Yoga, Healthy Meals, Repeat: How A 102-Year-Old Stays Healthy, Happy, And Ageless | Health and Fitness News

Charlotte Chopin started practising yoga at 50.

At 102, French yoga teacher Charlotte Chopin is living proof that age is just a number. In a recent interview, the centenarian credited her decades-long yoga practice for keeping her mind calm, body flexible, and spirit joyful. Chopin, who began practising yoga at the age of 50, has since become an international ambassador for the practice, even receiving India’s Padma Shri award in 2024 for her contributions to promoting yoga worldwide.

Yoga for a Lifetime

Though she no longer attempts headstands, Charlotte Chopin can still bend to touch her toes. Her approach to yoga has evolved over the years, moving from complex postures to gentle stretches, breathing, and the serenity the practice offers. She believes the consistency of daily movement is more powerful than mastering the most difficult poses. “I would lose everything if I stopped yoga,” she told The New York Times’ Well section.

The Power of Routine

Chopin swears by simple rituals. Her mornings begin with a comforting breakfast of coffee, toast with butter and honey or jam, and occasionally a spoonful of jelly. Her meals are mostly built around vegetables, cheese, and fruit, proving that nourishment need not be elaborate to be effective. A daily walk outdoors and yoga classes complete her day, underlining the role of balance and rhythm in healthy ageing.

More Than Fitness – A Way of Life

What makes her story remarkable is not just her physical flexibility but the philosophy she embodies: enjoy what you do. She calls yoga an “activity that she likes” – one that provides serenity, mental clarity, and social connection. This holistic benefit, rather than the pursuit of perfection in poses, is what sustains her well-being.

Lessons Beyond the Mat

Charlotte’s story is a reminder that healthy ageing doesn’t always come from radical changes, but from consistency in the small things. Choosing activities you enjoy, creating comforting routines, and staying connected to your body can help build resilience over time. Her mantra of “move and eat well” captures a timeless and attainable truth: that longevity is less about chasing youth and more about living in balance every day.