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Joan Crawford Quotes

Actor/Performer

Joan Crawford was an iconic Hollywood legend, celebrated for her talent, determination, and commanding presence on screen. Her words often reflect ambition, resilience, and the drive to overcome challenges in both life and career. The following quotes capture her insights on success, perseverance, and the strength required to leave a lasting mark.

Always warm up to exercising. You can't suddenly jolt a stiff body into a rigorous workout. My doctor has told me that the best time to exercise is at the end of the day, before dinner, when the body is limber and a little fatigued. Begin slowly by swinging arms around in a circle. Do a little jogging in place. Get your circulation going to fuel your muscles. Do your exercises to music. […] As your body gets used to all this unexpected activity you can do each exercise just about as often and as long as you like. But start gently.
From My Way of Life
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Whenever I have to pick something off the floor I bend down, keeping my legs straight. Dutifully touching your toes fifty times every day is a crashing bore. But there are almost as many times when something has to be picked up anyhow — or a lower drawer has to be opened — so I automatically do it in a manner that keeps me fit. I try to make a graceful gesture out of reaching for things on high shelves, too. I don’t make it easier by dragging out a little step stool.
From My Way of Life
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For serious problems you should schedule two sessions a day: half an hour before lunch and half an hour before dinner. Write them down in your engagement book. Give them priority. […] For less serious problems, ten minutes morning and night will get you into trim and keep you there. Or twenty minutes once a day, if that fits your schedule better. And don’t forget the while-you’re-doing-something routines. You can be pampering your body most of the day if you remember them, and your body will be very grateful.
From My Way of Life
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There are two more things that I do regularly to keep my legs the way I want them:
1. I just walk around my apartment with my toes pointed straight in. Of course one looks like a pigeon, so do it when you're alone. But try always to walk that way when you're puttering around alone. You'll feel all the leg muscles responding.
2. Bend down and put your palms flat on the floor, keeping your knees straight. Then walk 'fourlegged' across the room (or down the hall if you're sure you won't frighten anyone) and backwards again. This is wonderful for both arm and leg muscles, and it draws blood to the face, which helps the complexion.
From My Way of Life
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You're on your feet. Maybe you're phoning, or combing your hair, or taking off your makeup. Plant your bare feet about twelve inches apart and grip the floor with them, keeping your knees rigid. Then try to push your feet together - but without letting them budge. Try as hard as you can. This is a wonderful example of getting muscles to work against each other and it's a tremendous thing for the inner thighs - they are another terribly flab-prone area.
From My Way of Life
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Lie on your back with arms straight out at your sides and very slowly, with knees straight, raise your legs high and hold them in the air. Take a deep breath and very slowly lower them again.
Then with your legs still against the floor, draw the small of your back into the floor until you can feel that your back is one straight line. Hold for a count of ten.
Then begin the leg-rising exercise again. Work up to ten times.
As your stomach muscles become firmer add this routine: Anchor your feet under the bed or a heavy armchair and raise and lower your body slowly, keeping your knees rigid and your back very straight.
From My Way of Life
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I’ve described one of my favorites for keeping the ankles slim – rolling a Pepsi bottle under the arch of the foot. Another simple exercise is to stick your leg out straight and, not moving it, rotate your foot in wide circles in both directions for a minute or two. Then push your foot up and down for a couple of minutes.
From My Way of Life
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One of my favorite routines for keeping my rear in good form is to sit down on the floor and 'walk' across it on my buttocks, holding my arms out straight in front for balance, and then 'walk' back again, backwards.
[...]
For more hip improvement - and the waist, too - I lie on my back with my elbows on the floor at my sides. With my legs straight out I make my knees touch the floor on either side, keeping my shoulders and elbows firmly on the floor.
Then I stretch my arms out to the sides, I raise my knees as far as I can and bring them over my left shoulder to my left elbow, and then back and over to touch my right elbow. [...] When you succeeded in touching your elbows with your knees, then try to touch the floor.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Always warm up to exercising. You can't suddenly jolt a stiff body into a rigorous workout. My doctor has told me that the best time to exercise is at the end of the day, before dinner, when the body is limber and a little fatigued. Begin slowly by swinging arms around in a circle. Do a little jogging in place. Get your circulation going to fuel your muscles. Do your exercises to music. […] As your body gets used to all this unexpected activity you can do each exercise just about as often and as long as you like. But start gently.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Whenever I have to pick something off the floor I bend down, keeping my legs straight. Dutifully touching your toes fifty times every day is a crashing bore. But there are almost as many times when something has to be picked up anyhow — or a lower drawer has to be opened — so I automatically do it in a manner that keeps me fit. I try to make a graceful gesture out of reaching for things on high shelves, too. I don’t make it easier by dragging out a little step stool.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
For serious problems you should schedule two sessions a day: half an hour before lunch and half an hour before dinner. Write them down in your engagement book. Give them priority. […] For less serious problems, ten minutes morning and night will get you into trim and keep you there. Or twenty minutes once a day, if that fits your schedule better. And don’t forget the while-you’re-doing-something routines. You can be pampering your body most of the day if you remember them, and your body will be very grateful.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
There are two more things that I do regularly to keep my legs the way I want them:
1. I just walk around my apartment with my toes pointed straight in. Of course one looks like a pigeon, so do it when you're alone. But try always to walk that way when you're puttering around alone. You'll feel all the leg muscles responding.
2. Bend down and put your palms flat on the floor, keeping your knees straight. Then walk 'fourlegged' across the room (or down the hall if you're sure you won't frighten anyone) and backwards again. This is wonderful for both arm and leg muscles, and it draws blood to the face, which helps the complexion.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
You're on your feet. Maybe you're phoning, or combing your hair, or taking off your makeup. Plant your bare feet about twelve inches apart and grip the floor with them, keeping your knees rigid. Then try to push your feet together - but without letting them budge. Try as hard as you can. This is a wonderful example of getting muscles to work against each other and it's a tremendous thing for the inner thighs - they are another terribly flab-prone area.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Lie on your back with arms straight out at your sides and very slowly, with knees straight, raise your legs high and hold them in the air. Take a deep breath and very slowly lower them again.
Then with your legs still against the floor, draw the small of your back into the floor until you can feel that your back is one straight line. Hold for a count of ten.
Then begin the leg-rising exercise again. Work up to ten times.
As your stomach muscles become firmer add this routine: Anchor your feet under the bed or a heavy armchair and raise and lower your body slowly, keeping your knees rigid and your back very straight.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
I’ve described one of my favorites for keeping the ankles slim – rolling a Pepsi bottle under the arch of the foot. Another simple exercise is to stick your leg out straight and, not moving it, rotate your foot in wide circles in both directions for a minute or two. Then push your foot up and down for a couple of minutes.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
One of my favorite routines for keeping my rear in good form is to sit down on the floor and 'walk' across it on my buttocks, holding my arms out straight in front for balance, and then 'walk' back again, backwards.
[...]
For more hip improvement - and the waist, too - I lie on my back with my elbows on the floor at my sides. With my legs straight out I make my knees touch the floor on either side, keeping my shoulders and elbows firmly on the floor.
Then I stretch my arms out to the sides, I raise my knees as far as I can and bring them over my left shoulder to my left elbow, and then back and over to touch my right elbow. [...] When you succeeded in touching your elbows with your knees, then try to touch the floor.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Always warm up to exercising. You can't suddenly jolt a stiff body into a rigorous workout. My doctor has told me that the best time to exercise is at the end of the day, before dinner, when the body is limber and a little fatigued. Begin slowly by swinging arms around in a circle. Do a little jogging in place. Get your circulation going to fuel your muscles. Do your exercises to music. […] As your body gets used to all this unexpected activity you can do each exercise just about as often and as long as you like. But start gently.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Whenever I have to pick something off the floor I bend down, keeping my legs straight. Dutifully touching your toes fifty times every day is a crashing bore. But there are almost as many times when something has to be picked up anyhow — or a lower drawer has to be opened — so I automatically do it in a manner that keeps me fit. I try to make a graceful gesture out of reaching for things on high shelves, too. I don’t make it easier by dragging out a little step stool.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
For serious problems you should schedule two sessions a day: half an hour before lunch and half an hour before dinner. Write them down in your engagement book. Give them priority. […] For less serious problems, ten minutes morning and night will get you into trim and keep you there. Or twenty minutes once a day, if that fits your schedule better. And don’t forget the while-you’re-doing-something routines. You can be pampering your body most of the day if you remember them, and your body will be very grateful.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
There are two more things that I do regularly to keep my legs the way I want them:
1. I just walk around my apartment with my toes pointed straight in. Of course one looks like a pigeon, so do it when you're alone. But try always to walk that way when you're puttering around alone. You'll feel all the leg muscles responding.
2. Bend down and put your palms flat on the floor, keeping your knees straight. Then walk 'fourlegged' across the room (or down the hall if you're sure you won't frighten anyone) and backwards again. This is wonderful for both arm and leg muscles, and it draws blood to the face, which helps the complexion.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
You're on your feet. Maybe you're phoning, or combing your hair, or taking off your makeup. Plant your bare feet about twelve inches apart and grip the floor with them, keeping your knees rigid. Then try to push your feet together - but without letting them budge. Try as hard as you can. This is a wonderful example of getting muscles to work against each other and it's a tremendous thing for the inner thighs - they are another terribly flab-prone area.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Lie on your back with arms straight out at your sides and very slowly, with knees straight, raise your legs high and hold them in the air. Take a deep breath and very slowly lower them again.
Then with your legs still against the floor, draw the small of your back into the floor until you can feel that your back is one straight line. Hold for a count of ten.
Then begin the leg-rising exercise again. Work up to ten times.
As your stomach muscles become firmer add this routine: Anchor your feet under the bed or a heavy armchair and raise and lower your body slowly, keeping your knees rigid and your back very straight.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
I’ve described one of my favorites for keeping the ankles slim – rolling a Pepsi bottle under the arch of the foot. Another simple exercise is to stick your leg out straight and, not moving it, rotate your foot in wide circles in both directions for a minute or two. Then push your foot up and down for a couple of minutes.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
One of my favorite routines for keeping my rear in good form is to sit down on the floor and 'walk' across it on my buttocks, holding my arms out straight in front for balance, and then 'walk' back again, backwards.
[...]
For more hip improvement - and the waist, too - I lie on my back with my elbows on the floor at my sides. With my legs straight out I make my knees touch the floor on either side, keeping my shoulders and elbows firmly on the floor.
Then I stretch my arms out to the sides, I raise my knees as far as I can and bring them over my left shoulder to my left elbow, and then back and over to touch my right elbow. [...] When you succeeded in touching your elbows with your knees, then try to touch the floor.
From My Way of Life
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote