Centenarian Goals

What do you want to be doing when you are 100 years old?

I love this idea of writing out goals for when you are 100 and then taking action today to ensure you achieve those goals. For example, if you want to carry 10 pounds of groceries up the stairs, you would ensure your current routine includes strength training. If you want to be able to play golf, you could be sure you are making specific functional movement patterns today and throughout the next 20, 30, 40, 50, and however many years until you turn 100.

Inevitably there will be roadblocks, sickness, injuries, or life stresses that will throw you off plan over the years, but you will have a blueprint to return to. You can modify these parameters along the way, but overall you have a long-term goal to be working on and a focus. I love this.

So I decided to make and share my list of centenarian goals. Here goes:

When I'm 100, I want to:

1. Be able to go for daily walks on the beach (3 miles)

2. Be able to lift a 35-pound grandchild

3. Be able to swim and snorkel

4. Carry my groceries and put them in my car, load and unload

5. Perform barbell squats

6. Perform push-ups and pull-ups

7. Do yoga and Pilates

8. Take my bulldog(s) for a walk

9. Be able to climb stairs without any pain

10. Have a clear and sound mind

11. Have enough energy to enjoy all of life and travel

12. Lift my suitcase into the overhead bin (35 pounds)

13. Be able to read a book

14. Be able to engage in a conversation and have memory recall

15. Be able to get in and out of a pool unassisted

16. Be able to put on my own clothes and shoes

17. Not need diapers

18. Ride a bike

19. Get up off the floor (playing with great-grandkids)

20. Play games that require mental focus and memory

Then to reverse engineer and make sure I can do all these things. What do I need to do now?

• Strength train regularly to prevent sarcopenia and osteopenia

• Eat high-quality, nutrient-dense foods, enough fruits and vegetables to ensure good nutrition, micronutrient consumption, polyphenols, and antioxidants

• Consume enough protein so I don't lose muscle as I age and to keep my body performing optimally

• Make sure I include flexibility and mobility work weekly

• Keep inflammation low by avoiding too much sugar and alcohol so I stay disease free

• Keep my core and pelvic floor strong by doing functional exercises that support these muscles

• Support my mitochondrial health by ensuring I get enough nutrients that support ATP production, supplementing with MNM and omega-3 fish oils, and keeping up with the research on longevity.

• Support my brain health by including daily movements throughout life, getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night, eating a nutrient-dense diet, staying mentally active and socially involved, and supplementing with fish oil daily.

• Support my bones by eating high-calcium foods, strength training, maintaining my weight, getting plenty of vitamin D and K, consuming enough protein, and supplementing with collagen

I currently do all these things, so this is just a reminder that it's worth it. All the investments we make in our health today will pay dividends in our later years. We want to live longer and have good health in those years; otherwise, what is the point, right?