She's 80 and Does 7 Pullups - The World's Healthiest Family

The fist-sizing method is part of the family’s broader ‘eat right’ principles. It avoids the complexity of tracking macros and is intuitive enough for Charlotte to follow when cooking for the family. The emphasis on complex carbs over simple carbs, and the elimination of sugary drinks, ensure that the carbohydrate fist is nutrient-dense. The protein fist is especially important for older adults to maintain muscle mass. This method, combined with home cooking, means they eat 19 of 21 meals each week under full control, with two cheat meals reserved for restaurant food they can’t replicate at home, like Japanese or Italian. This balance prevents feelings of deprivation and makes the diet sustainable.

Charlotte emphasises sleep as a non-negotiable pillar. She goes to bed early and rises early, aligning with her age and lifestyle. The family didn’t deeply discuss sleep mechanisms, but they treat it as a foundational element alongside exercise and nutrition. The early bedtime ensures she gets enough deep sleep before natural early waking, consistent with circadian rhythms.

Charlotte gave a vivid example: she was initially offended when someone called her a ‘badass’ on social media, until she Googled it and learned it was a compliment. She realised that the language of the young is full of terms she didn’t know, like ‘GOAT’ and ‘jelly’. This discovery amused her and motivated her to stay connected with younger generations. She sees it as a fun way to keep her mind sharp and avoid the loneliness that can come with old age. This pillar is less about biology and more about psychological and social well-being, which she considers integral to healthy aging.

The no SOAP principle is designed to eliminate the biggest nutritional pitfalls in the typical Singaporean diet. They use home cooking to control ingredients, consuming 19 meals at home and only 2 cheat meals out each week. The cheat meals are deliberately chosen for foods they can’t replicate at home, like Japanese or Italian, preventing cravings and bingeing. Their meals are built around a fist-sized portioning rule: one fist of carbs, one fist of leafy vegetables, one fist of protein. This scales naturally to the individual’s body size. They favour complex carbs over simple ones and have completely cut out sugary drinks and sodas. Yen emphasises that the food looks and tastes similar to restaurant versions but is prepared without the unhealthy ingredients, making it sustainable long-term.

Tat’s process is rooted in personal experience: he had a mouth sore immediately after taking ashwagandha and again after magnesium threonate, so he stopped both. The magnesium incident taught him to test for deficiency first; an electrolyte panel showed his magnesium was in range, so supplementation was unnecessary. For vitamin C, a blood test and a confirmatory test at Mayo Clinic revealed a deficiency, which he corrected by eating one extra kiwi daily instead of a pill. When the whole family’s January blood work showed a DHEAS deficiency, they all started supplementing and will retest in six months. This approach turns supplementation into a targeted, iterative process rather than a shot-in-the-dark. Melody, initially a sceptic, became a believer after seeing improvements in her vitamin D and bone density markers through targeted supplementation.