Virginia Beach, Oct. 5, 2025 – A video of a 100-year-old woman working out at the gym has blown up on social media. Her name is Ruth Lemay, and she lives in Virginia Beach. People love her energy and routine. It makes everyone talk about how to stay healthy and live longer as we get older.
Ruth, born in 1925, goes to the gym three times a week. She rides a stationary bike for an hour with a short break. Then she walks more than a mile on an indoor track. At home, she does stretches, knee lifts, leg kicks, and light weights every day. She says walking always makes her feel better. Her daughter, Annette Parker, who is 78, joins her sometimes.
Ruth drives until she was 98 and still lives on her own. The video from Instagram account “evrydayclub” has over 600,000 likes. It shows her full of life, and fans are sharing tips on staying active.
What does she eat? Her meals are simple and fresh. Breakfast might be low-fat yogurt, nuts, oatmeal with banana and milk, or scrambled eggs on whole wheat toast. For protein, she picks chicken, turkey, or fish – no red meat much. She loves fruits like red grapes and blueberries. Veggies are big too: green beans, corn, cabbage, beets, tomatoes, and squash. She skips salt, alcohol, and smoking. Once a week, she treats herself to two hot dogs as a fun reward.
Ruth and her family think her long life comes from moving every day, good food, staying independent, and lots of friends. Her mom died at 65, dad at 74, so no family history of super long lives. But groups like the World Health Organization say exercise and healthy eating cut risks of big health problems.
Experts agree. The CDC and WHO push for older folks to keep moving, eat well, and stay social. Ruth’s story fits right in. It shows how these habits help you feel strong and happy at any age.
Her daughter says they go to parties, see friends all year, and keep busy together. Studies show that helps your mind and body a lot when you’re older.
Ruth’s video is a fun reminder: It’s never too late to start good habits. What do you do to stay fit? Share below!