At LVLTN, we are dedicated to empowering you on your journey to better well-being. While many people associate health and fitness with weight loss, we often find ourselves discussing the importance of having a deeper “why” throughout your fitness journey.
A huge factor for me and many others is longevity or health-span. Not just how long we live but how healthy we can be for the longest amount of time as we age. Today, I want to delve into some key factors that contribute to longevity, helping you understand and prioritize these crucial elements for a healthier, more fulfilling, longer life.
VO2 Max: The Oxygen Powerhouse
VO2 Max is a measure of your body's ability to utilize oxygen during exercise. A higher VO2 Max is associated with better cardiovascular health and increased longevity. Luckily, it's never too late to start improving your VO2 Max. In fact, going from a “low” VO2 Max to an “average” level is associated with a 50% reduction in mortality over a decade.
HOW DO I IMPROVE MY VO2 MAX?
- Exercise at a high-intensity (90-95% of your max heart rate)
- Interval training, alternating short periods of high-intensity work with periods of rest, has proven more effective than continuous aerobic exercise
- Combine your interval training with continuous training
- Keep pushing – when you first start training you may be more quickly or easily able to increase your VO2 Max (just like we see with “newbie gains” when we start resistance training). However, you will have to continue to train at a higher level to see continued improvements. You can make your training harder by increasing the frequency, duration or intensity of your training.
Muscle Mass: Your Metabolic Engine
Maintaining and building muscle mass is essential for a healthy metabolism. Increased muscle mass is linked to better insulin sensitivity and a reduced risk of chronic diseases. It isn’t just about how big our muscles are but how strong we are and how well we can move.
As we age, muscle loss (sarcopenia) is a harsh reality. Muscle mass decreases approximately 3-8% per decade after the age of 30, this rate of decline is even higher after the age of 60. Building and retaining muscle as we age is vastly important for our health!
A Note on Mobility
Not only do we want to prioritize muscle building and maintaining that muscle mass as we age, we also need to be mobile. Reduced mobility is a significant factor contributing to an increased risk of falls, especially in older adults. Falls can lead to serious injuries and impact overall health.
Improving mobility helps in fall prevention and promotes safety. Mobility also allows individuals to perform daily activities more independently. Ultimately, being able to move freely enhances the overall quality of life, contributing to a sense of autonomy and well-being.
Side note: LVLTN offers strength training strategies tailored to your fitness level, promoting muscle growth and resilience.
Grip Strength: A Surprising Indicator
Did you know that grip strength is a reliable marker of overall strength and functional fitness?
Studies suggest a correlation between strong grip and a lower risk of cardiovascular issues and all-cause mortality. Along with the incidence of dementia declining with an increase in grip strength.
This is also one of the reasons you may see “carries” as a recommended type of movement alongside squat, hinge, lunge, push, and pull patterns. Our coaching approach incorporates exercises to enhance grip strength, fostering overall physical resilience.
Quality Sleep: The Restorative Elixir
Adequate and quality sleep is foundational for physical and mental health. It plays a vital role in hormone regulation, immune function, and cognitive performance. We have written countless emails on Sleep – Sleep Health, Sleep & Recovery, and Sleep Metrics, as it's an important topic to us here at LVLTN.
Sleep Health
Lack of sleep has a trickle-down effect from everything to our activity levels, insulin response, and alertness. Some research has even shown that sleep deprivation can have similar effects to intoxication!
Too little sleep (and even too much sleep) are associated with adverse health outcomes, including total mortality, cardiac disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, respiratory disorders, obesity in adults AND children.
All of our coaches here at LVLTN aim to provide guidance on optimizing sleep hygiene and developing healthy sleep patterns for longevity and vitality because we know the impact it has on every aspect of your journey.
By understanding and incorporating these key factors into your lifestyle, you're not just investing in your present well-being but also laying the foundation for a longer, healthier life. At LVLTN, our personalized approach ensures that your health journey aligns with your unique needs and goals.
We are here to support you every step of the way. Wishing you a journey filled with vitality and longevity.
Ready to start thriving again? Let us help by putting an expert in your corner to get you there faster and maintain that progress for life! Learn more about our online health coaching by clicking here!
RESOURCES
- https://peterattiamd.com/how-does-vo2-max-correlate-with-longevity/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30646252/
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0073182
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804956/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20striking,60%20%5B4%2C5%5D.
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30144174/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6778477/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35445560/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2864873/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1739867/
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