100-Year-Old Man Still Works Out In A Gym, Shares Tips For Long Life

At 100 years old, Joseph Caminiti goes to the gym more often than many people a fraction of his age. He works out five days a week with a routine that includes cardio and weightlifting.

Caminiti lives independently with his 98-year-wife and drives himself to The Edge Fitness Club in Bristol, Connecticut, every weekday morning for a workout that lasts about an hour.

He credits the active routine for his long, healthy life.

“You’ve got to exercise. You’ve got to keep going. You’ve got to keep moving,” Caminiti tells TODAY.com.

“If you see me, you wouldn’t think I was 100. Everywhere I go, they (say), ‘You’re not 100 years old.’ And I say, ‘That’s what I am.’”

Most people exercising next to the energetic gray-haired fitness buff likely have no idea about his incredible life story.

Born in 1924 in West Virginia, Caminiti was part of a large family that included eight children. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps when he was 17 and served in World War II and the Korean War. The veteran is a survivor of the Battle of Iwo Jima, fought 80 years ago, and watched the U.S. flag-raising on the island.

Caminiti later worked for decades making bearings for a division of General Motors in Connecticut. He and his wife have been married for 78 years.

The centenarian has few health problems and never had cancer or heart disease. That he has good genes is helpful too — his parents and some of his siblings lived into their 90s. He has one surviving sibling, a sister who is 92.

Being 100 is “like any other day in my life — 100 is just a figure. I’m just lucky that I made it this far,” he says.

Here are his tips for a long life:

Move your body

Caminiti has been active or going to the gym since he was a child. He had a paper route as a kid and used to go to a Boys Club when he was 12.

Today, he goes to the gym every morning from Monday to Friday. He walks on a treadmill for 30-40 minutes, then uses weight machines to strengthen the muscles in his legs, arms and other areas of his body. He finishes by lying on a hydro massage bed to relax.

“Some people get a trainer to show them what they want to do, but at my age, I don’t need a trainer. I’ve been going to the gym since I was a kid,” Caminiti says.

“Nothing needs to motivate me. I just go… I love it.”

A doctor once told him to avoid being sedentary and stay on the move, Caminiti’s son William, 77, says.

“He enjoys going (to the gym). He kind of just says, ‘I’ve got to keep moving,’” he tells TODAY.com about his father.

Help your body stay healthy

Caminiti didn’t smoke cigarettes. He enjoyed an occasional beer but otherwise drank little alcohol.

“He never smoked, he never drank,” his son says.

When asked about his main longevity advice to other people, Caminiti is matter of fact: “Don’t smoke, No. 1. Keep active as much as you can. Try to stay away from pills, if you can,” Caminiti advises.

He says he doesn’t take any pills other than vitamin D and B12 supplements.

Have pleasures to look forward to

For Caminiti and his wife, it’s a monthly visit to a casino where they play slot machines.

“For her, it’s like therapy,” he notes. “She enjoys herself there.”

The centenarian says he’s been going to casinos for 70 years and he’s never won big, but enjoys the experience.

Enjoy food

Caminiti has enjoyed a healthy appetite and a diet without any restrictions. His favorite foods include lobster, baked stuffed shrimp, steak, spaghetti and meatballs, and salad.

“I never avoided any food. Whenever they put (it) in front of me, I ate it,” he says.

“He ate healthy, but he also ate pretty much whatever he wanted,” his son adds.

The centenarian has recently lost weight because of an esophagus problem, which makes it hard for food to go down — a common issue as people age — so he now has to take his time to eat and choose foods carefully.

But he still loves dessert.

“Oh, yes. I have ice cream almost every night. I eat pie, I eat cake, I eat cookies,” he says.

Stay independent

Caminiti still drives a car and he maintained his big house until a few years ago, including going up a ladder and painting it himself when he was 95.

Looking after the home eventually became too much work, so he and his wife sold the house and moved into an apartment, which they enjoy. She still cooks their meals.

“It’s a regular apartment house,” Caminiti emphasizes. “Assisted living — I don’t need that yet.”