Encourage my father to be more healthy

I don't know how far you live from your father, but if you live close enough, you could offer to take him out to do things with you.  You can encourage your mom or siblings also to go do fun things with him, like hiking, maybe going for a bike ride, going for a nice walk, etc.  Maybe also, for a birthday present, you could buy him membership for some sort of exercise class.  There is also talking with him.  I know it's not what people like to hear, but you should tell him that you are only concerned because you love him.  You want to know that he is doing all he can be be healthy and happy for a long time.  Help him to help himself, and get those that both of you love to help.  Good luck.

Well what helped with my mom quit smoking was when she realized all the problems that we were having with asthma, bronchitis, and pnemonia, she started right then to quit, but it didn't hit her until she developed that same thing that she really let it go. Plus seeing the pictures of her lungs showed her that she was killing herself, but it wasn't too late to turn it around. Just show your dad all the things that has happened to other family members that let themselves go. Also take him for a physical and ask the doctor to show him pictures or documentation of his conditions. Also if u have any kids, tell him that if he doesn't shape up, that the grands he loves so much will be without a grandfather. My mom said she realized that she didn't want to see us without her or to not be able to see future grandkids. Or just come to him with your family and have an intervention. Let him see that with him not caring about his health is bringing concerns not only to you, but to the whole family. Let him actually see the faces that will grieve over his passing when he can NOW do something to add on more time to his life healthy wise. I pray this helps and the he gets the help. Also support him in changing. Eat the things he eats, exercise with him, motivate him and support him. Call him and ask him about his day or just give him material to write with or get off his chest if he feels stressed out. These helped.

My mother in law just had a minor heart attack, she had an angioplasty and is fine now, in the first couple of weeks everyone were giving here advices and urging her quite violently to eat healthier and start doing sport. I think the stress of all this was making her sicker then anything else.

Your father is a grown up, as such he should make his own choices about his life and how he choose to spend it.  I think that talking to him just once about it, a serious conversation without guilt trips or anger or anything, just say that you love him very much and would love to see him live as long as possible, and that you are not going to tell him off again. If he doesn't want to live healthy there is no force in hell that will make him do so. 

Saying that, we actually did stop telling my mother in law to live healthy, when we go out with her we choose healthy restaurants but aside of that we are trusting her to take care of herself and respect her choice to still eat dessert every couple of days.

We do plan however to book her a few lessons with a pro-chef as a present, that will come to her apartment and teach her to cook healthier and tastier dishes.  

THANK him for the past with specific memories and lessons he gave applauded.  Let him know he is valued.  Then, ask what he dreams of doing NOW! Everyone needs something to look forward to- it's not over for him- remind him that he is valued and What's Next?