Today, Dick Van Dyke officially turns 100 years old. Born Dec. 13, 1925, the “Mary Poppins” actor took Hollywood by storm with his singing and dancing, becoming an Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning legend.
Now, Van Dyke has earned a new title: centenarian. Throughout his life, this performer has shared what he practices to stay healthy.
“When you’re 100 years old, a lot of things go wrong,” Van Dyke told The New York Times last month. However, “sometimes I feel like I’m 15 years old again.”
In his recent book, “100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life,” published last month, Van Dyke explores the secret to longevity in more detail.
Here are three research-backed staples of his daily routine that he credits for his 100 years of life.
How Dick Van Dyke stayed active even when he was 100 years old and tips for living a long and healthy life
1. He moves a lot.
Van Dyke told The New York Times that even at 100 years old, he still goes to the gym three times a week. It is said that they sometimes dance while walking towards each machine.
On my days off from the gym, I do yoga and stretch. Van Dyke said he was surprised that doctors could still touch his toes.
Like Van Dyke, many Japanese centenarians, especially those living in the Blue Zones of Okinawa Prefecture, start their mornings with exercise. Typically, they do a low-intensity workout called radio calisthenics that lasts about three minutes and is broadcast on the radio.
The practice also fosters a sense of community, as participants tend to practice together with friends, colleagues, and family.
2. He has an optimistic outlook and does not turn down exciting opportunities
“I decided that people are born with a certain personality, a certain outlook, a certain point of view,” Van Dyke said in a sit-down interview with Al Roker on TODAY in November. “I tend to see the good side of things.”
He said in an interview with the New York Times that keeping a sense of playfulness in your life can lead to more enjoyable experiences. Just last year, Van Dyke appeared in the music video for Coldplay’s song “All My Love.”
In the director’s cut version of the video, Van Dyke talked about how his career coincided with his desire to remain a kid at heart. He said he was “one of the lucky people who got to do what I would have loved to do for a living.”
The happiest centenarians pursue careers that are rewarding to them and often don’t retire. “Think of how lucky I am,” he said. “I have to do what I have to do. Play around and act stupid.”
3. He values quality time with his loved ones
Towards the end of the music video for “All My Love,” Van Dyke welcomes his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren into the frame to dance with him. This scene symbolizes how much he values spending time with his loved ones.
Van Dyke told The New York Times that she’s always looking for ways to make sure her grandchildren and great-grandchildren have fun at her home and want to come back. He said he wants his backyard to resemble a theme park and plans to add a zip line next.
“Just hearing everyone there squealing makes me so happy,” Van Dyke said.
Decades of research conducted by researchers at Harvard University found that the key to happiness and longevity is social adaptability, or maintaining healthy, long-lasting interpersonal relationships.
When it comes to planning today’s birthday, Van Dyke’s itinerary is quite relaxed considering his big accomplishment of turning 100 years old. Still, it is consistent with spending quality time.
“He doesn’t want to do anything,” his wife, Arlene Silver, told People magazine last week. “He wants to watch reruns of Jeopardy! with me in his room.”
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