I love reading about health and wellness and recently finished a book about the healthiest cultures on the planet, called Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest.
If you love this sort of thing, I highly recommend you read the book! If you want the highlights, however, you can stay tuned as I share the secrets one-by-one. Here is how you can achieve longevity. Today’s is:
Secret #1 – How to Achieve Sprightly Longevity
Because I will be discussing each of the 9 Lessons (or Secrets) in a series of articles, you might want to start implementing them. Here are some suggestions from the book about how to create new habits without becoming overwhelmed (and then stopping):
- Contrary to popular belief, it does not take 28 days to build a new habit – it takes 66 days (on average). As you add a new habit, remember that it takes a couple of months to build up that new muscle, so don’t give up after a week or two!
- Pick low-hanging fruit. Each of the 9 lessons/secrets is valuable but start with the ones that are easiest for you so you gain some traction and confidence.
- Try it with a friend. Having an accountability partner helps ensure you stay on track.
- Don’t incorporate more than 3 secrets at a time. Start with the ones you are likely to have the best chance of success with and then add more as that pattern of success emerges.
Okay, so now that we’ve got that out of the way. let’s talk about this week’s Blue Zone Secret #1:
How to Achieve Sprightly Longevity
Or, as the book calls it, “Movement.”
“Longevity all-stars don’t run marathons or compete in triathlons; they don’t transform themselves into weekend warriors…Instead, they engage in regular, low-intensity physical activity, often as a part of a daily work routine.”
In short: a little bit of movement every day is better than a lot in one go.
Since the pandemic hit, I can tell you that I noticed in my body that I’m moving less, as a consequence of needing only to walk from my bedroom to the office to the kitchen, versus all the walking I did as part of my daily life. Finding a way to get those steps in (ideally 30-60 minutes of low-intensity exercise 5 times per week) helps maintain the waistline, the mental flexibility, and is easier on the joints and hips than the high-intensity kind.
Here are the Blue Zone tips for incorporating daily movement into your life:
Inconvenience Yourself to achieve longevity
Do this by parking farther away, hiding the TV remote and doing as many things by hand (vs. by the convenience of an electric appliance) as possible. Have fun. Keep moving.
Exercise for fun rather than for the sake of exercise. You won’t go to the gym if you think it’s a chore so go for hikes, walk to the coffee shop, ride your bike, rollerblade – whatever you love to do that keeps you moving, do THAT!
Have fun. Keep moving.
Exercise for fun rather than for the sake of “exercise.” You won’t go to the gym if you think it’s a chore so go for hikes, walk to the coffee shop, ride your bike, rollerblade – whatever you love to do that keeps you moving, do THAT!
Walk to achieve longevity
This is the easiest for most of us to do – and the most accessible! The successful centenarians all did this daily and it proved an excellent way to live a longer, healthier life. It relieves stress, aids digestion, and can be a great way to spend time with a friend or loved one.
Plant a Garden
Gardening requires frequent, low-intensity, full range-of-motion activity. PLUS, it is a great stress-reliever and provides you with a bounty of nutrient-rich produce!
Make a Date
Pairing your physical activity with other people whose company you enjoy not only makes it more enjoyable, it makes you more likely to do it.
Enroll in a Yoga Class
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: yoga works wonders! It helps increase balance, strengthens all the muscle groups, increases flexibility, is great for your joints, can lessen lower back pain AND is a great stress-reliever! Plus, if you’re doing an in-person class, it provides the same kind of social support and spiritual centering that many religions do. This will help you achieve longevity.
And there you have it – Secret #1 for living a long, healthy life! Stay tuned for the next secret. Hope you enjoyed this first installment 🙂