When I turned 60, Phil Daoust The deputy editor of The Guardian’s G2 section had made a decision: he was happy and healthy and wanted to stay that way for as long as possible. In his younger years, he’d paid no attention to diet or exercise regimes, preferring long, boozy lunches, pies and walks to the pub. Then, after a bout of depression, he began to get healthier but wanted more.
He realized he no longer feared old age and resolved to live to be 100. He was inspired by people approaching that age, such as 93-year-old John Starbuck, who goes to the gym every day and is an avid water polo player. With a strong community around him, he exemplifies the importance of social connections to longevity.
Phil tells Helen Pidd how he started a rigorous exercise program, increased his protein intake and improved his diet – he also had a brain scan and consulted experts about how to prevent dementia. But Helen wonders whether a fitness program as demanding as a part-time job and a diet that focuses solely on nutrition is worth it.
Photo: Alicia Cantor/The Guardian
