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I just turned 56 last month, so while I’m not thinking about dying quite yet, I am thinking about longevity and living the second half of my life well. If you’re in the same boat, I have some exciting news for you. A new review of 85 studies just came out in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, and the takeaway was loud and clear:

If you move your body regularly, you lower your risk of dying from any cause by up to 40%.

And here’s the best part… Even if someone had been mostly sedentary for decades, just starting to move more later in life was still linked to a 20-25% reduction in the risk of early death.

We’re not talking about elite workouts or perfect routines here, either! We’re talking about real-life movement. Things like:

• Walking
• Gardening
• Dancing in your kitchen
• Strength training a couple of times a week
• Cleaning your house with music blasting

It all counts!

How To Make It Happen

All movement matters; even movement below the recommended guidelines shows meanin...

When life inevitably throws you curveballs, it can be hard to stay consistent or be motivated to maintain your healthy habits. You can’t always control what life has in store for you but you can control how you respond to it. I’ve invented a simple rule for myself that allows me grace when I need it and also keeps me on track with the things I know are important to me. I bet it will work for you, too. 

It’s Been a Week Over Here

I’m sharing this trick with you because I had to use it myself last week. I caught a cold so I stayed in and rested for a few days. Then, while picking up a prescription, I decided to get my tetanus booster. I was overdue for it and already at the pharmacy, so it seemed like a good idea. I was wrong.

I don’t remember ever having much of a reaction to booster shots before, but this time it laid me out. I was achy, feverish, and lethargic for days afterward. Needless to say, I had a week of feeling awful and I didn’t feel like working out at all. Even though I...

I recently turned 55 and I’m more conscious of taking care of my body (and mind) more than ever. Part of the reason is so I can keep living an extraordinary life far into the future; but it’s also about making life better here and now. One way I’m doing both is by reducing stress with exercise. 

What Happens When You’re Stressed

Right now we’re having conflict with a neighbor over a shared fence we’re replacing and it’s been really stressful. When I’m stressed, my stomach tightens up, then it spreads to my chest, and eventually I get a headache. In the worst times I end up with a migraine. 

I went to bed feeling all tight inside and the feeling was still there this morning when I woke at 4:30am. Not a great start to the day, for sure. I considered meditating which sometimes is helpful, but I knew that my busy mind would just take over. When dealing with stress, common reactions are to: 

• Think your way through it
• Numb out with distractions (like social media)
• Let it take over yo...

I think it’s probably obvious that I enjoy exercise and active hobbies; but I also love to curl up in bed with a good book or on my comfy old couch to watch bike racing on TV. There have also been (many) times where exercise was the last thing I felt like doing, but I knew I had to get moving in some way. 

If you’d rather do anything but exercise in your free time, I have great news for you: you can increase your physical activity level without working out! Staying physically active every day is important for your health, even if you hate the gym.

The Importance of Physical Activity

Being active helps fight diabetes, age-related muscle and bone loss, heart disease, some types of cancer, obesity, and a long list of other ailments that you may haven’t thought of in your earlier years. (Menopause, anyone?) At the same time, being active boosts your mood, improves your sleep, and helps fight stress.

Even with all those amazing benefits, 36% of adults (more than a third!) don’t engage i...

We often think of exercise as something we do to look a certain way or hit fitness goals, like losing weight or getting stronger. But what if I told you that exercise is actually the secret to a better life, not just a better body? I’m here to share why, beyond its physical benefits, moving your body regularly can improve your mental and emotional health too.

Let’s start with something simple: walking. Remember the last time you took a walk outside? Chances are, after you finished, you felt more energized, your mood lifted, and your mind was clearer. It’s not just in your head—there’s science behind this! Studies show that any form of physical activity, no matter the intensity, can make a positive difference in how we feel. In fact, research from Harvard highlights that just 7,500 steps a day can boost your longevity and reduce your risk of heart disease. Another study found that any amount of physical activity can elevate your mood and energy levels afterward.

With benefits like the...