Everyday Systems

Thought I'd post the rules here for lazy people

1. Move naturally. Don't do marathons or pump iron; work around the house, garden, walk, cycle, walk when talking on the phone.

2. Know your purpose. Have a reason for waking up in the morning.

3. Kick back. Find ways to shed stress, whether it's praying, napping or going to happy hour.

4. Eat less. Stop eating when you are 80% full.

5. Eat less meat. Beans are a cornerstone of most centenarians' diets.

6. Drink in moderation. Only the Seventh-day Adventists in California didn't have one to two glasses a day.

7. Have faith. Denomination doesn't seem to matter, but attending faith-based services (4 times a month) does.

8. Power of love. 
Put families first, including committing to a partner and keeping aging parents and grandparents nearby.

9. Stay social. Build a social network that supports healthy behaviors.

Interesting stuff, although I'm not sure that saying don't do exercise is particularly helpful!

milliem wrote:.
Interesting stuff, although I'm not sure that saying don't do exercise is particularly helpful!

Well, I think if the choices are being a couch potato and doing some kind of exercise program, the exercise program should win. However, if one can be fairly active -- and it's not that difficult -- I think that's the better option. Plus, it's cheap!

When it comes to the dietary habits, The Jungle Effect by Dr. Daphne Miller is a good addition to this.

milliem wrote:Interesting stuff, although I'm not sure that saying don't do exercise is particularly helpful!

It might be, for all-or-nothing thinkers who don't like working out. Maybe they don't exercise at all because the all-or-nothing thinking tells them it won't do any good if they aren't going to the gym several times a week. A lot of us have struggled with that kind of thinking when it comes to eating.

I've been reading lately that one effective way to train is to do lower intensity cardio most of the time (I think it's called aerobic base building), and do the occasional sprint to challenge yourself. Mark Sisson talks about this in his book Primal Blueprint (I couldn't do the diet, but I strongly agree with his exercise recommendations). I think this would tie in very nicely with the longevity principles.

It doesn't say don't exercise; it says do functional exercise. I'd say Shovelglove (or the like for 14 mintues) and Urban Ranger qualify.

Yes, exactly! I think Urban Ranger and Shovel Glove make a lot of sense (I'd be interested in trying them sometime).

nice posts..........

Very interesting, thanks for posting!