Lasa, ki je vse življenje živela zelo dejavno, si je pred časom zadala cilj: »Raje bom najstarejša v telovadnici kot najmlajša v domu za ostarele.« Preživela je drugo svetovno vojno, raka dojk, dva zloma kolka, operacijo oči in celo okužbo s covidom pri 98 letih. Kljub osteoartritisu, zaradi katerega sklepi postanejo togi in boleči, ne izpusti niti enega dne vadbe.

V telovadnico je začela hoditi pri 94 letih. Uporaba uteži ji je pomagala pridobiti mišično maso, okrepiti kosti in upočasniti kognitivno upadanje. »Pred tem sem veliko kolesarila na sobnem kolesu in hodila,« pravi. »A sin in negovalka sta me spodbujala k vadbi v telovadnici – in izkazalo se je, da je to ena najboljših odločitev v življenju.«

Story from Jam Press (Centenarian Bodybuilder)Pictured: A video grab of Ińaxi training at the gym.'I'm a bodybuilder at 101, I hit the gym for 2 hours a day, here are the secrets to my longevity'A bodybuilding centenarian who hits the gym for two hours a day has revealed the secrets to her longevity.Ińaxi Lasa said she "would rather be the oldest person in the gym than the youngest at the nursing home."She survived World War II, breast cancer, two hip fractures, an operation for glaucoma and macular degeneration, and hospitalisation for Covid-19 at 98 years of age."And every day I fight osteoarthritis," she said.Now, 101 years old, she is considered an inspiration for her 130,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram.The centenarian never misses a day of exercise, and she often goes with her son, Ińaki, 63.Ińaxi, who comes from the town of Beasain near Bilbao, Spain, started training when her caregiver suffered an injury and gave her her gym membership card.She told What's The Jam: "I started going to the gym when I was 94, but I was already very active before that."I used a stationary bike and walked a lot, but they encouraged me to go to the gym and, honestly, it's been the best thing I've done in recent years."Now in winter, I get up at 8am and go for a walk, if it's not raining."Then I go to the gym with my son."We spend two hours doing strength training; we don't do cardio at the gym."Strength training makes me feel alive, and it's also very good for my mind."At first, I had two personal trainers, but now that I've learned the exercises, I can do them on my own."And as my eyesight isn't great, my son helps me."Exercise is the best thing an elderly person can do for their health."She added: "And it's the best medicine for longevity."Ińaxi also enjoys a diet of fresh veg and poultry produced in the local area.And she attributes olive oil and vegetables for helping her reach 101 candles.The elderly fitness influencer said: "We live in the countryside and have plenty of fruits and vegetables."And we eat white meat, although we used to eat beef."But we hardly eat any flour or sugar."Any food to live longer? I'd say olive oil and vegetables."Being active is the best, but diet is also important."After becoming an online sensation, Ińaxi said social media has helped to "empower" senior citizens like her.With the help of her son, she quickly racked up 112,000 TikTok fans "almost by accident".Ińaxi said: "We started messing about on social media like a game."We have a good time recording them, but we didn't think anyone would pay attention to us."Social media serves to empower older people and give visibility to a community that has been hit hard by life."Ińaxi, who worked in farming, added: "I really like that I'm an example for other people."At least that's what they tell me when they write to me."Despite her ripe old age, Ińaxi doesn't have any grandchildren.She said: "I was born in 1924 in a farmhouse in the Basque Country."I was the third of five sisters; my father died when I was eight years old."I got married quite late at 34. My husband's name was Gregorio, and we had one son, who is single and available."I don't have any grandchildren."Gregorio and I worked in the fields for many years."Ińaxi also wanted to pass on a message to younger generations."The important thing is to have a goal, no matter what it is, no matter how small," she said."You have to have motivation to get out of bed and to do things, and for all that, you need to be somewhat functional."The gym and exercise will help with all of that."Life is a constant fight, and you have to keep fighting with determination."You have to fight and never give up, become strong in the face of adversity, and never give up."See the solutions before the problems arise, although sometimes it's not easy."Many health experts also recommend that elderly people take up exercise to keep their bodies and minds in good shape.Dr David Ezpeleta, vice president of the Spanish Society of Neurology, said physical activity "improves cerebral vascularisation, helps form new neuronal connections."He said it "and is associated with healthier brain ageing, delaying the onset of symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases."Coral Sanfeliu, researcher at the Spanish National Research Council, said: "Population studies show that exercise reduces all-cause mortality in adults aged 50 to 70."ENDSEDITOR'S NOTE: Video Usage Licence: (NON-EXCLUSIVE) We have obtained a non-exclusive licence from the copyright holder. A copy of the licence is available on request.Video Restrictions: None.,Image: 1054914274, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: EDITOR'S NOTE: Video Usage Licence: (NON-EXCLUSIVE) We have obtained a non-exclusive licence from the copyright holder. A copy of the licence is available on request.Video Restrictions: None., Model Release: no

Iñaxina vsakodnevna rutina aktivira mišičje, kardiovaskularni sistem, živčno-mišično koordinacijo in kosti, zato pomaga upočasniti starostno izgubo moči.  Foto: profimedia

Moč za dolgo življenjsko dobo

Pozimi vstane ob osmih, če ne dežuje, gre najprej na kratek sprehod, nato pa s sinom v telovadnico, kjer dve uri namenita izključno vadbi za moč. »Vzdržljivostna vadba me poživi in mi zbistri misli,« pravi. Strokovnjaki že dolgo poudarjajo, da je moč ena najzanesljivejših napovedi dolge življenjske dobe. Mišična šibkost, zlasti v nogah, je povezana s tveganjem za srčno-žilne bolezni, demenco in prezgodnjo umrljivost.

WHO priporoča vsaj 150 minut zmerne aktivnosti na teden, britanski NHS pa dodaja, naj odrasli dvakrat tedensko krepijo vse večje mišične skupine. Iñaxina vsakodnevna rutina aktivira mišice, kardiovaskularni sistem, živčno-mišično koordinacijo in kosti, zato pomaga upočasniti starostno izgubo moči. »Vadba je najboljše zdravilo za stare,« poudarja. Tudi raziskave kažejo, da dvigovanje uteži trikrat na teden zniža biološko starost tudi za osem let. Lasa pravi, da je sprva delala s trenerji, danes pa vaje brez težav opravi sama.

Sledilce ima tudi na svojem profilu na tiktoku 

Na tiktoku ima že več kot 112.000 sledilcev. »Sprva sva s sinom videe snemala zgolj za zabavo,« pravi. »Nisva pričakovala, da bo koga zanimalo.« Zdaj pa želi s svojim primerom opogumiti starejše in jim pokazati, da je mogoče živeti aktivno kljub starostnim težavam. 

Story from Jam Press (Centenarian Bodybuilder)Pictured: Ińaxi training at the gym.'I'm a bodybuilder at 101, I hit the gym for 2 hours a day, here are the secrets to my longevity'A bodybuilding centenarian who hits the gym for two hours a day has revealed the secrets to her longevity.Ińaxi Lasa said she "would rather be the oldest person in the gym than the youngest at the nursing home."She survived World War II, breast cancer, two hip fractures, an operation for glaucoma and macular degeneration, and hospitalisation for Covid-19 at 98 years of age."And every day I fight osteoarthritis," she said.Now, 101 years old, she is considered an inspiration for her 130,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram.The centenarian never misses a day of exercise, and she often goes with her son, Ińaki, 63.Ińaxi, who comes from the town of Beasain near Bilbao, Spain, started training when her caregiver suffered an injury and gave her her gym membership card.She told What's The Jam: "I started going to the gym when I was 94, but I was already very active before that."I used a stationary bike and walked a lot, but they encouraged me to go to the gym and, honestly, it's been the best thing I've done in recent years."Now in winter, I get up at 8am and go for a walk, if it's not raining."Then I go to the gym with my son."We spend two hours doing strength training; we don't do cardio at the gym."Strength training makes me feel alive, and it's also very good for my mind."At first, I had two personal trainers, but now that I've learned the exercises, I can do them on my own."And as my eyesight isn't great, my son helps me."Exercise is the best thing an elderly person can do for their health."She added: "And it's the best medicine for longevity."Ińaxi also enjoys a diet of fresh veg and poultry produced in the local area.And she attributes olive oil and vegetables for helping her reach 101 candles.The elderly fitness influencer said: "We live in the countryside and have plenty of fruits and vegetables."And we eat white meat, although we used to eat beef."But we hardly eat any flour or sugar."Any food to live longer? I'd say olive oil and vegetables."Being active is the best, but diet is also important."After becoming an online sensation, Ińaxi said social media has helped to "empower" senior citizens like her.With the help of her son, she quickly racked up 112,000 TikTok fans "almost by accident".Ińaxi said: "We started messing about on social media like a game."We have a good time recording them, but we didn't think anyone would pay attention to us."Social media serves to empower older people and give visibility to a community that has been hit hard by life."Ińaxi, who worked in farming, added: "I really like that I'm an example for other people."At least that's what they tell me when they write to me."Despite her ripe old age, Ińaxi doesn't have any grandchildren.She said: "I was born in 1924 in a farmhouse in the Basque Country."I was the third of five sisters; my father died when I was eight years old."I got married quite late at 34. My husband's name was Gregorio, and we had one son, who is single and available."I don't have any grandchildren."Gregorio and I worked in the fields for many years."Ińaxi also wanted to pass on a message to younger generations."The important thing is to have a goal, no matter what it is, no matter how small," she said."You have to have motivation to get out of bed and to do things, and for all that, you need to be somewhat functional."The gym and exercise will help with all of that."Life is a constant fight, and you have to keep fighting with determination."You have to fight and never give up, become strong in the face of adversity, and never give up."See the solutions before the problems arise, although sometimes it's not easy."Many health experts also recommend that elderly people take up exercise to keep their bodies and minds in good shape.Dr David Ezpeleta, vice president of the Spanish Society of Neurology, said physical activity "improves cerebral vascularisation, helps form new neuronal connections."He said it "and is associated with healthier brain ageing, delaying the onset of symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases."Coral Sanfeliu, researcher at the Spanish National Research Council, said: "Population studies show that exercise reduces all-cause mortality in adults aged 50 to 70."ENDSEDITOR'S NOTE: Video Usage Licence: (NON-EXCLUSIVE) We have obtained a non-exclusive licence from the copyright holder. A copy of the licence is available on request.Video Restrictions: None.,Image: 1054914332, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: EDITOR'S NOTE: Video Usage Licence: (NON-EXCLUSIVE) We have obtained a non-exclusive licence from the copyright holder. A copy of the licence is available on request.Video Restrictions: None., Model Release: no

Sprva je delala s trenerji, danes pa vaje brez težav opravi sama. Foto: profimedia

K dolgi življenjski dobi poleg gibanja prispeva tudi prehrana. »Pomembno je jesti veliko zelenjave in uporabljati kakovostno oljčno olje,« pravi. Živi na podeželju, kjer je svežih živil v izobilju; mesa jedo malo, bele moke in sladkorja skoraj nič. Mediteranska prehrana, bogata z zelenjavo, zdravimi maščobami in pustim mesom, je močno povezana z dolgoživostjo. Nedavne raziskave so pokazale, da lahko dosledno upoštevanje teh načel zmanjša tveganje prezgodnje smrti za več kot petino; oljčno olje pa je med ključnimi živili, ki najbolj ščitijo zdravje.

Kot vdova in mati želi mladim sporočiti, naj začnejo skrbeti za telo čim prej. »Pomembno je imeti cilj – majhen ali velik. Nekaj, kar te spravi iz postelje. Telovadba pomaga ohranjati funkcionalnost, moč in voljo do življenja. Življenje je boj, zato se moraš boriti, ostati odločen in nikoli odnehati.«

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