From Monday to Friday, without fail, you’ll find 93-year-old Cecilia Gomez in the gym.
“It’s like my religion, for me to go there,” she said.
The New York-based grandmother has been a staple at the Gold’s Gym in Smithtown from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each weekday for decades.
“I’m in almost perfect condition. I feel like I’m 50,” she told Business Insider. “I can play soccer, I play basketball, I do whatever.”
Take her advice for a long life full of energy: socialize regularly, eat healthy, and (most importantly) get consistent exercise.
“When people say ‘I want to be like you,”‘ I say, ‘ Welcome to the gym.'” Gomez said.
Exercise for staying spry
Gomez said she’s proud to be the oldest in her workout classes.
Her 60-year-old daughter, Pat Schneider, said Gomez is more than a little competitive — in her youth, she was always picked first for dodgeball and spent much of her childhood free time outdoors.
These days, her typical workout includes a mix of weight training and cardio exercises, such as pressing three to five-pound dumbbells overhead and marching in place.
Gomez attends classes through SilverSneakers, an exercise program for adults 65 and older (available at no cost with eligible Medicare plans). She recently received a Member of the Year award for her commitment to fitness.
The program helps train balance and stability, good longevity traits for any age, but particularly for older adults to prevent fall injuries, SilverSneakers instructor Andi Kwapien previously told Business Insider.
A surprising superfood
Outside the gym, Gomez said her other key to healthy living is eating well.
Beans are a staple food in her diet, often with rice and vegetables. The humble legume is linked to major longevity benefits, as a major food source in Blue Zones, regions with some of the longest-living people on Earth.
Gomez also enjoys other produce like plantains (a good source of potassium which supports heart health) and oranges (rich in vitamin C that helps bolster the immune system.)
The nutrients in whole foods, particularly those from plants, offer significant antiaging benefits. Vitamins, minerals, and fiber help stave off diseases like cancer and cardiovascular illness, and protect the brain and body over time.
Strong social connections for longevity
Gomez has a busy social calendar that her daughter said is a major factor in her good health and high energy.
“That’s actually a key to her longevity, is that she’s always active with everyone. The grandkids, great grandkids. She’s never alone,” Schneider said.
Gomez and Schneider live together, and every Sunday, the extended family comes together for dinner. Her longevity-boosting social life also includes singing in the church choir, chatting with friends before and after the gym.
The community is part of what keeps Gomez going, providing a sense of purpose and routine through illness.
“She’s been in the hospital various times, and they think that she’s not going to make it. And she’s like, ‘Oh no, no, I have to get to the gym,'” Schneider said. “It really has made a huge difference.”
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