Longevity and the Pareto Principle

It seems like every week there’s a new study detailing how we might optimize health and increase lifespan.

Longevity research is coming in hot. 

It seems like every week there’s a new study detailing how we might optimize health and increase lifespan.

The latest study making the rounds comes out of Norway and examines differences between moderate intensity continuous training (MICT), high intensity interval training (HIIT), and existing recommendations for older Norwegian adults.

The simple summary is that adding some HIIT workouts to your MICT workouts might improve longevity and quality of life in your later years.

Good to know.

Additionally, it’s great that we’re getting more longitudinal studies that examine behaviors over extended periods of time.

The New York Times has a solid write up summarizing. They get a great quote from Dr. Dorthe Stensvold, the lead author of the study:

We should try to include some exercise with high intensity,” she says. “Intervals are safe and feasible for most people. And adding life to years, not only years to life, is an important aspect of healthy aging, and the higher fitness and health-related quality of life from H.I.I.T. in this study is an important finding.

Still, if you read the study as a layperson or the Times headline and lede you might miss the most important substantiation of research as well as the brunt of the existing literature. 

Habitual exercise adds years to your life and quality to those years.

Nothing new, maybe, but a crucial point that gets glossed over in favor of intricate details. As empirical evidence stacks at an accelerating pace, the work in the laboratories tends towards finer points.

Meanwhile, most people here in the US are getting heavier and more sedentary.

The Pareto Principle and Longevity

Some of you may be familiar with the Pareto Principle that has been applied mostly in business management and economics.

It states that 20% of the work produces 80% of the outcome.

A classic example from investing goes like this: “20% of your investments are responsible for 80% of your returns.”

The Pareto Principle can also be applied to exercise and longevity research relative to quality of life and longevity. 

20% of the changes you make will give you 80% of the results. Everything else will be fine tuning.

We don't need to pay too much attention to the hairs most of the latest studies are splitting.

Just move your body and you’re going to be healthier and live longer than most. 

Sure, once you’ve habituated movement, you can begin that fine tuning.

Getting All High Intensity

Ok, now let’s say you’ve been moving and want to begin HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). Here’s a few ways to start.

1. The Stupid Simple Sprints:

Find a track. Slow jog a half mile. Sprint for 20-30 seconds and slow jog for a minute or 2. Repeat 4x to 10x depending on how you feel.

2. Indoor Strength.

Warm up with 25 jumping jacks and 2 minutes slow jog in place. Do as many slow push ups as you can. Slow jog in place for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Repeat 3-6x depending on how you feel.

3. If you’re looking for something more structured, this video is a solid start.