Secrets of the Superyoung [Paperback]

David Weeks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1999

You're at your twenty-fifth high school reunion and, of course, almost everyone looks older, rounder, and a bit wrinkled. But there are a few enviable exceptions who are smooth-skinned, lithe, and energetic. Who are those people? Why do they look and feel so much younger? And, most important, what are they doing that you're not?
        According to Dr. David Weeks, who draws from eighteen years of scientific research, these men and women are the "superyoung"--people who, on average, appear ten or more years younger than their actual age. In addition to looking youthful, these extraordinary people share a host of similar characteristics, including keen minds, better sex lives, and more energy.
        More than just a study of this desirable group, Secrets of the Superyoung offers prescriptive lessons--such as tips on how to improve your mem-ory, diet, and fitness program--so that you can reduce the signs of aging with a healthier mind and body. Filled with case studies, quizzes, and exclusive interviews with superyoungAre you superyoung?

¸  Do you look ten years younger than your age?
¸  Do you feel many years younger than your age?
¸  Is your memory strong and reliable?
¸  Do you sleep well?
¸  Do you have an active and fulfilling sex life?
¸  Are your skin and hair vital and healthy?
¸  Are you in good athletic shape?
¸  Are you, for the most part, happy and contented?


From the authors of Eccentrics comes a study of age-defying people the world over, with lessons on ways to look and feel younger than your years without spending your life savings on cosmetic surgery, anti-wrinkle creams, a personal home gym, or a guru. In Secrets of the Superyoung, Dr. David Weeks, founder of the world-renowned Super-young Project--an eighteen-year-long study of people who look and feel ten years younger than their chronological age--teaches us that while the superyoung are different from the rest of us, anyone can think, feel, and look younger. celebrities, Secrets of the Superyoung paves a clear footpath to staying younger in body and mind for everyone.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The perpetually young are different from you and me, suggests Dr. Weeks. Yes, you may be tempted to reply, they're luckier. And, indeed, in reporting on his extensive studies of why some people appear many years younger than their chronological age, Dr. Weeks does note that it helps to have the right genetics (choose your parents wisely, in other words). But there's more to it than that: People whose age is routinely underestimated by a decade or more also tend to make different lifestyle choices (more exercise and adventure, more sleep, less television), reproduce less (about 15 percent remain childless), and cope better with stressful life events.

Surprisingly, Dr. Weeks didn't find that the eternally youthful were teetotalers or ascetics. Yes, a somewhat large percentage were vegetarians, and just 1 in 20 smoked, but he also found hard drinkers and major meat eaters among his "superyoung." He also found somewhat goofy distinctions. For example, being shorter makes people assume you're younger than you are (time to get rid of those elevator shoes).

There's a lot of advice you can follow here regarding health and fitness (improve your posture and you decrease your apparent age) and style (it helps to have some). And Dr. Weeks isn't afraid to say there are disadvantages to appearing a lot younger than you are: People take you less seriously in many professions, and there's a distinct chance you'll embarrass your children by appearing to be one of them rather than one of their progenitors. If those are tradeoffs you can live with, then this is the book for you. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Weeks, a clinical neuropsychologist, and James, a science journalist, have teamed up again (after Eccentrics, 1995) for a look at variations in the way people age, with their findings based in large part on the "superyoung" project, involving extensive samplings from questionnaires, and interviews. Their focus is on "the superyoung?the fortunate few who look, act, think and feel years, sometimes decades, younger than the age on their drivers' licenses." Unfortunately, the authors seem to confuse correlation with causation, implying that life is nearly uniformly better for those who look and act younger than their age, when the real-life stories they present in fact reveal that while the "superyoung" share a passion for life, there is for them wide variation in lifestyle. Rather than providing profound insight about the real nature of the much-coveted quality of youthfulness, the authors rely too much on sunny interviews with their study subjects and various celebrities like Ben Bradlee, Angela Lansbury and Jack LaLanne. The first half of their book describes characteristics of the superyoung and Western society's views on aging. The second half provides advice on how readers might join the ranks of the superyoung. But little fresh material is presented there: exercise your body and mind, the authors advise; eat well, reduce stress, enjoy sex, be happy. Despite a valiant attempt at scientific evaluation, there is no fountain of wisdom about youthfulness to be found here.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 277 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425172589
• ISBN-13: 978-0425172582
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #960,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great stories for people who can heed the call, April 25, 2000

By 

Maggie (EASTON , PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secrets of the Superyoung (Paperback)

David Weeks does a great job of searching out the superyoung and finding similarities among them. He also updates you on all the myths of aging that have been blown sky high by research in the last 10 years. The most powerful statement in the book came from an interview, "WHo says that our birthdate has to have anything to do with how old we are?" The profiles are the most engaging part of the book. His suggestions for what YOU can do are not quite as helpful or earthshaking, but you get the point. I enjoyed reading it as a self starter , but didn't come up with much to help an aging parent, who does not naturally come by that kind of energy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mildly interesting, December 14, 2009

By 

One Happy Retiree - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Secrets of the Superyoung (Paperback)

No secrets here ... we all know what to do to hope for longevity. Mildly interesting; a more interesting treatment is the book "The Blue Zone."