DOES WORKING OUT REALLY PROLONG YOUR LIFE?
It seems so obvious as to be clichéd — staying in shape and keeping active will help us live longer. And it’s usually phrased in such a way to seem incredible: exercise will literally add years to your life, as though things are already mapped out — just a few adjustments here and there, and it’s like you’ve ‘bought’ a few more years, somewhere in the future.
This kind of advice has become so normal, so rote, and so everyday as to have lost a lot of impact. In the same way that we can’t really scare smokers away by saying “those cigarettes take years off your life!”, it’s equally hard to do the same with exercise.
So what to do? Is there any hard, physical evidence that exercise really extends our lives, and can we get excited and inspired by it?
OF COURSE THERE IS, AND OF COURSE WE CAN!
Check this out: almost 17,000 Harvard alumni were studied over a massive period (16+ years). Never mind smoking, family history, hypertension or a host of other factors — nearly one third of the men who expended 2000 calories through some kind of exercise, per week, saw their mortality rates fall big-time. By the time these people hit 80, the study was able to say that 2+ years of additional life was directly attributable to exercise.
And just wait a second, ‘cause here comes another one: this found that ‘exercise capacity’ was the #1 way to predict mortality, no matter what the final cause of the actual death was. And the more exercise capacity each person had (this was another study involving 13,000 people), the far longer they lived — regardless of other factors.
Hold on, some more incredible numbers for you: alright, just one more study. In this one, ‘moderate activity’ (30 minutes of doing stuff, most days of the week) reduced mortality by 27%.
And ‘vigorous exercise’ (at least 20 great minutes, 3 times/week) reduced it by 32%. Even those who engaged in the ‘less than recommended’ levels lived longer. This went for everyone: smokers, overweight people, and people who watched several, several hours of TV per day.
OK, so those are some impressive numbers. But are they what’s really important? Sure they are, but while it’s fun to focus on adding years onto the ends of our lives, there’s something else even more crucial:
IT’S NOT JUST HOW LONG YOU LIVE, BUT HOW WELL.
Feel great during all those years. Sure, you’ll get 2+ years added onto the end of your life, but exercise will do amazing things for the rest of those years — you know, the ones where you’re living your life, right now, today.
Be happier. We all know how exercise releases endorphins which can give a serious boost to your mood, but until we get into a regular habit of fitness and exercise, it’s amazing how quickly we can forget. There’s a reason that people sometimes can’t help over-committing to a fitness program after a few sessions — the ‘high’ that results can have seriously great effects on your everyday feelings.
It’s easy for people to mix up cause & effect here — we often hear “I feel like crap (for some reason), so I’m not going to exercise.” Go out and do it no matter what, and you’ll realize ‘some reason’ was simply a lack of activity in the first place.
Do more things in a day. Another little paradox — the more energy you spend exercising (within reason, don’t over-train), the more energy you’ll have to do other things during the day. Being able to commit more energy to more things makes you feel like you have more control over your time — both today, and over the course of your whole life.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Let’s start a great, inspiring conversation — we want your always-amazing answers to one of these questions:
#1) Do you know anyone who’s older, and still incredibly active?
#2) Give us one way that exercise has tangibly improved your life today, so that living longer also means living richer.
Best,
Frederick
The photo of John Turner is great! Wrote a year ago about oldies like him http://red-star.nl/blog/?p=2377
My father is 73 now, and still on his bike every day. I’m 43 and have one hour of exercise in the morning, one hour cardio in the afternoon or evening, 7 days a week, and I,m stronger now, then when I was 20 years old.
I can say to anyone out there to continue working out, eat healthy and not to much, and follow your own flow.
My mom. She’s going to be 50 in January and in in absolute incredible shape. Sure, she’s great genes (boy do I wish I got hers), she’s naturally thin, but at 50 years old, she’s strong, lean, no sagging skin, has beautiful smooth skin too. Her doctor said she has the body of an athletic woman in her early 30s. But I wouldn’t go as far as pinning it all to her genes.
When we came to America 16 years ago, she befriended an older woman who was really active and said to herself “If she can do that at 55, I can do it at 34″ and began working out consistently. She became toned, strong, had a ton more energy and has continued to be very active. She doesn’t go to the gym as often now, but she takes dance classes 3 times a week and her body is just unbelievable. The vitality and radiance my mom exudes is really inspirational. I regret not following in her footsteps earlier. I attribute it to her active lifestyle.
I know someone who’s older and still incredibly active. My grandmother! lol
She’s a 75 years old widow that grew up in a very exigent environment, with lots of energy. She can’t just stay at home with nothing to do and has some hipertension problems. Her friends and her doctor told her to enrol in aquagym classes, and a few years after that advice she decided to go to the gym. So, guys, be prepared:
My grandma arrives at the gym at 8 am, by feet (15 min.) Starts with 30 min biking, 30 min walking, leg machines, arm machines, 10 min of rowing machine, and then a 50 min. aquagym class.
I can’t follow her rythm! When I ask her “How can you do that everyday?” The answer is “I’m watching tv during the exercise, it’s like if was sewing, just moving my feet on the bike…” LOL
At the end, she backs home by feet too… solving her hipertension and insomnia problems!
Hi Vera,
Your grandma rocks! I think that is awesome and I hope to be like that too in her age :)
There is an elderly lady in her 80’s, I only know her as Gladys, but I see her jogging every morning on a long stretch of road. And every year at our annual town Homecoming celebration this lady enters and always completes a 6 mile run in one hour and fifteen minutes. Of course, she always wins first place for her age, because there is no one else her age in the run! But,you have to consider the facts that this celebration is held in August; which is one of the HOTTEST AND HUMID MONTHS in Texas,irregardless that the run starts at 7a.m. aaand the route includes a small hill. This lady still completes the run,does not walk any portion of it like a lot of the much younger runners. She stands and walks tall without stooping like many elderly people do. At the end of the race everyone gathers to have their picture taken and this lady has a big smile on her face. I think she deserves more than that little blue ribbon!
Exercise and eating clean has defintely kept me healthy. I have one sister that is in her 60’s and another in her 70’s, both are diabetic,the elder on insulin, heart medication and has hypertension. The eldest has to sleep with an apnea mask every night and she literally can not bend her knees when she walks because of her painful and severe osteoarthritis. The other sister gets around better because she takes care of the older one. My oldest brother who is 61 had a heart attack 17 years ago! Okay, here goes- I am 56 years old! I am often told I look 45! By the way, my husband is 47. My only problem is asthma,but we now have that in control;I have airborne allergies. I wow myself every day I workout with your videos and with 8 or 15 pound weights! I feel so blessed that I can do it. My doctor jokingly asked me once,”Are you sure your there sister?”. We had been discussing the differences in my physical and medical health versus my sisters. BIG DIFFERENCE. It’s a lot of work,but it is worth it. I value the life and life-form (one word or two?)GOD has blessed me with. I want to be like Gladys (in my previous entry) and keep going strong when I reach my 80’s.
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I am going to be 60 en December. I have been active playing tennis and riding bike most of my life. I still can play two hours of singles tennis. I have been trying to follow your training tips for last three months. I am a lean person but had belly fat. I got rid of the fat by eating a proper diet and exercise. Now that I got rid of the fat, when will the excess skin go? I really feel younger that 60, and I am sure regular exercise helped. Thanks for your site.
Dear Texas Cindy, your post is wonderful.
You’ve encouraged me, I’m only 20 but I have less motivation than you in your 50’s.
Keep working and thanks for life lesson!
Hi,
Question, what about athletes, are there study’s to there live span?
do you think the same applies to them, because i think that there is a limit to what’s healthy and there are plenty of examples of athletes who die relatively young!
So yes i totally agree keeping fit is very important for the quality and span off your life, and watching your diet bye the way, but…. (there’s always a but..) i thinks that there is al limit where extremely healthy becomes dangerous for your health!!
what are your views on this?
Don’t get me wrong though, I LOVE TO EXERCISE, and will continue to do so until i’m (hopefully) very old!
I try and do something every single day, going to the gym, running, cycling swimming or as simple as a few push-ups and sit-ups and i love and follow this website with great interest!!!
Keep up the good work :D
greatings,
Job
This article hits home because I have several examples of people like this. At the gym that I take my yoga classes, there is a 78 year old Senior Olympian who’s body is rock hard and his energy is outta control! His legs are muscular and his skin is beautiful.
Some of his friends are a 67 yr old yoga instructor with a fitness yoga class that will make you drip sweat and a 66 year old lady with a body of a 20 year old and the wit of someone just as young!
These people have inspired me to kick up my workout and the information on this site is helping with that. I have lost 14 lbs of fat and I was told by an old flame that my body, which he loved, was “even better” than he remembered. Oh yeah…and it is getting better-er!
Hi Frederick and All,
Well, I’m glade I’m not the oldest person who has posted here. I’m almost a baby…at 53! 8-)
My clan has heart problems which scares many from working out…or gives them excuses to avoid exercise. Not that diabetes or the other common health problems associated with obesity is a better thing to face while avoiding heart attacks and the sweat of exercise.
I don’t see myself back in the 220 pound range and sitting around worrying over exercise and my health. My path is in the pathways of fitness for the rest of my life…short or long.
Amazing answers? You flatter us to no end, Fred! I don’t know if folks here have some sort of genius. I think most have common sense and good judgment. Won’t be here if they didn’t have the sense to be! I’m right folks? ;-)
Good article, thanks!
And best wishes in your new home,
–Chris
Yelena, what does your Mom eat? I’m intrigued when you say that in her 50’s, she has a body of early 30′.
Hi,
I know 3 boxers of more than 60 years old, and they are in very good shape. They are quick in fight, and very better than me (I am 20 years old and practise fight sport since 3 years old)..they are very awesome. Of course, they eat the right food, and they do a lot of sport.
I also knew a person who started karate at 53 years old, and who got his black weight 3 years latter.
cedrix
First Id like to say I am 52 years old. I started working out/running when I was about 32 years old. While getting in shape-I learned alot from my own body-what foods dragged it down, what foods brought me to life, etc. Then I had a very physical stressful job, and didnt exercise at all for 1.5 years. I still didn’t for another 1.5 after leaving that job, and even gained a bunch of weight. This year, I got back into cycling, and lost 40 lbs.
When I wasn’t exercising, I was moody and didn’t feel good half the time. I caught colds and the flu easily. Didn’t sleep good, and no energy. Now I am returning back to getting in shape-mainly by mountain biking, and love every minute of it-at 52 years old
I’m 22, been exercising on and off for about 3 years now. When I started I weighted 226 pounds, and it seemed at the time that not an ounce of that was muscle. I had trouble walking more than two or three flights of stairs. I’d get winded, red on the face, my heart would palpitate, I’d feel dizzy… Quite a sad picture really.
Now I’m 194 lbs, 6′2, a lot of it solid muscle. Once, I raced my friends, who were riding an elevator, to the ninth level of a building. I won. Granted, they had some stops along the way, but still, you should’ve seen their faces :P.
I recently started modeling the old-time athletes, strongmen and wrestlers of the early 20 and late 19 century, guys like Farmer Burns, Otto Arco, the Great Gama, and Maxick among others. Seriously, if you want to see some AMAZING shit, google them! Those guys could do at the age of 60 things that are still well beyond my ability, or the ability of many of todays so called athletes.
Anyway, you have a great site here. You already gave me some really cool ideas for my workouts. Plus, we men were always motivated by beautifull women. And Zuzanna is not only drop-dead gorgeous, she’s also obviously fitter than me, and, frankly, exactly the type of woman I want to attract. Talk about a kick in the butt ;).
I’m very active and at the same time I am a smoker. My friends, well most not all, are not as active and are mostly non-smokers. This study resonates with me because unlike them I can do a lot of intensive work-outs most days of the week and even throw in a little jogging without excessive strain…
Again, I’m a smoker and they are not the only difference between us is exercise and diet.
P.S – I am not promoting cigarette smoking, it is a horrible addiction. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. It’s expensive as hell. :P
I once did a project in middle school about this veteran who was still alive at 107, I think, and one of the reasons was exercise and a good diet.
He dint have to wear glasses because he never watched television or was on the computer, instead he read. Impressive huh?
I am bit late, but, better late than never.
I cycle and some of the people I ride with are a lot older than I am. My regular riding body (I ride with a group of men all the time. But, this person always sticks with me.) is 50 years old and I still can’t beat him. He can’t drop me. But, I couldn’t drop him either. There’s also this 60 year old man that I used to ride with. One time, after work, I went out for a ride at the park near my place. I saw the man and I rode with him and his friend. At some point, our adrenaline was so high that we got competitive (well, most serious recreational riders are, I guess.). We raced. We never found out who would have won because we had to slow down since there were riders coming in the opposite direction.
I am also a runner. I usually do my long runs on weekends at the same park where I ride. Once in a while, I would just be surprised that a woman thrice my age would pass me and you can tell from her legs that she’s been active for so long. Whenever I see them, I get so inspired that I would try to catch up, to no avail.
Exercising has become a way of life for me. Even if I am not feeling well I go out and exercise. I always feel better after. One good thing that exercise has given me is that I no longer experience pre-menstrual syndrome. Before, I would know days ahead that my period is coming because I would get stomach cramps and would have lower back pains. Now, I no longer feel these.
And one last thing. For me, getting out for an exercise has no longer been a problem (of course, at first it was.). As I said, it has already been a way of life for me. So, I no longer have to drag myself to the gym or to the park or wherever to exercise. My body longs for it. If days have passed that I didn’t get to exercise, I feel kind of weak. If I am going on a trip, I always bring my running shoes and clothes with me.
Justin…I am just curious…I have seen some riders smoke while they take a break and I have always wondered if they don’t run out of gas. Don’t you? I used to smoke. But, when I started running, I stopped. And, once, I tried if smoking will affect my running. It did. I got tired early on during the run.
Yes, I’m an older women and I execrise at least five days a week. I use an execrise tape, 40 minutes. I get to my office around 5 am. When I’m finish, I feel so good. My husband thinks I’m crazy for doing this but “oh well”, this is why he has a “potbelly”, and I don’t. My body weight fat and weight is within the normal range. However, over the holidays, I have gained 5 pounds and I’m working to get that off. I’m 5′2 weigh 125. I feel the difference with this 5 pound gain; this is way too much weight for me.
I need to really learn how to eat healthy, I’m going to read more on your website. Zuana, you are an ispiration to me, thanks for this website. I just found it by chance, looking up something else and wondered onto your website and been here every since (2 weeks).
Talk with you later!
Smarttie
well my grad grandfather leaved to be 105 or 106 years old. He used to take long walks, do exercise in the morning, eat healthy. He had great eyesite, memory, hearing…. in great shape …
There’s a woman at my gym who seems to be about sixty, but she is more fit than I am! (I’m 24.) Any class I go to, there is a high probability she will be there, and outperforming me. Most of the girls closer to my age look like they’re kidding around in comparison.
Working out makes my day feel accomplished before it even gets started. I have more energy, more motivation, and a more positive outlook on the day. Plus, when my boyfriend finds me more attractive, it really improves both our days :)
I think you have made a great point!!!!
I always wondered how great grandma was in her 90s and still so agile and strong for an elderly woman. Well… she grew up on a farm where she had to take care of the animals and tend to the crops all her life. Now may be these days that is considered to be moderate activity, but in her day the industrial revolution had not fully touched area! So, early mornings of lifting hay stacks and serving them to the animals, long hours of plowing with the old school animal propelled plows and using a shovel to break up the clumps of soil.
Yeah I would say exercise improves quality and length of life, in the sense that getting old isn’t necessarily being decrepit!