100-year-old woman celebrates birthday by weightlifting at gym. Her secret to longevity

Mary Coroneos' social life may have supported her health as much as her workouts.

While most people mark a 100th birthday with cake and greetings cards, Mary Coroneos, of Norwalk, Connecticut, celebrated hers in a rather unexpected fashion—on the floor of The Edge Fitness Club, lifting weights.

Affectionately nicknamed the “mayor of the gym” by fellow members, Coroneos continued to train multiple times a week alongside two personal trainers, focusing on strength, mobility and longevity. Her approach impressed her daughter, Athena, who told the New York Post that trainers often said: “You have no excuse. We have a woman who is 100 years old who trains.”

Coroneos' regimen was all about modest intensity and intelligent design. She performed high repetitions using resistance bands, light weights and machines—exercises such as seated rows, leg extensions, reverse flys and pulldowns. One of her key moves was the “sit to stand” exercise, a widely recognised mobility test: a 2014 study linked inability to rise from a chair without using hands to higher mortality risk. She performed it comfortably.

According to Athena, their focus wasn’t records—it was consistency. “It wasn’t about breaking world records, but breaking mental limits,” Athena explained.

Coroneos, a former high school teacher, eschewed traditional senior living. She preferred mixing with younger gym-goers over attending senior centres—and she maintained what Athena described as a “famously flirtatious” persona.

“She loves men,” Athena said, “and it’s never diminished.” For Coroneos, the gym was more than physical activity.

“It’s a connection with her body. It releases endorphins. It gets oxygenation. It’s just a positive social reinforcement for her,” Athena added.

Coroneos' social life may have supported her health as much as her workouts. The Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest-tracked studies on human wellbeing, found that strong social ties are among the most reliable predictors of longevity.

Coroneos' lifestyle echoed the science endorsed by experts like Dr Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute at USC. He advocates small meals, plant-based nutrition, consistent movement and purposeful living—principles that align closely with Mary’s daily habits.

In conversation with CNBC Make It, Longo remarked: “I’d like to make it to 120. But whatever I get, it’s okay. At least I’ll have no regrets saying, ‘Well, I didn’t do all the right things.’”

Coroneos supplemented just one prescribed medication—for hyperthyroidism—and added calcium, vitamins C and D3, cranberry and Ginkgo biloba. Her diet eschewed processed foods, favouring whole‑food small meals and—on occasion—a glass of Prosecco or root beer.

Her active mindset traces back to childhood in rural Pennsylvania. As eldest of five, she swam in creek beds, climbed trees, and played sport with her four brothers. She later earned varsity letters in basketball and volleyball at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

At 100 years old, she shared a simple philosophy: “This is the beginning. There’s always more that you can do and achieve. When people realise there’s more to life, they act accordingly.”