# Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley & Henry S. Lodge with Allan J. Hamilton - Blinkist

What’s in it for me? Uncover the secrets to healthy living in your 80s and beyond.

Ticktock.

Ticktock.

Ticktock.

Five, four, three, two, one…  BONG!

The clock strikes midnight.

That’s it – you’re officially 70 years old.

A year older… again.

You roll to your side and realize that this year, you will probably start to feel wobblier, frailer, and a whole lot soggier.

After all, a 70-year-old is no spring chicken.

But what if we told you that you wouldn’t?

What if we told you that on your seventy-first birthday, you’d be riding your bike with the pros, hiking hilly mountains, and buffing it out in the gym?

Sounds impossible, right?

But it’s not!

In this Blink, we’ll share the key insights from Younger Next Year.

We’ll highlight seven rules to achieve a younger you – an action plan backed by science that you can implement in real life.

Ready to live younger?

Let’s get started.

Rule 1: Exercise six days a week.

When you think of old people, what's the first picture that pops into your head?

A grandpa with a walking stick, or perhaps a grandma who trips and falls over herself five times a day?

While this is the kind of aging we normally imagine, it actually isn't "normal.

" Coauthor Dr.

Lodge says aging is "biologically programmed to be a slow process.

" However, because of our sedentary lifestyles, our bodies are decaying faster than they’re naturally supposed to.

You can reverse that by implementing Dr.

Lodge's first rule: get six days of exercise every week.

Wait, that many?

Yes, that many.

Your decay signals are working 24/7, so you can't afford to take it easy, especially in your retirement years.

Working out helps slow aging, as it triggers a body chemical called C6 – known as the decay signal.

This, in turn, triggers C10 – the growth signal.

In other words, the more you exercise, the more you produce these chemicals that repair your body.

Beyond the obvious health advantages, regular exercise has also been shown to cut the risk of dementia by more than half.

So as early as now, you should get on your feet and start working out.

To help you jumpstart things, treat exercise like it's your new job.

Surely you wouldn't call in sick every day to work, would you?

You should exercise in the same way.

An easy, but pretty expensive, way to start your new exercise routine is to join a gym.

Make going to the gym six days a week a priority – just like going to the office.

It's easier to build a habit this way because you already have equipment and trainers at your disposal.

The cost of the gym should also be enough to motivate you to show up.

It's also a good idea to enroll in a class or pursue an athletic hobby if you already have one.

Either way, no matter how you want to begin your exercise journey, the most important thing is to just start.

Don't let your body rot away completely before taking action.

Rule 2: Do four days of aerobic exercise.

Got your sweatbands and game face on?

Great!

You're ready to exercise!

But wait, what kind of exercise exactly?

The second rule recommends doing four days of aerobic exercise every week.

This includes activities like jogging, speed walking, treadmill exercise, and biking that leave your heart pumping.

Aerobic exercise is necessary because it improves your circulatory system by building new capillary networks.

These networks transport blood to your muscles, helping you burn more fat in the process.

Aerobic exercise has also been proven to boost cognitive and memory performance in seniors.

There are three different levels of aerobic exercise you should ideally aim to reach.

The first is the long, slow one that brings your heart rate up to between 60 and 65 percent of its maximum rate.

The second one is high endurance, where your heart rate goes up to 70 to 85 percent.

And finally, you have anaerobic exercise, which uses 85 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate.

Your long-term goal is to be able to do three hours of long and slow aerobics and still carry a conversation while and after you exercise.

You can start with 20 to 30 minutes of exercise at this level on your first day, and gradually work up to longer sessions as your body adapts.

Once you're steadily hitting 45 minutes of long and slow aerobics, it's time to do some high endurance.

Long term, you should be able to complete an hour of high-endurance aerobics, where you're too out of breath to even speak.

Then, when you're ready, you can add anaerobic to the mix.

This is the point where you give it your all until you can't go on any longer.

In the long run, you should be able to do anaerobic exercise for a minute or two.

However, this last part is completely optional.

You don't have to reach it, especially if your doctor doesn't recommend doing so.

Most people will stick with the long and slow aerobics, and that's totally fine.

Don't push yourself, and be sure to get your doctor's green light before starting your exercise journey.

Rule 3: Do two days of strength training with weights.

Admit it – if it weren't for your gym trainer, you wouldn't be caught dead within a mile of dumbbells and the seated cable row.

In fact, if it were completely up to you, you'd probably stick with the treadmill or bike or practically anything else just to keep you away from those dreadful weights.

But did you know you're doing yourself a disservice this way?

The third rule is to do twice-weekly strength training with weights.

Yes, it's painful.

Yes, it's hard.

Yes, it's embarrassing.

But strength training can really do you good.

Lifting heavy weights bolsters muscle strength and alleviates joint pains to a surprising degree.

A few months of strength training often results in a 50 percent decrease in arthritis discomfort for patients, and a complete disappearance of mild arthritis in most cases.

Research also shows memory improvements in participants who engage in a two-month strength-training regimen.

Since strength training is riskier for older people, it's best to hire a trainer at the beginning.

You wouldn't want to hurt yourself on your first day.

Your trainer can guide you with the right techniques; as you improve, you'll feel more and more encouraged to keep up with the program.

If a trainer is too costly, be sure you study a decent book on the topic instead.

A good tip to keep in mind when starting out is to use lighter weights but do more repetitions.

Take it easy on your joints at first to allow them to adjust.

If you're comfortable taking your strength training up a notch, you can increase your sessions from two to three days.

However, be sure to give yourself at least a day or two of downtime.

Your strength cells need 48 hours to recover, so never go beyond three days a week of strength training.

Picture this.

Rule 4: Don't spend more than you earn.

You've followed the exercise regimen in this Blink to a tee.

You're now healthier than ever, and if the science is correct, you'll be living longer now too.

But that's exactly where the problem begins.

Considering that you now have a good chance of living into your 80s, you should put some serious thinking into your finances.

All your efforts to live younger will go down the drain if, after retirement, you're always anxious about where your next meal is coming from.

So as early as you can, get your retirement plan in order.

First, determine how much you'll be making in your retirement years.

Once you have that estimate, reduce it to account for inflation – and then reduce it a second time by 5 percent.

That will be your annual income.

You can begin making plans for a lifestyle that will allow you to spend less than you earn in accordance with the fourth rule.

This may sound hard, considering how tiny your income might end up being.

But one way to achieve this is by changing your mindset.

Have you spent your youth chasing fame, money, and prestige?

It's time to say goodbye to that kind of lifestyle – and say hello to living simply.

Stop thinking about having a fancy car or a large house.

You won't need them in your 80s.

If you decide you can't live off of a small income, you can always go back to work.

There are dozens of postretirement jobs you can get, like bagging groceries or helping out in a flower shop.

No matter what you end up doing, the important thing is to manage your finances – and manage them well.

Do yourself a favor and consult a financial advisor or read an informative book on the topic.

Rule 5: Eat healthy food.

What did you have for dinner last night?

Did you answer pizza or a burger or fries?

Well, that's good – because that will probably be the last bite of fast food junk you'll ever eat.

The fifth rule specifically says not to eat garbage.

This means avoiding anything at the top of the food pyramid created by Dr.

Walter C.

Willett, the Department of Nutrition chairman at Harvard School of Public Health.

This includes white rice, white bread, potatoes, pasta, sweets, red meat, and butter.

White foods, which are usually made from refined flour, contain a kind of carbs called starch.

Starch is actually addictive, and because it’s high in calories, it leaves you with a massive stock of fat.

So as much as possible, stay far, far away from starch.

On the other hand, red meat and full-fat dairy products like butter and cheese are packed with saturated fat.

Consuming a diet high in saturated fat or trans fats increases your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, and stroke.

If you do consume red meat, choose lean cuts and control your portions.

You're probably scratching your head right now, realizing that these foods make up almost your entire daily menu.

With them gone, what are you left with?

The short answer?

A lot!

Dr.

Willett's food pyramid suggests eating whole grain foods at most meals and getting nine servings of veggies and fruits daily.

This food group contains fiber and micronutrients, which are both beneficial substances for the body.

High-fiber diets keep you full and clean your colon, whereas micronutrients support tons of body processes like blood formation, muscle function, and bone and heart maintenance.

If you keep this food pyramid in mind when you go grocery shopping or eat out, you're sure to become healthier in the process.

Rule 6: Care about your well-being – even in retirement.

So you've finally retired.

No more waking up to pesky alarm clocks, having long commutes, or working on never-ending deadlines and reports.

You can finally take it easy and care less about the hustle and bustle around you, right?

Not really!

Just because you've left the workforce doesn't mean you should completely let go and stop caring.

As the sixth rule puts it, you need to care.

Specifically, you need to care enough about yourself to stay fit and eat healthily.

As you reach your 50s, it's tempting to slack off on this front.

After all, who cares if you don't get up until noon?

Who cares if you live off of takeout and canned goods?

Who cares if your only exercise is walking from the couch to the fridge?

While these may seem like rhetorical questions, there’s actually an answer – and that answer is you.

You should care.

All the talk about exercise and diet will be for nothing if you don't care enough to practice them.

A great tip to help you start caring about your life is to keep a log.

Get a notebook.

Write down what you ate for the day, from your breakfast down to your midnight snack.

Also document your exercise routine – and if you didn’t exercise, write that down too.

End your log for the day with the activities you did in other areas of your life, whether that's social, sexual, spiritual, or anything else.

Start writing down every little thing, and before you know it, you'll begin turning to your notebook when you need a little pick-me-up or inspiration to go on with life.

On the days when you prefer staying in instead of running with your dog, just think about how embarrassing that would read in your notebook.

This will give you the push you need to get it done.

One thing to remember when keeping a log, though, is to be as accurate as possible.

Don't pretend like you worked out when all you did was go to the convenience store next door and back.

Be honest with yourself; it’s for your own good.

Rule 7: Build relationships and commit to passion projects.

Here's a riddle for you.

What's the best ship in the world?

A cruise ship?

No – they're fun, but they're not the best.

A container ship?

No – they can deliver your online order from overseas, but they're still not the best.

Give up?

Well, here’s the answer: the best ship in the world is friendship.

It sounds a little cringey and over the top, but the seventh and final rule to living younger is to connect and commit.

When you retire, you tend to cut people off and narrow your group of friends.

You don't go out to social functions anymore, and your default answer to get-togethers is a resounding “No.

” But in doing so, you eliminate one of the things that makes you human – a social circle.

You may be doubtful about how connecting with people can help you live younger, so here are a few research studies for you to ponder: People who suffered a first heart attack have higher survival rates when they have close friends.

Another study reported that women with metastatic breast cancer live twice as long when they join a support group.

And an old study from 1915 revealed that children under the age of two died in institutions where they were isolated in cubicles and never touched.

We'll always be social creatures; it’s how we’re wired.

And connections are essential to our well-being.

So before you have a heart attack or develop breast cancer, build as many friendships as you can.

Engage with your community as much as possible.

Organize picnics with your neighbors.

Say yes to every invitation you get.

You could even start volunteering or get a slow job at the supermarket.

Do anything to put yourself out there – your life depends on it.

Final summary

It's possible to live younger and healthier well into your 80s.

Life after retirement doesn't have to be stereotypical, where you sit on your porch all day and rot away.

There's a better way to start living in your 60s, and it's achievable by practicing seven rules: exercise six days a week, do four days of aerobics, do two days of strength training, spend less than you make, eat healthily, practice self-care, and connect with others.

Here’s one last bit of advice: consult your pharmacist before taking medications.

Doctors are only human – they also make mistakes.

They might prescribe a medicine that could impair your cognitive or psychomotor skills, so double-check the safety of your meds with your local pharmacist.

They generally know more about prescription drugs and can identify potential adverse effects with sophisticated technology.