Longevity News Blog

Women get more time, but the quality of that time drops faster.

Your body can tell you how old you really are.

Hi Friend, Today is World Health Day.I want to share something simple, but powerful: the 3 Power Laws of health. If you do these three things, you will:  Have more energy. Think more clearly.Sleep better. Let’s begin. Power Law 1: Sleep Reframe your identity.You are no longer someone who tries to get better sleep.You are a professional sleeper. That means you don’t sleep when it’s convenient. You don’t sleep after your show ends, or after finishing up some late-night emails, or after one more scroll through social media. Treat sleep as a craft, something you continually improve. It’s the foundation of every other part of your life. If you get your sleep right, everything else becomes easier. Here are 5 things to do immediately: 1. Eat earlier. Eat lighter.If your bedtime is 10 p.m., have your last meal by 8 p.m. Then push it to 7. Then try 6. Then 5. Find what works for you.You will quickly learn: the earlier and lighter you eat, the better you'll sleep. 2. Build a wind-down routine.Your body can’t go from hyper-focused work or buzzing social energy straight into sleep mode. It needs a transitional wind down phase. One hour before bed, shift your state. Screens off. No scrolling.Turn to breathwork, meditation, reading, stretching, or a walk. You’re sending your nervous system a signal: it’s time to slow down. 3. Adjust your lighting. Bright white lights signal alertness.If you want to fall asleep fast, switch to red light in the evening.I’ve replaced lamps in my house with red bulbs. They’re incredibly effective. The mood calms. Everyone winds down. 4. Stick to your bedtime.Routine is everything.If your bedtime is 10 p.m., aim to go to bed within 30 minutes of that every night. Deviate, and your body gets confused. Sleep quality suffers.Even with the same number of hours, inconsistent timing reduces sleep efficiency and recovery. 5. Avoid stimulants.This one is obvious but easy to overlook.If you're going to bed at 10 p.m., be mindful of your caffeine intake. Caffeine has a half-life of ~6 hours. A cup of coffee at 4 pm means that half a cup of coffee is in your system at 10 pm. Don’t let a badly timed coffee ruin your night. Power Law 2: Exercise When you sleep well, you feel well.When you feel well, you move well. And when you move, you feel even better. That’s the loop we’re building. Start here: Move your body for 30 minutes a day. This could be walking, running, swimming, strength training, biking. Anything that gets your heart rate up. Break up your day with movement. Every 20 - 30 minutes, get up. I do this constantly: stretch, take a few steps, reset. Moving your body throughout the day is just as important as your structured workouts. From here, you can go deeper. There’s an infinite rabbit hole of protocols, programs, and progressions.But the basics are the basics: Be active every day. Move every hour or so. Your body craves movement. Give it what it needs. Power Law 3: Diet Now, this one’s complicated. Because food is emotional.We use it to self-soothe.We use it to celebrate.We use it when we feel stuck. I know this firsthand. I was trapped. If you're struggling here, I see you. That’s why diet is Power Law #3, not #1. When you're well-rested and moving, you naturally want to eat better.If you're sleep-deprived and sedentary, your cravings take over. So here’s the truth: 1. Never rely on willpower. If there’s a time of day you always cave, for example, 7 p.m. that may include cookies or other late-night snacks, you can use a system for strength instead of willpower. Don’t wait until you're in the danger zone to decide. Decide ahead of time.You’re someone who doesn’t eat cookies at 7 p.m. Period. Make it a rule. Not a debate.2. Fire your worst self.For me, it was Evening Bryan.From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., he was guaranteed to overeat. Every single day.So I fired him.I made a rule: no food after 5 p.m.It wasn’t about self-control. It was about self-preservation.You might not need that exact rule. But you probably know which version of you needs to be fired.3. Eat the Don’t Die Food Guide..Healthy fats. Quality proteins. Lots of plants. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being directionally correct, consistently. Follow the Don’t Die Food Guide here.4. Avoid the obvious traps.Too much sugar. Too much alcohol. Smoking. You know what they are.You don’t need me to tell you. But you do need to decide where your standards are. And stick to them. We live in a world where personal health is insanely hard. I know; I’ve felt hopeless and helpless too. But now, I have systems. If you’re reading this right now, eating junk food, feeling off track, that’s okay.You’re here. You’re trying. That’s what matters. We’re building a community for a new societal norm of health.Where being healthy is normal.Where we support each other in the micro-moments. So when you’re about to give in, don’t just think about yourself. Do it for everyone else. Because when you make the right choice, others will too. And when you cave, we all feel it. Final word:You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be committed. These 3 Power Laws are your foundation.Master them, and you’ll become the happiest, healthiest version of yourself. Then we can start playing with all the cool stuff on top. But first:Don’t do it. I’m telling you. Don’t cave. Not tonight. Be well,Bryan

Daily exercise is one of the most powerful things you can do for health and longevity. Exercise is a power-law of health. A few important tips + Avoid injury. Injuries can create serious limitations, create body imbalances and cause long term complications. It’s worth being cautious even if it means not doing certain things. + Create an exercise habit. Do it everyday, no matter what (unless you’re injured, have a limiting medical condition, or under doctor's orders). You don’t even think about it. It just happens out of habit. Do not give yourself the option to decide. + Work on strength training, cardio, balance and flexibility. + Move throughout the day - after each meal, be active for 5-10 minutes. Every 30 minutes, get up from your desk and move around a bit.+ Don’t get caught up and paralyzed in all the nuances and rabbit holes of exercise. Being active, in whatever ways you can - it pays big for your health. Day 1 (strength training + cardiovascular health and endurance) Activity: full-body resistance trainingDuration: 45-60 minutesSpecifics: General warmup (5 min) (e.g., cycling, walking, etc) Dynamic warmup (5 min) (arm circles, leg swings, high knees, lateral lunges)Strength Training (20 minutes): Squats (weights held at either side or near chest for goblet stance) 3x10-15 Push-ups (standard if possible or on knees/wall) 3x8-12 Single arm dumbbell rows 3x10-12 Functional movement: kettlebell swings and/or farmer’s walks 3x30 seconds Planks 3x20-30 seconds Stability Work (5-10 min): (e.g., single-leg balance, bird dog, single-leg RDL, single leg toe touch, plank with shoulder tap, dead bug)Moderate intensity (25 min): Brisk walking or slow jogging Cycling Swimming Elliptical Intensity: If you’re performing these exercises for the first time, focus on form first, then proceed to add more resistance once familiar (progressive overload)Purpose: Strength training is critical for maintaining muscle mass, bone density, and metabolic health, all of which decline with age but are crucial for longevity (link). Day 2 (high intensity interval training + cardiovascular health and endurance) Activity: High-intensity interval training combined with moderate intensity continuous aerobic exercise (also called steady state, Zone 2 training)Duration: 45-60 minutes Beginner high intensity interval training Work Interval: 20 seconds at all out exertion Rest Interval: 20 seconds (very low intensity or rest), or try 40 seconds if user has little to no background of exercise Series: 8 rounds Modality: Cycle ergometer, track, treadmill, body weight, or resistance exercises Total Time: 4 minutes Moderate intensity Specifics (remainder of time after completing high intensity interval training): Brisk walking or slow jogging Cycling Swimming Elliptical Moderate intensity: Aim to keep HR between 60-70% of max, where you can maintain a conversation but still feel you’re exerting yourselfPurpose: Extremely high intensity to improve anaerobic capacity and aerobic fitness in a short time. Aerobic exercise improves vascular function and myocardial perfusion, reducing the risk of cardiovascular events (link) Day 3 (strength training + flexibility, balance, mobility) Activity: Strength training first followed by low intensity exercise with a focus in flexibility and mobilityDuration: 60 minutesSpecifics: 10 minutes of dynamic stretching (include hip and shoulder mobility exercises: arm circles, wall slides, thread the needle, hip CARs) 30 minutes of strength training. Focus on compound movements targeting areas that are not sore from Day 1 15 minutes of beginner yoga poses focusing on balance and flexibility (cat-cow stretch, cobbler’s pose, tree pose, cobra pose) 5 minutes of static stretching (think cool down) Purpose: Flexibility and mobility help preserve functional movement patterns and reduce the risk of falls and injuries as we age (link). Day 4 (high-intensity interval training): Activity: interval-based cardiovascular workoutDuration: 25-30 minutes, including warm-up and cool-downSpecifics: 5-10 minutes of stability work and dynamic warm-up Perform 8-10 rounds of: 60 seconds of high-intensity effort (over 90% max HR), examples: jumping jacks, high knees, burpees, sprinting, mountain climbers 60 seconds of active recovery (walking or light jogging) Purpose: HIIT has been shown to improve VO2 max, mitochondrial density, and metabolic health, all of which are linked to increased longevity (link to other doc we worked on). Day 5 (strength training) Activity: full-body resistance trainingDuration: 45-60 minutesSpecifics: General warmup (5 min) (e.g., cycling, walking, etc)Dynamic warmup (5 min) (arm circles, leg swings, high knees, lateral lunges)Strength Training Lunges (dumbbells held if you can or bodyweight) 3x10-12 Overhead press (standard if possible or on knees/wall) 3x10-12 Dumbbell chest press 3x10-12 Side plank hold 20-30 seconds each side Functional movement: step-ups 3x10 each leg Stability Work (5-10 min) (e.g., single-leg balance, bird dog, single-leg toe touch) Purpose: To target different muscle groups and continue improving muscle strength and function. Day 6 (high-intensity interval training, Norwegian Protocol) Activity: interval-based cardiovascular workoutDuration: 30-40 minutes, including warm-up and cool-downSpecifics: 5-10 minutes of stability work and dynamic warm-up Perform 4 rounds (can do less rounds or less intensity if little to no background in exercise) on treadmill or indoor bike of: 4 minutes at 85-95% max HR 3 minutes at 60-70% max HR Purpose: This method specifically has produced a drastic increase in VO2 max (22%) in individuals recovering from CVD. For comparison, the group that did aerobic training saw a 17% increase. Day 7 (active recovery) Activity: Light movement and relaxationDuration: 35-50 minutesSpecifics: 20-30 minutes of gentle yoga or stretching (include additional mobility work) 15-20 minutes of mindfulness meditation Purpose: Recovery is essential for muscle repair, mental relaxation, and avoiding overtraining. Proper rest supports longevity and health. Important notes: Progressive overload is key in all types of exercise. Aim to gradually increase the difficulty over time, especially for strength training Rotate different types of HIIT workouts to prevent boredom and target different muscle groups Consider adding a third strength training session if time allows, possibly replacing one of the cardio days or incorporating it into a lower-intensity day. Listen to your body and adjust the intensity or duration as needed. Exercises based on your fitness level BeginnerCardiovascular endurance (steady state): walking, stationary cycling, swimmingStrength training: 2-4 days a week emphasizing compound movements.Exercises: squats (bodyweight, dumbbell, goblet), push-ups, single arm dumbbell row, lunges, leg press, assisted pull-ups, russian twistsHigh-intensity interval training: Exercises: jumping jacks, marching in place, bodyweight squats, modified push-ups, plank holds, standing toe tapsRatio: 1 to 1 or 1 to 2 (e.g., 30 seconds work, 30-60 seconds rest) Balance and flexibility/mobility: B exercises: tandem stance, single-leg stance (holding onto chair), marching in place, heel liftsF/M exercises: neck rotations, shoulder rolls, standing side bends, seated hamstring stretch, ankle circles IntermediateCardiovascular endurance (steady state): jogging, rowing machine, elliptical trainerStrength training: 3-5 days a week with more volume per session, targeting specific muscle groups.Exercises (including beginner): barbell bench press, incline dumbbell press, dumbbell shoulder press, barbell squat, romanian deadlift, pull-ups, lat pulldown, seated cable row, bent over row, hanging leg raises, deadlifts, Turkish Get Ups, Hang CleanHigh-intensity interval training: Exercises: mountain climbers, burpees (no push-up), high knees, jump squats, plank jacks, battle ropes, lunges,Ratio: 2 to 1 Balance and flexibility/mobility: B exercises: single-leg stance unassisted, tree pose, heel-to-toe walking, single-leg reachF/M exercises: standing quad reach, lunges with torso rotation, cat-cow stretch, downward dog, standing figure-four stretch Advanced Cardiovascular endurance (steady state): outdoor running, stair climbing, jacob's ladderStrength training: 5-6 days a week with high volume with specific muscle splits.Exercises (including intermediate and beginner): weighted dips, cable flyers, skull crushers, cable tricep exercises, weighted pull-ups, EZ bar bicep curl, diff. Variations of curls on cable, weighted walking lunges, ham curl, leg extension, calf raises, military press, rear delt flyes, inverted candlestick, bulgarian split squats, Snatch, Single leg squat, Lateral Squat.High-intensity interval training: Exercises: burpees with push-up, box jumps, jumping lunges, squat-press, Push pressRatio: 2 to 1 or tabata style (20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest) Balance and flexibility/mobility: B exercises: single-leg romanian deadlift, stability ball plank, standing elbow-to-knee, pistol squat, overhead squatF/M exercises: pigeon pose, standing split, crow pose, handstand, deep squat hold and arm reach