“NEAT is actually what helps people manage their overall body composition the most,” Dr. Galpin says, saying that examples of this type of physical activity include pacing while on the phone, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, doing household chores, gardening, and playing with your kids or pets. When you consider Blue Zones, or regions in the world where people live the longest, this makes sense. They aren’t spending 10 hours sedentary at a computer and then doing an intense 45 minute workout to make up for it; movement is incorporated throughout their day.
In terms of both vigorous intensity exercise and moderate intensity exercise, all three experts say that this applies primarily to cardio-based workouts. During moderate-intensity exercise, you should be able to still maintain a conversation, if you wanted to. During vigorous-intensity exercise, talking would be close to impossible—it’s an all-out effort. Dr. Goel says that both levels of intensity benefit cardiovascular health in different ways. Moderate intensity exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood circulation, reduces inflammation, reduces blood pressure, and reduces visceral fat. Vigorous intensity exercise improves V02 max (a measure of aerobic capacity and how efficiently the body can use oxygen), which is an important longevity marker. All three experts say there isn’t an exact number of minutes a week a workout should be moderate versus vigorous, but it would be a good idea to incorporate both, whether it’s during the same workout or on different days of the week.
While many people recognize that strength training is important for maintaining muscle and bone health, Dr. Galpin says that a lot of people don’t realize that it’s important for longevity too, particularly the healthspan aspect of longevity, aka the number of healthy, functional years someone lives. “Healthspan is predicted in large part by your strength. For example, there’s a connection between grip strength and longevity,” Dr. Galpin says. Research shows a connection between strength training and a decreased risk for chronic illnesses. Strength training decreases inflammation while also improving insulin sensitivity, which supports a healthy metabolism.
Rest and recovery shouldn’t be overlooked either. “Recovery practices aren’t talked about enough but the body needs it at a cellular level,” Dr. Bhanote says. She says that this includes getting consistently good sleep as well as activities such as restorative yoga and stretching, which help improve flexibility and balance. “This is really important for maintaining mobility as we age,” she says.
With all of this in mind, unless you’re working out for more than 10 hours a week, increasing your physical activity is only going to benefit you—especially if you switch up the type of exercise you do.
But what’s most important is to not do nothing. Any exercise is better than none at all. If you’re moving your body, you’re already benefiting. Even if all you’re doing is taking a nice long walk.
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