The "holy grail of fitness," according to a sports medicine doctor
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It's not a longevity hack — it's a boring truth underscored by new research: Staying motivated is the key to exercising for a healthier, longer life.
Why it matters: Fitness trends and wellness products may come and go, but fun, varied workouts actually improve long-term health.
What they found: Doing a wider mix of activities was linked to a significantly lower risk of death — even after accounting for total exercise, a 2026 BMJ Medicine study found.
- Researchers tracked everything from walking and weightlifting to gardening.
What they're saying: "The holy grail of fitness is compliance, and the holy grail of compliance is fun," says sports medicine physician Jordan Metzl. His new book, "Push," looks at the science behind what motivates people to exercise.
- "Most people get bored, and so having some variety is great, mentally," Metzl tells Axios.
- Mixing up workouts also challenges different muscle groups, improving balance and body awareness — traits that make it easier to stay active as you age, he says.
Zoom in: Silliness is also an effective motivator, Metzl has found.
- Metzl brought 50 balloons to a community fitness class he runs in Central Park. The concept: Have exercisers keep the balloons afloat — while crawling like a crab.
- "People were going crazy trying to keep it up," he says. Meanwhile, they held a reverse plank far longer than they realized.
One way to welcome helpful change is by making the path of least resistance the active one.
- Use apps and virtual classes that help you move from home, work out with a community you enjoy seeing, or attach exercise to existing routines like dog walks.
- Make skipping the gym harder than going.
- For example, one of Metzl's patients left his favorite running shoes in a gym locker each morning, knowing they'd be sent to the lost and found if he didn't return. When he'd go to retrieve them, he'd work out.
Reality check: Even perfect motivation can't override biology. A Science study published this year found that lifespan is more than 50% heritable — much higher than previously thought.
My thought bubble: My current cardio routine isn't the fanciest: dog walks in the morning and stroller runs at night.
- I'm calling it cross-training.
The bottom line: When it comes to longevity, "the whole idea is making the most of the variables you can control," Metzl says.
