Unlocking the Secrets to Healthspan and Longevity: A Life Worth Living
Dr. Peter Attia’s holistic approach to longevity and healthspan and the power of exercise
Grant Ian Gamble is a best-selling mindful leadership author and speaker. He has over 30 years of experience in leading teams to create innovative customer experiences, building engaged workforces, and developing leaders who prioritize mindfulness in their approach.
As we age, our focus shifts from more immediate issues to more long-term aspects of our journey. A couple of questions we may ponder include: “What do we want to be doing in our later years?” and “What is our plan to exact that outcome?” These are the questions Dr. Peter Attia, a renowned physician focused on healthspan and longevity, asks all his patients. His goal is twofold: to shift their focus towards healthspan and to challenge his patients to prioritize long-term gains over immediate gratification.
In his best-selling book, “Outlive,” Dr. Attia argues that we have the potential to live not only longer but also better. To achieve this, he contends that exercise is the most potent longevity “drug” we have at our disposal.
Having worked in the fitness and wellness industry for almost 40 years now, I have seen some wonderful examples of people extending the quality and quantity of their lives. To me, living stronger is as important as living longer, and you can have both with a little investment of time and energy before you reach your latter years.
Although current guidelines suggest at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week, Dr. Attia believes this is only the beginning. He challenges us to consider what an extra 10 to 15 years of high-quality life could look like. For him, the goal is to function like a fit and healthy 60-year-old at the age of 80.
To reach our healthspan and longevity limits, Dr. Attia breaks down exercise into four essential components: strength, stability, aerobic efficiency, and peak aerobic capacity.
Strength: As we age, we lose muscle mass and strength. Preventing these losses is crucial for maintaining function, stimulating bone growth, and lowering the risk of falling and frailty. It is also vital for metabolic health.
Stability: Strength without stability can lead to injury. Stability involves proper breathing and core strength, which contribute to balance and safe movement as we age.
Aerobic Efficiency: Aerobic fitness not only increases the likelihood of living an extra decade, compared to sedentary individuals, but also enhances our ability to enjoy life. Healthy mitochondria, fostered by zone 2 (moderate pace) training, are crucial for metabolic health and Alzheimer’s disease prevention.
VO2 Max: Though often associated with athletes, VO2 max is relevant to everyone. Increasing our VO2 max (peak capacity) through training can significantly improve our quality of life. This does require us to place some stress on our body, but the benefits of this stress are enormous.
Incorporating these four elements into our lives can make a substantial difference in how we live the rest of our lives. Dr. Attia’s work is not just about extending life but also about enhancing its quality. As he says, “At the outset of this book, it was about a quest for immortality, and I think at the end, it is a quest for a better life.”
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