• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Howard J. Luks, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon

Howard J. Luks, MD

Orthopedic Surgeon Sports Medicine Specialist

  • Articles
  • Notes
  • Podcast
  • Book
  • Education
    • Shoulder Injuries
    • Knee Injuries
    • Elbow Injuries
  • About
Blog / Articles / Metabolic Health

Longevity simplified—lesson 1. Just move more.

Howard J. Luks, MD Updated May 27, 2022

walking improves our health

Most people hate exercise… perhaps we should just ask them to “move more”, or “walk more”. The data is in… walking works to improve our lifespan.

Longevity simplified… The definition of activity or exercise is changing. It used to be that you had to run, cycle, and play a sport for it to be considered exercise. As I have written about on many occasions, it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Walking counts. There are now many associational studies out from around the US and other countries that demonstrate this. In 2018, the CDC released a paper showing that nearly 10% of deaths were attributed to inactivity.

sedentary lifestyle causes insulin resistance

A Norwegian study from 2019 showed that you have twice the risk of dying prematurely if you are sedentary.

This study from 2021 showed that it was the step counts that mattered most. It wasn’t the intensity– so walking vs. running does not matter. If you walked approx 7,000 steps per day, you had a 50-70% lesser chance of dying prematurely.

The 10,000 step number we were all told to accomplish each day was never validated.

Many studies show that simply moving throughout the day is more important than moving once a day and sitting for the rest of the day. Many studies show that the step counts necessary to result in these mortality benefits are far less than we previously thought.

But all of these studies show that sitting on our butts all day is unhealthy. The latest paper just released by the Mayo Clinic shows that the sweet spot for activity guidelines is between 2.5/4 hours of “exercise” per week. And again… walking works. If you make your day a little harder and try to squeeze in a bunch of short walks, they will add up.

Please… just move, move often throughout the day. So… what’s your next move?

Categories: Metabolic Health, Notes Tags: exercise, walking

Disclaimer:  this information is for your education and should not be considered medical advice regarding diagnosis or treatment recommendations. Some links on this page may be affiliate links. Read the full disclaimer.
Longevity... Simplified: Living A Longer, Healthier Life Shouldn’t Be Complicated

My new book is available now.

“The seven simple steps to make ‘longevity simplified’, will help to improve your metabolic health right now.” – Dr. Neil Meigh

Learn More
Read Reviews

Related Articles

Building an exercise routine: The 30-day challenge
man running on seashore
Just move, move often, occasionally with ferocious intent
metabolic health and orthopedic surgery
Carbs and Triglycerides: Their relationship and its ability to predict the presence of insulin resistance
man in green crew neck t-shirt sitting on black office rolling chair
Sitting is not the new smoking
vegetables for weight loss and gut health
Making the transition to a Plant-Based Diet
Benefits of exercise
Exercise reduces chronic inflammation- a known killer.
Howard J. Luks, MD

Howard J. Luks, MD is an orthopedic surgeon & sports medicine specialist. An expert in shoulder, knee, and other sports injuries, he is widely known as one of the country’s best orthopedic surgeons.

Book Appointment · About · Contact

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Like what you’re reading?

Get the latest posts in your inbox

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Holly says

    November 18, 2021 at 11:10 am

    I’m a 69 yr. old woman who is grieving the fact that I have osteoarthritis that prevents me from playing with my grandkids the way I used to, and narrowing my life experiences. Your articles are encouraging and motivating. Thank you.

Primary Sidebar

Howard J. Luks, MD is an orthopedic surgeon & sports medicine specialist. An expert in shoulder, knee, and other sports injuries, he is widely known as one of the country’s best orthopedic surgeons.

Book Appointment · About · Contact

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Like what you’re reading?

Get the latest posts in your inbox

Longevity... Simplified: Living A Longer, Healthier Life Shouldn’t Be Complicated

My new book is available now.

Learn More
Read Reviews

Reader Favorites

  • Batters shoulder posterior labral tear
    Batter’s Shoulder : Posterior Labral Tears
  • calcific tendonitis and severe shoulder pain
    Why Does My Shoulder Hurt So Much?
  • LEg exercises improve longevity
    Runners require strength too: What to do and when to do it
  • lactate polarized training
    Lactate, the lactate shuttle, and lactate threshold workouts in polarized training
  • Zone 2 heart rate training
    Zone 2 Heart Rate Training For Longevity and Performance
  • knee swelling
    Pain In The Front Of The Knee: 6 Common Causes
  • Polarized training for runners
    Polarized training for everyday runners: Part 1
  • should I have surgery
    Sometimes our joints just hurt, and it’s ok not to know why

Howard J Luks, MD

Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine
128 Ashford Avenue
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

Phone: (914)-559-1900
Book Appointment

Pages

  • About
  • Upcoming Books
  • Testimonials
  • In The News
  • Media Photos
  • Contact

Topics

  • Shoulder
  • Knee
  • Elbow
  • Metabolic Health
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Training

More

  • COVID
  • Ankle
  • Hip
  • PRP
  • Running
  • Sports Medicine
  • Articles
  • Notes
  • Podcast
  • Book
  • Education
  • About

© 2023 · Howard J Luks, MD · Disclaimer & Terms · Privacy Policy
The information on this site is not intended or implied to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This site should be used for informational purposes only.