When I stumbled across Betty, 99, nailing a plank while casually chatting away like it was nothing on Instagram, I immediately messaged her granddaughter – personal trainer and nutrition coach Amy – who had posted the video. I wanted to know how Betty has been able to maintain such good strength and mobility, and what her exercise routine looks like now.
Betty’s commitment to functional training
Betty, who has lived in California her entire life apart from when she was in a Japanese internment camp in Hart Mountain, Wyoming during World War II, has three children, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren, and was a hairdresser from around 1945 until 1981. So, she’s always spent a lot of time on her feet. However, it was only after she retired that she fully committed to functional fitness – training designed to prep your body for everyday tasks like carrying shopping and getting up from the floor – realising it was was crucial to staying independent.
‘Once I retired, I couldn’t drive, and I started exercising by watching programmes on TV – I knew I had to exercise to keep me walking and living independently,’ Betty tells Women’s Health. ‘Over the years, I walked a lot. I also loved to dance and would dance multiple times a week. I played golf, went camping and hiking.’
Betty has continued to prioritise walking, functional fitness and bodyweight strength, all of which help support real, everyday living. Despite now being legally blind – she has a hereditary form of optic nerve atrophy, a progressive disease – Betty is still incredibly mobile and strong, and was able to live completely independently until just six months ago.
Her weekly exercise routine
For Betty, a week of movement looks like this:
A 60-minute session five mornings per week to support balance and strength, which ‘includes many yoga stretches, such as downward dog, cobra and warrior, and body-weight exercises like planks, bird dogs and squats.’Yoga on the beach once a week.A twice-daily walk in the morning and afternoon.Frequently sitting on the ground and practising using only one hand to stand up.Downward dog
Cobra
Warrior 
Bird dog
Betty’s 8 longevity tips
As well as her lifelong commitment to functional fitness, what else does Betty – who will celebrate her 100th birthday in April – recommend for slowing ageing?
Positive thinking is her first tip. Indeed, research has shown that optimism is associated with longer life spans.‘Quit smoking! It’s never too late to stop. I smoked for 25 years and stopped when I turned 55, and have no signs of smoking-related disease,’ adds Betty.Socialising is very good, too, she says. ‘Being around friends to talk about things, laugh and let things go.’Betty is also passionate about furry companions. ‘Having a dog is one of the best things for you. It relieves your tension. Dogs also make you walk, and they always make you feel good.’ She’s certainly onto something here. One study of more than three million adults published in Scientific Reports found that dog owners had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and death than non-owners.Betty also cites the benefits of home cooking and eating more vegetables. But she adds that balance is important, too, and as well as loving chocolate, she enjoys having a drink now and then to relax.When it comes to exercise, Betty encourages you to keep it fun. ‘Find a way to exercise with others, and it becomes social, too.’Another non-negotiable? Walking – ‘walk as much as you can,’ says Betty.Finally, she adds, ‘get outside – it’s good for you.’Related Stories
Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.