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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Balancing your exercise journey

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Balancing your exercise journey

Final weekend I had the chance to take part in a pickleball event. Sixteen gamers had been invited to this gathering of elite-level pickleball. Naturally, I couldn’t wait to get on the court docket for eight video games of competitors and enjoyable. Every participant performed or practiced a minimal of 5 occasions per week. One might think about the competitors was going to be fierce.

The primary video games began with an exuberant quantity of power. Leaping to smash balls right down to the court docket, grunting after every shot and sprinting to retrieve balls wasn’t a uncommon sight. Nevertheless, because the event progressed to the later rounds, just a few of the participant’s power ranges started diminishing.

Leaping from the bottom to smash an overhead wasn’t as frequent. As an alternative, gamers started to face straight up on the court docket, and the “come on!” battle cries after every crushing blow had been virtually nonexistent.

Persons are additionally studying…

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The array of adrenaline-filled pickleball rivals bouncing across the courts, like water hitting a extremely oiled pan, appeared to simmer right down to the motion of a nonetheless mountain lake. Apparently, the elite athleticism these contributors held couldn’t match as much as the cardiovascular endurance calls for for some contributors. Maybe probably the most vital hole of their sport wasn’t their paddle work, however the means to endure 4 hours of aggressive play.

Work round the home, strolling to realize the aim variety of steps our wearable know-how targets for us or taking part in pickleball 5 occasions per week rewards vital health diversifications.

Bending down to tug weeds retains our knees and backs wholesome and cellular. Strolling will increase our coronary heart charge so we will burn extra energy and pump oxygenated blood movement all through the physique. Chasing round a pickleball on a court docket maintains the power to scramble all through play and function underneath a anxious bout of bodily exercise.

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Plus, leisure bodily actions like pickleball are a ton of enjoyable. These are all types of work that maintain our physique functioning and keep lively as we age. The extra “work” we do, the extra energy we’ll make the most of as a gasoline supply.

An issue arises with these actions, although. What occurs after we bend down too usually when pulling weeds and our again spasms? Or, what if we play a lot pickleball that our wrist, decrease again and knees develop persistent ache? Certainly, strolling and attaining 30,000 steps per day is not the answer to those points.

It’s not breaking information that staying lively retains us wholesome. Our favourite bodily actions maintain our thoughts, physique and spirit in a very good place. Nevertheless, it’s important to know that each bodily motion has checks and balances. Suppose we carry out an excessive amount of of our favourite type of bodily exercise with out reinforcing our our bodies through train. In that case, we will simply overdo it and put ourselves on the injured reserve for just a few weeks up to a couple months.

A balanced health routine ought to provide sufficient construction to assist your favourite types of bodily exercise. Understanding the cardio power system, muscular power, and ideas of flexibility and mobility are vital ideas that assist maintain us going. Specializing in refining health elements to keep away from being slowed down by accidents permits us to take pleasure in our leisure actions extra.

For instance, if frolicking by the backyard and hanging out with the hummingbirds and bees by the lavender crops fills your coronary heart with pleasure, refine the actions that maintain you on the market. Performing core and decrease physique strengthening workouts and decrease again stretches will optimize your gardening means.

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If we wish to proceed sprinting round like a cheetah on the court docket at tournaments with different pickleball-crazed athletes, maybe specializing in decrease physique power might reinforce the decrease extremity’s means to soak up impression, change path and make dynamic actions throughout play.

Strolling and performing work are efficient types of bodily exercise. Nevertheless, if we wish to proceed our favourite bodily actions, it’s worthwhile to determine potential obstacles. Handle these variables which may gradual you down and apply the right type of train to maintain up thriving within the actions we like to do.

SAID means “Particular Adaptation to an Imposed Demand” and this consists of lengthy hours sitting in an airplane or automobile. What are you able to do to assist your physique out after you get off the aircraft or out of your automobile? 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: A completely different pace

Health coach Sean McCawley skilled challenges to his wholesome Napa life-style on his 10-day journey to Portugal. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Simple exercises for a huge impact

Discovering time to train is difficult but when you could find time to carry out one or two workouts very first thing within the morning, this will can accomplish easy and efficient workouts. 

Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Food choices for a champion

On the run as much as a championship match, the meals you select will make a distinction. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Chip bowl salads for dinner

What’s for dinner? Earlier than you flip to Door Sprint, health professional Sean McCawley has a suggestion. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Watching your fitness grow

When striving to fulfill health objectives, attempt retaining in thoughts a rising a plant — each a plant and your physique thrive in a nurturing, supportive atmosphere.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Waking up and exercising, Part 2

Exercising very first thing within the morning could sound like a problem, however the advantages far outweigh the ache of getting off the bed a couple of minutes earlier.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Waking up and exercising, Part 1

Rise and shine — or relaxation in mattress? Sean McCawley offers causes for getting your self up within the morning. 

Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Just don't hurt your back, Part 2

We don’t understand how very important decrease again well being is till an unintended damage debilitates us, however workouts may also help keep away from this calamity. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Just don't hurt your back, Part 1

An extended-plane trip, turning your head the fallacious approach, even sleeping in an odd place, can tweak your again simply sufficient to derail bodily actions. Step one in avoiding these accidents, is studying the anatomy of your backbone. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Try a digital detox

We will fall into an unhealthy rut of spending an excessive amount of time on our telephones. Take a while for your self by stepping away out of your cellular phone to expertise the items the world presents us which might be proper in entrance of us.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Do I need a protein supplement?

Just a few standard questions health coach Sean McCawley is requested are: “What number of energy ought to I eat?”, “Are carbs unhealthy?”, “Ought to I be paleo?” and “What kind of protein complement ought to I take?”

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: How to drink enough water

Staying hydrated is vital to total well being, longevity and performance, writes health coach Sean McCawley. So how do you drink sufficient water every day? He has a plan for you.  


Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Fear of fitness

If stepping right into a gymnasium is as intimidating to you as a stroll in Jurassic Park, Sean McCawley has thought that will help you overcome your anxiousness and provides your self a present of train. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Resistance training to strengthen bones

An train program of resistance coaching can considerably enhance your physique’s means to construct power in your bones.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Exercise the muscles you don't use daily

From development employee to desk employee, all of us have muscle tissue we do not use in a typical day. Your can supercharge your health by including workouts that focus on these areas of the physique.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Your relationship with exercise

Should you wrestle adhering to an train program, pick just a few key phrases of how train makes you’re feeling like what you’re doing has worth. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Reasons for pushups

Health professional Sean McCawley explores why and methods to do pushups.


Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: A 90-day game plan for weight loss

She needed to lose 10 kilos earlier than a trip on the seashores of Portugal. Health coach Sean McCawley helped her provide you with a plan. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: A road trip down the spine

Our backbone is akin to a freeway within the human physique. By participating in bodily exercise that retains the spinal muscle tissue lively, we carry out correct upkeep on our principal freeway of nerves, simply as of Cal Trans staff cares for these roads. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Staving off illness

Our willpower and perseverance to make a trek to a neighborhood gymnasium, take a yoga class or take part in outside bodily exercise are equally, if no more highly effective, than any medication that retains us away from the physician’s workplace.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: What holds you back from your goals?

Crunchy, salty, and candy treats can present consolation, pleasure and salvation from difficult occasions. We will’t simply extract them from our lives on brief discover however listed below are tricks to nonetheless take pleasure in them with moderation, accountability and management.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Can you drink enough water in 2022?

One of many best methods to enhance your well being in 2022 is to make certain you might be consuming sufficient water. 


Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Reach your goals for 2022

A plan to take pleasure in 2022 and attain our objectives begins with Two nice locations to start out constructing a very good basis of making certain we attain our objectives in 2022 is to eat the suitable meals and cling to a train routine.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Wound up so tight

Napa Valley health guru Sean McCawley has solutions for what to do when your life-style has you wound up tight as a violin string. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: A guide to food and finals

Finals week — or any week throughout school — will not be the prime time for excited about wholesome meals selections, however Sean McCawley presents some easy-to- make options to at least one extra bowl of prompt ramen.  

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Processed or the real deal?

Dietary recommendation as we speak will be complicated and sometimes contradictory. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: The Garden of Fitness

Napa health guru Sean McCawley outlines methods to use your gardening duties for a health routine worthy of a gym-workout. 


Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Exercise to manage stress

Stress has a profound results on our well-being, however exercising even a couple of times per week also can have a profound impression on stress. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life in Napa: Nutrition and fitness

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are the large three which might be predominantly targeted on the again of diet labels when counting energy. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life in Napa: Keep picking things up

Should you see a rogue sweet wrapper left over from trick-or-treaters, bend over and choose it up. Practising mindfulness of selecting up objects from the bottom helps mitigate the debilitating results of again ache whereas bending over as we progress by life.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life in Napa Valley: Stop light exercises

We spend a lot of our time sitting, together with driving to work to prepare to take a seat some extra. Napa health coach Sean McCawley suggests workouts you are able to do in your automobile to counteract the toll that extended sitting takes on the physique.  

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life in Napa Valley: From the ground up

Napa Valley health professional Sean McCawley shares ideas concerning the significance of continuous to get down and soiled — or at the very least being certain to incorporate just a few bends day by day —  as we age. 


Sean McCawley, Fit for Life in Napa Valley: Keeping our grip as we age

It’s a trouble to regain the power of our arms if unmaintained over time. Sean McCawley has solutions to maintain yours robust. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Making time to exercise

Constraints of hours in our demanding schedule is an everlasting balancing act. Don’t the let the concept of “I don’t have sufficient time” maintain you again from a lot wanted train.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Becoming a recreational athlete

If we don’t have a bodily lively career and spend 40-plus hours a  week at a desk, we have now to seek out new methods to remain as bodily match as our hard-working ancestors. Turning into a leisure athlete is one in every of them. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life in Napa Valley: Tight hips mean a tight back

Specializing in the well-being of your hip flexor muscle tissue is a good resolution to alleviate frequent decrease again signs wherein our society struggles with every day. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life in Napa Valley: Keeping your 'floating bone' in shape

You by no means understand how a lot you employ your scapula — aka, your shoulder blade — till it is not working effectively. 

Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Preparing for an event

Having a aim to work in direction of can support striving for well being and health objectives. Sean McCawley shares one success stor. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: There's always time for exercise

Do you’re feeling you simply haven’t got time to train? Napa health guru Sean McCawley has solutions for getting round this impediment to health.  

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: How does stretching make you feel?

In case your routines allow you to really feel higher all through your day, maintain them going. Positive, scientific knowledge is at all times going to learn us nevertheless it’s the traditions we observe that make us really feel good that scientific knowledge doesn’t essentially assist.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for LIfe: Taking something out to feel better

A private coaching shopper confirmed up sporting new garments, hairdo, new sun shades — and a brand new confidence. What was his secret? Just a few life-style modifications. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: An electronics-free dinner time

Health guru Sean McCawley urges folks to show off the electronics and luxuriate in conversations dinner with their households.


Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: An alphabet for balance

Stability will be outlined as the power to appropriate imbalances. Sean McCawley has an train to assist this. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Why do I have poor balance?

Not many people have the ability and expertise of the champion Olympic gymnast Simone Bile, however there are methods to enhance our steadiness. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Strong knees need strong hips

There’s nothing extra irritating than having to stroll at snail pace due to nagging knee ache, however one method to maintain your knees wholesome is to be sure you do hip-strengthening actions. 

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Sean McCawley: More help with sciatica

We will’t thrive in life when being held up by painful signs similar to sciatica. Choose workouts which might be easy, efficient, and straightforward to copy on weekly foundation to assist us reside ache free, completely happy, and robust lives.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Mitigating sciatica via fitness, Part 1

What causes the debilitating situation sciatica and might a very good train routine assist mitigate it? 

Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Big, hairy, audacious goals

Every kind of feelings can hinder health plans. Sean McCawley has concepts for shifting forward to perform even the most important “furry audacious objectives.”

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Sean McCawley: Training for travel

On the point of journey once more? Be sure to plan forward for journeys with a balanced train prescription to make sure your physique is powerful and injury-free to take pleasure in these life-changing experiences.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Fitness and pregnancy

The challenges of being pregnant are many, however understanding that the physique can nonetheless profit from a structured health routine all through being pregnant helps the physique trip by the psychological, bodily and emotional undertow.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Why we gain — and how we can lose — weight

Weight administration is difficult. As we age, our metabolism decreases. Nevertheless, the development of our age and the slowing of our metabolism is often not the first offender in the case of gaining extra weight.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Maintaining the all-important joints

Ball-and-socket, hinge and saddle — these are only a few names of the joints chargeable for the frilly actions of our our bodies. They’re masterfully engineered, nonetheless, they’re in danger if they’re left unattended.


Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Thoughtful and strategic weight loss

It’s not a foul thought to have a look at the dimensions and monitor our weight. Simply be sure that to know the place that weight is coming from and be aware on managing the pathways that enhance or lower lean muscle mass and fats.

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Taking time for yourself

Taking time to give attention to ourselves and provides ourselves the reward of train, may also help us to be higher dad and mom, spouses and workers. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Fitness and being a parent

If parenthood has upended your outdated gymnasium health regimes, keep in mind you might have a brand new train associate, brimming with power and ready to place you thru a brand new cardio routine, operating by a playground. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Blood sugar crashes

Napa health guru Sean McCawley shed lights upon what sugary meals do the physique and the way this impacts our on a regular basis life actions. 

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Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: The Art of Putting on Socks

The act of placing socks on will be generally neglected however should you lose that means, it’s fairly a activity to get again. Monitoring your efficiency on how effectively you’ll be able to put in your socks is an efficient marker to see what you would possibly want to enhance on to make sure you can bend up and down.


Sean McCawley, Fit for Life: Your posture and smartphones

Take note of your posture when perusing your good cellphone. The following tips from Napa health professional Sean McCawley will allow you to keep away from injury to your neck and backbone. 

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 Sean McCawley, the founder and proprietor of Napa Tenacious Health in Napa, welcomes questions and feedback. Attain him at 707-287-2727, napatenacious@gmail.com or go to the web site napatenaciousfitness.com.

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Fitness

Fitness, Not Weight, Is the Best Marker of Health, Finds New Study

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Fitness, Not Weight, Is the Best Marker of Health, Finds New Study

We’ve long known that your weight isn’t necessarily linked to your health.

Firstly, because weight doesn’t indicate how much of you is muscle and how much is fat. Secondly, because weight doesn’t indicate what’s going on inside our body, like how much visceral fat we have (the type that sits around organs and can be problematic for health) or how well our heart, liver, gut, and other organs are working.

Yet, we’re never not being sold weight loss solutions. They pop up when we’re scrolling Instagram, are plastered all over train stations and are sometimes recommended by medical professionals.

Why, given there are so many other markers of health that are much more interesting and, importantly, useful for indicating our health? Well, that’s a big question. Instead, let’s look at a more practical question: what exactly are those better measurements for an insight into how healthy we are?

That’s exactly what a new study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, looked at.

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The Study

The study, from researchers at the University of Virginia, was a systematic review and meta-analysis of research looking at whether cardiorespiratory fitness or body mass index (BMI) had a bigger effect on cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality risk.

They were looking at this because obesity rates have increased significantly over the past four decades, with roughly two in five adults now classified as overweight or obese. With that, more people are at risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Public health strategy tends to involve promoting weight loss to increase health outcomes for these people. The problem? Many regain weight within 10 years, and intentional weight loss alone has not consistently shown improvements in mortality risk.

One thing that has been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death is being fit – so much so that the authors of this study suggested it could be the fifth ‘vital sign’.

While studies have already been done comparing BMI to fitness before, a lot of them had issues with their methods. Researchers wanted to study the updated literature to find out once and for all what is the most important measurement of health.

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So, they analysed 20 articles, resulting in a total of 398,716 observations.

The Results

The biggest result from this study is that overweight-fit and obese-fit people had the same risk of all-cause mortality as normal weight-fit individuals. A closer deep dive into the stats shows:

  • Individuals were classified as fit if their exercise stress test score (which was either estimated or directly measured by VO2max) placed them above the 20th percentile within their age group.
  • Compared with normal weight-fit individuals, there was a two-fold increased risk of all-cause mortality in unfit people who were normal weight, overweight and obese.
  • Similarly, compared with normal weight-fit individuals, there was no greater
    risk for cardiovascular disease in fit people who were overweight or obese.
  • Unfit people who were normal weight, overweight and obese had a 2-3 fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

What That Means For Us

Being fit is protective against cardiovascular disease and dying, regardless of your body weight and BMI.

Read that again and again.

If you need to hear it from a scientist, Siddhartha Angadi, associate professor of exercise physiology at the University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development and corresponding author of the study says: ‘Exercise is more than just a way to expend calories. It is excellent “medicine” to optimise overall health and can largely reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death for people of all sizes.’

The focus should be moving more, regardless of your BMI, and without the arbitrary goal of ‘weight loss’. ‘The largest reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality risk occurs when completely sedentary individuals increase their physical activity modestly,’ says Angadi.

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And if you need another reason to find movement you love and do it regularly for your health, rather than focusing on your weight, they add: ‘Repetitive cycles of losing and gaining weight – yo-yo dieting – is associated with numerous health risks comparable to those of obesity itself. Improving cardiorespiratory fitness may help avoid the adverse health effects associated with chronic yo-yo dieting.’

The Bottom Line

Set goals that improve your fitness, whether that’s Couch25K, signing up to a new gym or training for a race, rather than ones that centre weight.


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No gym? No problem! Here are creative ways to stay fit at home for all generations

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No gym? No problem! Here are creative ways to stay fit at home for all generations

Physical inactivity is a growing issue across various demographics, driven by sedentary lifestyles, affordability concerns and fitness accessibility challenges. This issue is particularly prominent among adolescents and older adults, who face unique barriers to maintaining an active lifestyle.

The fitness revolution: Making physical activity accessible for every age!(Photo by Shutterstock)

Lazy lifestyles no more! Gamified fitness secrets to get everyone moving:

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Akshay Verma, Co-Founder of FITPASS, shared, “For adolescents, fitness often intersects with recreational activities, social interaction, and quick results. Given their tech savvy and active social media presence, digital engagement plays a crucial role. To connect with this demographic, gamified fitness experiences, community challenges and influencer-led campaigns can drive engagement.”

He suggested, “Integrating fitness apps with social media, offering rewards for achievements and organising virtual group workouts can make fitness more appealing and accessible to younger audiences. The key is to reposition the pursuit of physical activity and fitness.”

Fitness and socialising for both teens and older adults(Photo by Pexels)
Fitness and socialising for both teens and older adults(Photo by Pexels)

Unlock the fountain of youth! The surprising power of strength training for seniors:

The fitness expert added, “Older adults, conversely, focus on managing health concerns and engaging in safe, sustainable exercises. Their fitness routines are centred around convenient fitness activities that focus on enhancing flexibility, balance and strength.”

For this age group, Akshay Verma recommended, “Accessible options that seamlessly fit into daily routines are essential. At-home workouts, hybrid models that blend virtual and in-person sessions, and community-based fitness and wellness events can sustain engagement. Additionally, fostering supportive communities where older adults can connect with peers and share experiences can motivate them to maintain an active lifestyle.”

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He concluded, “Strength training plays a crucial role in promoting health, longevity and overall quality of life, making it an important focus for all age groups. Personalised solutions can help adolescents and older adults overcome physical activity barriers, empowering them to enjoy a stronger, healthier life.”

Yoga for seniors, older adults to prevent joint tension, osteoarthritis and other discomfort (Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels)
Yoga for seniors, older adults to prevent joint tension, osteoarthritis and other discomfort (Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels)

Addressing the needs and challenges requires tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of each individual. Individuals of all ages should prioritise fitness and wellness, gradually increase their workout frequency and foster a sustainable routine.

Explore different workout options from personalised to AI-driven workout plans or virtual workout sessions and nutrition guidance. These solutions are designed to support every individual’s unique fitness journey, whether they are just starting out or looking to maintain a consistent routine.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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Exercising This Much Could Add 5 Years To Your Life, Scientists Find

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Exercising This Much Could Add 5 Years To Your Life, Scientists Find

With the new year coming up, you’re probably thinking about how to live your longest, healthiest life. Of course, eating well and working out regularly help—but new research has shown exactly how much.

A recent study just broke down exactly how much longer you can expect to live if you’re active—and how much exercise you need to do.

So how can you live longer? Here’s the deal, according to the research.

Meet the experts: Ryan Glatt, CPT, senior brain health coach and director of the FitBrain Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California. Scott Kaiser, MD, a geriatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Alfred Tallia, MD, professor and chair in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

What did the study find?

The study, which was published recently in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, crunched data from National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). The researchers specifically looked at Americans aged 40 and older who wore activity monitors for at least four days during the study period.

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The researchers then compared the most active participants with the least active ones, along with their life expectancy. No shocker here: People who worked out the most had the longest life expectancies.

Specifically, scientists found that people over the age of 40 could live an extra 5.3 years if they were as active as the top 25 percent of the population.

In terms of exercise, the most active group logged about 160 minutes a day of walking. The least active group, meanwhile, spent about 49 minutes a day walking—meaning they’d have to add 111 minutes to their schedules if they wanted to see the benefits.

How much activity should I do to increase my life expectancy?

It’s hard to say for sure. This particular study only looked at four days of data collected from people who wore activity monitors. Still, it found that aiming for 160 minutes of activity a day was considered the best.

What type of exercise should I do to increase my life expectancy?

In general, just staying active is important for longevity, says Ryan Glatt, CPT, senior brain health coach and director of the FitBrain Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California. And, if you’re not currently very active, you’ll likely see the biggest gains from ramping up your daily movement.

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“The benefits are most significant for individuals who are inactive, as even small increases in physical activity substantially reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases and premature death,” he says.

The type of exercise doesn’t matter—as long as you’re moving. “Exercise is the closest thing we have to a miracle drug,” says Scott Kaiser, MD, a geriatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “Even a 10-minute burst can yield great results.”

For a bonus, Kaiser recommends making your workout a “dance routine, as studies indicate that exercises that combine physical and cognitive challenges can especially improve memory and brain health.”

How else can I increase my life expectancy?

Along with being active, Kaiser suggests doing these things to increase your longevity:

  • Eat a varied diet that includes plenty of green leafy vegetables, berries, and other foods rich in phytonutrients, which are helpful for brain health.
  • Practice mindfulness to try to lower your daily levels of stress.
  • Try to stay socially connected to others.
  • Volunteer, if you can. “It turns out that volunteering, giving back, and having a strong sense of purpose in life are secret ingredients of healthy aging and are some of the most powerful ways we can improve our brain,” Kaiser says.
  • Try to find creative outlets, like playing an instrument or painting.
  • Focus on getting plenty of quality sleep to help your brain recharge and reset at night.

Additionally, “we know from other studies that premature mortality is related to several health behaviors—smoking, excess alcohol intake, dietary excess (obesity), and others, and physical inactivity is among these behaviors,” says Alfred Tallia, MD, professor and chair in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. In general, people who don’t have those health behaviors tend to live longer, but longevity is personal, he says.

Still, exercising regularly can’t hurt. As a result, Tallia says the study “re-enforces the idea that more physical activity is better for folks.”

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Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.

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