The Mountain of Youth
Many of my hours each week are spent counseling individuals on how to improve their health through diet and lifestyle changes. Not too long ago the Washington Post reported that research indicates that unless things change in the United States, half of all adults will be obese by 2030. This presents a very grim picture especially for the large segment of baby boomers heading into their senior years. Weight is a good indicator of fitness or future health issues.
With all of these prophesies of disease and infirmity looming on the horizon I search for signs of healthy aging. I look for seniors that are vibrant and active. For me, these are the examples of how to avoid becoming one of the statistics of doom. So when I hear about healthy seniors I naturally want to know more. Hidden in the Catskills Mountain is an 83 year old ski instructor and director of the A.S.I.A. (Amateur Ski Instructors Association), Bill Hornbeck.
Bill’s reputation is to ski all day and dance all night. If you attend one of his skiing clinics you need to arrive early, boot up and be ready to ski when the lift starts up and ski until closing. If there’s dancing in the lodge that night you can find Bill carving the dance floor. How can there be such a striking contrast to the bleak U.S. health forecasts and this 80 something year old ski instructor? I decided to spend a day with Bill and find out his secret.
A review of Bill’s health history was a good place to start. I looked for that special dietary ritual, a genetic predisposition, or supplement that he might claim to be his magic elixir. However, there were no special formulas in his diet. The only dietary observation of note was the portion of his lunch, small. I’m sure this contributed to his good body mass index [BMI]. But obviously I needed to look a little further.
When asked about his exercise routine, his response was …“I’m not a gym rat.” As we spoke about ASIA and skiing, there was a noticeable change in his energy level. He became more animated and enthusiastic with each question. This was a clear sign that we needed to head outside to ski and talk on the lift. Bill had some of his posse along and we all headed up the lift. We skied the blues, blacks, and the bumps. Bill was no worse for wear. He was so light on his skis it looked like he was actually floating over the snow. While I looked ahead, with some concern, to see what type of terrain we were headed for next, Bill looked for drop offs, bumps and rollers.
After several hours I still wondered what’s keeping this old man on the mountain. Why is he still able to race down trail after trail?
Bill and our group came to the top of another lift. As we headed across a flat crossover trail everyone but Bill was content to just simply slide forward to the next trial. I noticed that Bill pushed out ahead of us and started to do 360 spins, ski backwards, and look for more things to jib. There was the answer; I was with an 83 year old kid. Bill never lost his desire to just play. It has long been held that a good attitude and positive outlook is critical to a long happy life. Bill was the biggest kid on the slope that day. He’s the type that has to be called in for dinner. There is no reverse for Bill. It’s more wax and tips down. Yes, his slim BMI reflects his calorie intake. It’s also true that he is continually in motion. But the magic elixir is his passion to just play in the snow.
There is further evidence to support Bill’s style for life in the centenarian population and their longevity. As this population of people 100 years of age or older continues to increase, we can learn by their example that having a passion for some for an activity, lifestyle, or hobby is essential for healthy aging and a long active life. Bill’s passion for promoting snow sports certainly would support this concept. Year after year he teaches skiers to ski better, become ski instructors, and he even runs a program at West Point for cadets.
What’s your passion?
If you want to become a better skier or just ski with some of the best skiers in the business, join Bill Hornbeck during one of his events. Information on ASIA can be found at www.asiaski.com. I can’t promise that you will ski in Bill’s group but if you join in you just might find the Mountain of Youth.
