Exercise

Zone 2 cardio (150–300 min/week)

Cardiorespiratory fitness is the strongest known predictor of longevity — stronger than smoking, diabetes or kidney disease.

Impact 5/55/5· Replicated RCTs, guidelinesEffort: a habit

First step today

Today: a 30-minute walk brisk enough to be slightly out of breath.

How

A pace where you can talk but not sing (≈60–70% of max heart rate). Cycling, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, rowing — 3–5 times a week, 30–60 minutes.

Evidence

Mandsager 2018 (n=122,007): the fittest fifth had 80% lower mortality risk than the least fit, with no upper ceiling to the benefit. Kokkinos 2022 (n=750,302): each 1-MET gain in fitness ≈12% lower risk.

Goals

Healthy yearsHeart, blood sugarEnergy, fatigueBody weightBrain, memory

Related studies

No upper limit to fitness: 122,007 exercise tests · 2018
Erickson: a year of walking grows the hippocampus 2% after 65 · 2011
TAME: can metformin become the first official anti-ageing drug? (ongoing) · 2024

Sources

Mandsager K et al. Association of cardiorespiratory fitness with long-term mortality. JAMA Netw Open (2018) ↗
Kokkinos P et al. Cardiorespiratory fitness and mortality risk across the spectra of age, race, and sex. JACC (2022) ↗

Last reviewed: 6 September 2026

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