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When I turned 60, Phil Daust, the deputy editor of the Guardian’s G2 section made a decision. He was happy, healthy and wanted to stay that way as long as possible. As a young man he was uninterested in diets and exercise regimes, preferring long drunken lunches, pies and walks to the pub. Later, after a bout of depression, he began to get healthier, but he wanted more.
He realized that he was no longer afraid of old age and decided to try to live to 100. He was inspired by people approaching that age, such as John Starbuck, 93, who regularly spends his days in the gym and is an avid water player ball. With a strong community around him, he illustrates the importance of social connections for a longer life.
Phil tells Helen Pead how he started a rigorous exercise regime, increased his protein intake and improved his diet. He also had a brain scan and spoke to experts about how to prevent dementia. But, Helen asks, with a fitness regime that sounds as grueling as a part-time job and food chosen solely for nutritional value, is it all worth it?
Photo: Alicia Kanter/The Guardian
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