TEL AVIV - Vice Premier Shimon Peres said the secret to eternal youth lies in the pages of a book, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported Wednesday.
Speaking at a retired workers convention in Tel Aviv, The 82-year-old former Israeli prime minister and veteran peacemaker was greeted by cheers as one member of the audience shouted, "Shimon, we envy you."
"Don't envy me," he said. "Compete with me. We eat the same salad, but I control my portions. To stay young, we must travel, enjoy concerts, read, write and never lose our curiosity. People eat three meals a day. Let them read three times a day. It's better to be smart than fat."
The vice premier begins his day with a 10-minute physical workout before delving into his political work, the newspaper said.
Analysts often ponder why Peres refuses to retire from politics and from his position as longtime head of the left-wing Labor party. But older Israeli leaders are not uncommon. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is 77 years old.