On Turning 80 Years Old and Planning to Reach 100

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I haven’t actually turned 80 yet. I’ll pass that mile marker in a few months. But I am already thinking of myself as 80 just to get used to the idea. The thought fills me with 1. dread because I am that much closer to the final exit, 2. gratitude because I’ve had so much joy and love in my life, and 3. astonishment because I’m basically healthy and feel great most of the time.

I attribute my good health and long life partly to good luck and good genes. But I also made several good decisions when I was younger.

In my 20s, I vowed to lose the weight I had gained in college and maintain that healthy weight for the rest of my life. To do it, I developed my own healthy eating program, avoided restrictive diets, and figured out how to get the most pleasure—yes, pleasure—from eating. (My secrets to healthy eating are described here and in my book, Silver Sparks.)

The result: I’ve been at the same healthy weight for 55 years. I feel obliged to say that my original decision was motivated as much by vanity as health. Since then, decades of research have confirmed the benefits of a healthy weight.

I made my second big decision when I hit my 40^th birthday. I wanted to avoid medical problems and remain healthy as I aged. As I looked around at the healthiest older people I knew, I saw that they all had one thing in common: they were active and exercised regularly. Nowadays, you can’t turn on your computer without seeing a plethora of articles about the benefits of exercise. But 40 years ago, there was much less published research—at least not that I was aware of as a busy divorced single parent working full-time.

Nonetheless, I had the intuition that the secret to longevity and health was exercise. I decided to exercise three times a week, using a combination of walking, exercise DVDs (thanks, Jane Fonda and Ellen Barrett), and aerobics classes. (I now follow the standards of the World Health Organization and exercise 5-7 times a week for about 20-30 minutes each time.) My intuition about exercise and longevity proved correct, though I never could have guessed the bouquet of benefits of almost any amount of exercise. (More information on exercise benefits here.)

I made other healthy decisions, too. I quit smoking in my 20s and eventually stopped drinking because I realized alcohol gave me headaches. (Not surprisingly, I was later diagnosed with migraine.)

So, here I am at 80 years old. Now what? I would like to live to a healthy 100, feeling as fit, happy, and energetic as I do today, but will my current health program do that for me?

Just as I was asking myself this question, an article entitled How to Live to 100 appeared in Medical News Today. Here is a summary of the research and recommendations.

How to Live to 100

The research was unique because it studied the influence of lifestyle factors, such as exercise and healthy eating, on people 80 and older. Most such studies have concentrated on people in midlife or younger.

In the study, researchers in China followed 1,454 centenarians and 3,768 people who died before reaching 100. Each person was rated from 1-6 on such lifestyle habits as smoking, exercise, and diet. As health reporter Tony Hicks states:

"(The researchers) reported that the participants with the highest healthy lifestyle scores – based on smoking history, exercise routines, and dietary diversity – had a significantly higher likelihood of living to 100 compared to those with the least healthy lifestyle behaviors. Researchers said their findings suggest that healthy habits, even at an advanced age, can have life-prolonging benefits."

Hicks interviewed a geriatrician, Scott Kaiser, who confirmed that setting a goal to live to 100 could itself motivate healthier choices, thereby lengthening both lifespan and health span. “Much like a car you’re hoping to keep on the road if you take care of your body as if you’re going to need to for 100 years, you’re far more likely to achieve your healthy longevity goals,” Kaiser said.

In addition to exercise and healthy eating, longevity experts generally recommend the following:

• Sleeping 7-8 hours per night.
• Keeping your brain active. Yes, crosswords. Or whatever brain games you enjoy.
• Spending time with people you love and value.
• Managing stress with tai chi, meditation, mindfulness exercises, or cultivating a flexible mindset.
• Finding a purpose or a way to contribute to others.
• Savoring the small and large pleasures of life.
• Quitting smoking and other unhealthy drugs.

Aging Essential Reads

Estranged by Time: Alienation in the Aging Process

Does Working Longer Make You Die Earlier?

The Power of a Decision

It’s good to know that I am already doing most of what I must do to reach my goal of being healthy and happy at 100. My ability to manage stress could be kicked up a notch or three, but nobody's perfect. I've decided to become an "imperfectionist," and that's remarkably helpful in reducing stress, as I write here.

What about you? Can you make a decision that will help you live longer and better? If you can create a specific goal to change something that will benefit you, you are more likely to achieve your goal than if you set no goal at all, according to this research. Beyond acquiring a worthwhile health behavior, you may find that the change process strengthens your self-esteem and builds your confidence. Moreover, being healthier will make you happier. That alone is a huge bonus.

© Meg Selig, 2024. All rights reserved. For permissions, click here.