96-year-old grandpa shares his stacked daily routine that's kept him sharp as a whip
"I'm not here to die—I'm here to live."
96-year-old man shares his daily routine for staying healthy and vital in old age.
Living to 96 years old is a feat of strength, will power, and grit. Making the choice to keep going, even as your body and mind slowly deteriorate, is an honorable pursuit, and its one that 96-year-old grandpa Marty Friedman is fully embracing.
In an inspiring video shared by his granddaughter Izzi, he shared the daily routine that has kept him healthy and mentally sharp at 96-years-old.
"When you're 96, you look around...everyone you knew is dead. They're dead or with a walker—they don't go on the treadmill anymore. They don't do anything. Waiting to die," he says, noting that at his home in Florida, it's a phrase he hears all the time from his peers.
"I go see people and they say, 'Where have you been? When did you get here?' I said, 'I've been here two months'," adding that they tell him they haven't seen him in the card room or lunch room. Instead, he is out and about getting active.
"The problem is that I'm still active in exercising. I'm still active in playing golf. I'm still active, okay?" he says. "I'm not here to die. I'm here to live. When you're here to die, what you want to do is eat a lot and go to every lunch. Overeat and don't exercise. Terrible!"
Next, he gives viewers a rundown of a typical 24 hours in his life. "I sleep 9 hours at night, and I sleep 2-and-a-half hours average a day in the afternoon," he says. "Here's what I have to do in 11 hours: I have to exercise for an hour. Doesn't have to be everyday, 4 or 5 days out of the 7."
He adds that he also eats and prioritizes his time to learn. "You need time to learn. Read and learn--what's new? I mean most people don't know that Elon Musk's mother May Musk is a millionaire herself without Elon, and that she's a famous model from Canada. That's terrific! Why do I need that information? I guess I don't! But I like to have it. It makes me feel good." He notes that he also reads magazines, including Fortune, Forbes, and Newsweek.
Viewers are completely inspired by his routine and attitude on living a full, healthy life at 96 years old. "Sharp as a tack and doesn’t seem a day over 70, tbh. Super inspirational stuff. Thanks for sharing," one commented. Another added, "This is the sharpest 96 year old I’ve ever seen. WOW good for him." "Vital. Learning. Curious. This man is timeless!😍" shared another.
In another video, he shared more specifics on his workout routine, which includes weight lifting with eight pound weights, mobility exercises on his back, and toe touches. "You want to be flexible. You want to keep all the muscles in your body active," he says.
Mary also elaborated on his diet in another video. His breakfast is usually "light," and includes oatmeal, berries, yogurt or cottage cheese. He also focuses on produce with bright colors, like grapefruit. "I think grapefruit's one of my favorite things to eat. I think grapefruit is one of the healthiest things to eat," he says.
He also believes in eating early and limiting meat consumption. "Everything in moderation," he says.