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Longevity is a lifestyle practice, according to 100-year-old Ruth Lemay, who has gone viral for sharing her vibrant energy and fitness routine.
Lemay, who lives in Virginia Beach, was featured in a video while pedaling on a recumbent exercise bike at the gym, which was posted by the health brand evry.day club (@evrydayclub) on Instagram.
The centenarian was asked what she does to stay so fit and “look so great” for her age, as she was wrapping up three miles on the bike after 30 minutes.
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“Then I’ll do 30 more minutes,” she commented. “And I walk — [I’ll] do a mile.”
Lemay shared her “secret to longevity” — the fact that she started walking four miles every day after she retired.
“That’s just what keeps you going,” she said. “A lot of exercise. Plenty of sleep. I go to bed at 9:30 at night and I eat a lot of vegetables — trying to keep healthy.”
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Lemay said that she and her 78-year-old daughter attend the gym three times per week, where they typically do individual workouts.
Her sessions include riding the recumbent bike, which is reclined to support the lower back, for two 30-minute stints, reaching about three miles both times.
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That is followed by a 1.4-mile walk, as Lemay is currently working toward reaching a mile and a half.
“When I don’t go to the recreation center, I still try and walk from one end of my house to the other,” she told Women’s Health. “It’s 170 steps, 40 times, which is 6,800 steps (3.22 miles).”
Ruth Lemay, 100, bikes and walks every day to keep healthy. (Instagram/@evrydayclub; iStock)
In an interview with TODAY.com, Lemay said she lives in her own home, enjoys cooking and drove a car until she was 98.
“I’ve always exercised,” she said. “I feel fine. I might be a little bit tired after riding the bicycle and the walk, but that’s OK. I don’t expect not to feel tired.”
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According to Lemay, her late husband of 56 years would encourage her to walk after work.
“He said, ‘You just take the dog and go for a walk and I’ll fix dinner,’” she recalled. “It was wonderful.”
Lemay’s late husband always encouraged her to walk when she got home from work. (Lemays not pictured) (iStock)
Lemay’s daughter, Annette Parker, shared with TODAY that her mother has “always been very conscious of her diet.”
This includes non-fat yogurt, walnuts, oatmeal with banana and milk, or a scrambled egg with toast in the mornings. For protein, Lemay sticks with chicken, turkey or seafood.
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Lemay’s diet also includes red grapes, blueberries and many vegetables.
“I love vegetables. I grew up in the country, and my dad grew all kinds of vegetables, and they were wonderful for you,” she said.
Maintaining social relationships and good mental health have been shown to promote longevity. (iStock)
Lemay, who has never smoked and doesn’t drink alcohol, added, “I’m in pretty good health for my age.”
While genetics may impact longevity, Lemay shared with TODAY that she doesn’t know anyone in her family who has lived as long as her. Her mother died of colon cancer at 65 and her father died from a heart condition at 74.
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Other than one heart valve replacement, the great-grandmother has avoided major health complications.
In addition to paying attention to nutrition and fitness, Lemay and Parker said that maintaining good mental health and keeping a vibrant social life have been key longevity factors.