As the director of a non-profit organization focused on aging research, he knows full well that Exercise may be the closest we have to a “universal recipe” for longevity.
That's why he devotes about an hour every day to cycling or strength training as part of his health routine.
— I don't take any supplements. “I don't even take a multivitamin, but I spend a lot of time at the gym,” he tells Business Insider.
But on a recent research trip, Austad encountered centenarians who stay fit with a completely different movement style — and it changed his approach to exercise.
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“I met all these centenarians, talked to them and observed them,” he says. — They move a lot, but it's not intense exercise – he adds.
Here's what we know about the healthiest type of exercise — and why a little “laziness” may be the key to a long, healthy life.
The best activity for longevity
Sardinia, Italy, is one of the few places in the world where people regularly live to be 100 (or even older).
Longevity regions, known as blue or blue zones, have traditions that scientists believe may be linked to long-term good health. Even though they are scattered around the world – from Okinawa, Japan to Nicoja, Costa Rica – the inhabitants of these areas have similar habits: they stay active, eat simple, mostly plant-based superfoods, and have strong social connections.
Austad traveled to Sardinia last year while working on a research paper on whether places known for longevity actually live up to their reputation. He wanted to test the theory that the high number of centenarians in these regions is due more to poor records than to unique habits.
However, he discovered that Sardinian seniors are real. Not only did he confirm that the island's inhabitants are active and full of life at the age of 90 or 100, but what he saw changed his own approach to a healthy lifestyle.
Villages in Sardinia are scattered over mountainous terrain. As a result residents overcome the hills every daymoving around the area.
Combined with everyday chores such as gardening, Sardinians meet all the criteria for “exercise for longevity” without going to the gym:
- lots of light cardio;
- a bit of intense exercise when walking uphill;
- and strengthening muscles with full range movements.
Austad also spoke with a local regenerative medicine doctor who specializes in preventing problems resulting from injury or aging.
She told him that most of her patients are young people who have injured themselves at the gym.
Austad was surprised. All the 90- and 100-year-olds he met were energetic and healthy, while the younger generations required medical attention due to overexertion.
— It's truly extraordinary – says the researcher. — It convinced me that you don't have to be a fanatic – he adds.
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Relax and you will live longer
After returning from that Italian trip, Austad couldn't help but rethink his approach to training.
Previously, he liked to train hard, taking advantage of the addictive release of endorphins, and was often tempted to do an additional set or train longer. His rest days seemed like a waste of time.
— A day off is driving me crazy – he admits. — I have one weak knee and if I overdo it, I pay a lot for it. It keeps me in check and tells me when I start to overdo it, he adds.
Austad continues to exercise regularly, combining cardio and strength training, focusing on core stabilization and everyday movements such as pulling and pushing.
But after researching blue zones, he says he is more likely to rest without feeling guilty.
— I feel less guilty on days when I decide I shouldn't exercise – he admits in an interview with Business Insider.
The above text is a translation from American edition of Business Insider
