March 15, 2022

In this newsletter . . .

Long, Healthy Lives

Ida holds the world’s record in the 100-meter dash (1-minute and 17.33 seconds) for women 100 to 104 years old. They said that after she set the record she dropped to the ground and started doing push-ups. She stood 4 feet 6 inches tall, and, surprisingly, didn’t begin running until she was 67.

Ida passed away at 106. She had a life of quality up to its end. We can all learn from her experience: that it’s never too late in life to begin a fitness lifestyle and improve.

Here are the ways the Parade experts said will increase longevity:

• Eat less and don’t get fat.
• An adult beverage or two per day is okay, but don’t overdo it.
• People with religious faith tend to live longer.
• Cultivate friendships and avoid loneliness.
• Be of good cheer.
• Stimulate your brain by learning new things.
• Keep moving with regular exercise.
• Have a sense of purpose.
• Eat mostly a plant-based diet.

Parade called them “Secrets to Living to 100.”

Agreed. But there wasn’t much in Parade’s article that hadn’t already been said by others and underlined in books like Dan Buettner’s Blue Zones. Buettner detailed the lifestyles in certain places in the world where long lives are common. Even more important, they are places where it’s not only that lifespans are longer, but where health-spans are longer, too. Jack LaLanne used to say that he didn’t care so much how long he lived; he cared more about how good he felt while he lived. Jack LaLanne was way ahead of his time.

Personally, I would emphasize three things:

• Keep moving. Regular exercise can be structured or not so structured. A fairly structured type is explained here. But either way, keep moving.
• Don’t get overweight. There’s a saying: You see old people and you see fat people. But what you don’t see are many old, fat people. It’s true. Thoughts on healthful eating are here.
• Retired or not, find something that makes you want to get out of bed in the morning — a passion. Find it. And cultivate it.

Those are my own thoughts. Do those three things and I believe most of the other good habits will almost naturally fall into place.

To keep moving, here are some good bodyweight-only exercise ideas: go here.

Spring is here in the Northern Hemisphere. Have a wonderful time.

Stay healthy. Stay fit.

Logan

Senior Exercise Central

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Sincerely,

Logan Franklin
The Gray Iron Fitness Newsletter
www.senior-exercise-central.com