Five years ago, in the midst of the Covid pandemic, I decided to start running regularly. A year later, I joined a gym and added weight-lifting to my exercise routine. I’ve tried to walk or run for at least 10,000 steps a day (using an app on my phone to keep track) and lift weights three times a week. The impact on my body has been undeniable: I wake up each day feeling every strained muscle and stiff joint.
Overall, I’m in better shape, but I’ve suffered several injuries, including a couple that have become chronic. If I run too fast, I strain my Achilles tendon; if I lift too much, I strain my shoulder. “Take it easy,” my body screams at me. “You’re not in the Old Man Olympics. Nobody’s giving you a medal.”
I exercise to be healthier, hoping that it will not only improve my quality of life, but also expand my life span. But perhaps I need to cut back on the intensity of my exercise. It isn’t really helping me live longer, according to a Finnish study.
The study is based on health data collected from 23,000 Finnish twins born before 1958. Their physical activity was assessed at three points -- in 1975, 1981 and 1990 -- and their mortality rate was recorded until 2020.
Based on the health data, each participant was placed in one of four groups: sedentary, moderately active, active and highly active. I am not sure exactly how scientists defined each group, but here’s my best guess:
Sedentary: Participant does not believe in walking, except from the couch to the refrigerator. Running is a rare occurrence, and usually involves a barking dog.
Moderately active: Participant walks and runs regularly, but usually out of necessity, such as walking to the bus stop and, on windy days, running after cap, hat or toupee.
Active: Participant makes an effort to exercise at least three times a week, going for walks or running voluntarily. Participant may own an exercise machine and may occasionally use it.
Highly active: Participant enjoys being in the best shape possible, spending more than an hour each day on sweat-inducing activities, such as speed walking, running and checking 401(k) retirement accounts. Participant is eager to sign up for various competitions, including marathons, 5K runs and egg-and-spoon races.
The researchers found that being extremely active does not increase longevity. It’s enough to do what the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends: 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise per week or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity per week. If you follow this recommendation, will you live to 100? WHO knows. I mean, who knows?
"Our results suggest that meeting WHO recommendations for physical activity is sufficient for life span benefits, and more intense exercise does not provide additional benefits,” said Elina Sillanpää, associate professor in the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland.
The bottom line is that you do not have to go crazy with your exercise to live a long life. Just try to be active, not sedentary. Of course, exercise provides numerous other benefits, aside from potentially extending your life.
Despite the strained muscles and stiff joints I often endure, exercise has helped me maintain my weight. It has also helped me gain strength. Nowadays, when my wife asks me to grab the big bag of rice at Patel Brothers, I can carry it by myself to the checkout lane, confident that my shoulder will be fully recovered before she needs more rice.
