon, and two decades later, she tackled the 1,860 steps of the Empire State Building to support multiple myeloma research.
Nowadays, Hart is often seen enjoying the vibrant life of the Upper West Side, attending Broadway performances, and occasionally joining her diner’s staff to sing show tunes. Her hands-on involvement in the Times Square establishment remains strong, reflecting her enduring spirit and passion for her business.
These days, she can be found gallivanting around the Upper West Side, catching the latest Broadway shows and occasionally hopping onstage to belt show tunes with the waitstaff at her beloved Times Square restaurant, where she remains hands-on with the business.
It’s a packed schedule for anyone, let alone someone who has already outlived the average life expectancy for US women born in the 1940s by more than a decade.
And as she gears up for her 85th birthday this June, Hart has zero plans to slow down. She gave The Post a behind-the-scenes look at how she keeps going strong.
Fitness over 80
Hart has worked out for most of her life, fueled by a longtime love of tennis. Staying active, she said, has been key to aging well.
Still, she had a bit of a wake-up call when she saw photos of herself singing at the diner.
“Oh my god, I’m a little rounded over,” she recalled thinking. “I didn’t like that.”
It made her focus on improving her movement patterns and muscular endurance, with an emphasis on how she holds herself.
“As you get older, balance is very important, and so is posture,” she said. “So we’re trying to work on keeping my head back, keeping my shoulders back.”
“I must say that I’m in good shape.”
Ellen Hart
But her workouts are “constantly evolving,” said certified master trainer Rolland Cheng.
“Although the overarching focus is quality of life, strength and mobility, what we do on a daily or weekly basis changes monthly,” he said, explaining that her sessions are modeled after the National Academy of Sports Medicine’s Optimum Performance Training model.
Working out four days a week, Hart starts with stretching to improve flexibility and reduce stiffness.
Strength training, crucial for maintaining bone density, is a major part of remedying her poor pasture, too. She starts with simple shoulder exercises, like squeezing her shoulder blades together and lifting her arms slightly out to the side.
She follows it with moves like rows and lat pulldowns to strengthen her back; leg presses, squats and step-ups onto a balance pad to build lower-body strength; plus farmer’s carries to mimic everyday tasks like lugging groceries.
To keep her core strong, she does crunches and Pallof presses, which resist twisting and help stabilize the midsection.
The payoff is clear.
“At my age, you start having cholesterol and pressure issues here and there, so it’s not going to be perfect,” Hart said. “But I must say that I’m in good shape.”
An added benefit: Strength training may also help lengthen her life.
A 2022 study of more than 115,000 people ages 65 and older found that those who did strength training at least twice a week had a lower risk of dying from any cause over a 20-year period compared to those who didn’t.
Even on rest days, Hart makes a point of getting her heart rate up by taking the stairs in her building and walking two miles a day.
How’d she get to that number?
“It’s the walk to Nordstrom and back,” she quipped. “Shopping is also a sport. It’s relaxing at the same time.”
Younger on the inside — and on the outside
Fitness is only part of Hart’s anti-aging arsenal. Though she “baked in the sun” when she was young, she now never skips sunscreen.
She also gets Botox and has been experimenting with high-end skin care, including Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Everything Eye Patches.
Her one struggle is getting enough beauty rest.
“Sleep is a difficult thing for me, because as you get older, your hormones change,” Hart said. “I haven’t really discovered how to sleep seven, eight hours a day, which they say is very important.”
Staying in the game
Opened in 1987, Ellen’s Stardust Diner remains a major part of Hart’s life.
Every Friday, Hart meets with the team to brainstorm ideas and map out the week ahead. She also drops in occasionally to sing — a lifelong passion.
“I think being involved with the business is what’s keeping me sharp, because I have to keep up with the details and all the events that we do,” she said.
As for retirement? “I don’t think so,” Hart said. “I’m having too much fun.”
It may be her last anti-aging secret: Studies have linked working past traditional retirement age with better health and longevity, helping people stay mentally, socially and physically active.
Hart also keeps a packed social calendar, meeting friends for rousing games of canasta and jetting out for dates on the town with her longtime beau, Bob.
Her advice for staying vibrant with age is refreshingly simple.
“Keep moving. Stay interested. It’s never too late to pursue a new passion. Even if it’s a charity, you have to keep active and learning,” Hart said. “And get a boyfriend.”
