An Ignoble Experiment: 104-year-old shares 1 tip for long life

September 5, 2023 | VIEW IN BROWSER

Who's joining us on September 18 for a virtual Start TODAY meal planning event sponsored by Instacart? Registered dietitian Vanessa Rissetto is joining Stephanie Mansour to show you how to prep five delicious, healthy and family-friendly meals. Click here to buy your tickets!

Vivian Levy started swimming when was 6. She's still doing it almost 100 years later. The 104-year-old shares her simple tips for living a long, healthy life. Plus, take a page from Levy's book and have some fun with your workout. These hula hooping exercises are a low-impact, full body workout that feels like play.

Walking Challenge

Today's Workout

Today's workout is a core routine and walk.

Here's how long to walk based on your fitness level:

Beginner: 20 minutes
Intermediate: 30 minutes
Advanced: 40 minutes

If you're looking for a fun way to mix up your workout routine, the answer may be revisiting a childhood pastime from your recess days.

Hula hooping is a great aerobic exercise that raises the heart rate and works the whole body — engaging the hips, abs and obliques, legs and parts of the upper body.

"It is an intense full-body workout and your heart will be pounding, similar to doing a spin class or an aerobics class or Zumba class," says hula hoop instructor Sara Cole Barnette. At the same time, it's low-impact on the joints and generally very safe, she adds.

Get a low-impact, full-body workout with these 7 hula hoop exercises.

GET THE WORKOUT >

Need a break from this month's challenge?

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Your Meal Plan

Today's Plan

"I love adding cashews to my diet because they help curb my sweet cravings. They are slightly sweeter than some of the other raw nuts, so I'll often eat them as a snack. They also have a naturally buttery element that makes them a fabulous addition, not just in breakfasts and snacks, but also to dinners," said Chef Kevin Curry. "Here, they bring crunch to a Chinese American-inspired chicken and asparagus dish with salty soy sauce, tangy vinegar and zingy ginger."

To get an even bigger veggie boost, double up on the red pepper and asparagus, and make more sauce if needed. Serve your stir-fry with brown rice.

Breakfast: Pumpkin Overnight Oats with Greek Yogurt
Lunch: Open-Faced Smoked Salmon Sandwich with Cucumber Slices
Dinner: Cashew Chicken and Asparagus and Brown Rice

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Making Space for Mindfulness

Gwyneth Paltrow's 'Shallow Hal' body double says she 'hated' her body after filming

Ivy Snitzer, 42, said she endured serious health problems after deciding to undergo weight-loss surgery two years after the movie was released.

One Small Thing

Real ways to make a difference in your life, one small thing at a time.

Woman, 104, who swims laps every day shares simple tips for long life

Every morning, 104-year-old Vivian Levy gets into a taxi and heads to the gym for a 45-minute session of her favorite exercise — swimming.

She does laps using the backstroke, working out alongside people who are a fraction of her age. When asked how she stays motivated to exercise on days she doesn't feel like it, Levy says that concept doesn't exist in her mind.

"There's no such thing. I get up every day and I go swimming," Levy tells TODAY.com. "I always feel like it. … I've done exercise all my life."

In fact, one of her biggest pieces of advice for living a long, healthy life is to keep moving. In addition to swimming, Levy also loved walking, bicycling and hiking when she was younger. She also played tennis and volleyball.

See her 5 other tips for a long, healthy life.

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