I had a chat with Tony Robbins the other day and we both commented how the years had flown by since I began my journey with him in 1988. We couldn’t believe we were both 63. I was calling to catch up and thank him one more time for putting me on a path that created a fabulous life for my family and I.
I began to think about longevity and long term quality of life. The National Library of Medicine reported that a 65 year old with NO chronic health conditions will live on average another 24.6 years. That is 90! Since they have NO chronic conditions, they lead a very high quality of life, not filled with endless doctor visits and medications.
Unfortunately, the National Council on Aging reported that 80% of Americans have at least ONE chronic health condition and 68% have TWO. Of course, life expectancy decreases with each additional chronic condition.
This is according to a new JAMA Network study, which found that the gender gap in life expectancy rose to 5.8 years in 2021. But life expectancy is overall DOWN among Americans, from 78.8 years in 2019 and 77 years in 2020 to just 76.1 years in 2021. Women live longer than men by about 5 years.
If you have heard me speak, I have always said my goal was to make it to 100 years old AND be agile and mentally sharp. Here is a link to a simple test, in under 30 seconds long that will tell you, based on statistics AND your current lifestyle, your number. This is what it told me –
Results
Your predicted future healthy years is 38.1 Years
Your Relative Healthy Life Expectancy is about 78.9% above Average
Your predicted future unhealthy years is 1.9 Years
Your predicted future total years of living is 40.1 Years i.e. Your predicted age at death is 63 + 40.1
(Current Age + Life Expectancy) = 103.1 Years
Your predicted future unhealthy years, if disabled by a cognitive disease, is 2.6 Years
How does my lifestyle affect my Healthy Life Expectancy?
You are doing a great job exercising, keep up the great work!
At the moment your BMI is looking good, but make sure you keep an eye on it.
You are getting the recommended amount of sleep each night, keep up the great work
Your alcohol consumption has little effect on your healthy life expectancy.
Not smoking has a positive impact on your healthy life expectancy.
I believe the formula for LONG TERM sustained success is to take great care of your #1 Asset – Your health, fitness and vitality. What is your number? How does it make you feel? Are you investing in yourself right now to be at peak health and performance? Congratulations if you are in the club that has done that for a lifetime!
lf you are not a member of that club, you can do something about it right now. Remember it is VERY expensive to get sick on many levels – money, time, mental anguish…
Investing in a personal trainer, home gym equipment, a health coach, quality food, organic fruits and vegetables, massage therapy, physical therapy, gym membership….all are VERY small investments in a disease free future.
IF you have chronic diseases right now what are you going to do? Accept it…that is the way it is…it runs in my family excuses? I suggest you realize that it is primarily your past choices and habits that have led you to where you are today. You can make a decision right now to change! Get a coach, get a plan and make new choices and habits.
Imagine you have a 100 inch tape that represents 100 years in your hands. Current life expectancy is 76 years. Tear off the last 24 years. Hopefully you will live a lifestyle that gets you some of those years and enjoy them. Maybe…maybe not. How old are you right now? I am 63. I tear off the first 63 years off the tape. How many do you tear off?
How many do you have left?
For me that only leaves 12 years IF I accept that average life expectancy. Based on that test I will, God willing, get an AMAZING 27 BONUS YEARS! Hard to imagine living until 2063 and I will accept the challenge.
How about you? Are you going to surpass the AVERAGE number AND high a chronic disease and medication free life? There is a reason you are reading this message. It is not an accident. It is the start of a new year and the perfect time to get serious if you are not now.
I hope you enjoyed this message. Let me know what you thought. Please forward to those who need to read it.