JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
I've been thinking a lot this year about fitness and movement and how that's something that's looked and felt different for me at different parts of my life. For me, these days, it looks like a lot of running and a lot of stretching. All of that got me thinking about how bodies change over time and what it looks like to get or stay active as we age. Over the past month, I've spent a lot of time with active older people at the gym, running, playing pickleball, and even at the mall. And this week, we're going to bring you some of their stories. But to kick us off, I want to bring in one of my colleagues who's been covering health and wellness for many years, to help ground us in what science tells us about aging and exercise. NPR's Allison Aubrey joins us now. Hey, Allison.
ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE: Hey, Juana. It's great to be here.
SUMMERS: Thanks for being here. OK, I want to start with just a basic question.
AUBREY: Sure.
SUMMERS: If you're a person who is 50 or older, what does research say about how much and what kind of exercise you need?
AUBREY: You know, what the research really shows, Juana, is that our bodies are meant to move. And the official recommendation is to aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity. So about, you know, half hour, five times a week.
SUMMERS: OK, let's break that down a little bit. What does that actually mean? Would something like walking count?
AUBREY: Absolutely. Walking counts. I mean, to get to moderate intensity, you really want to get that pace up. You want to sound a little winded when you speak. Higher intensity exercises - running, biking - can lead to higher levels of aerobic fitness. Or swimming - that's an option that's easy on the joints. And of course, weight training is important too. So the best exercise is the one you'll actually do.
SUMMERS: Allison, I'm really glad you brought up weight training. As part of the series, we dropped by a gym in Baltimore where people in their 60s, 70s and 80s are learning how to weight lift, and this is one woman we met. Her name is Mona Noyes.
MONA NOYES: It's never too late to build your strength 'cause I'm 86...
(SOUNDBITE OF WEIGHTS CLANKING)
NOYES: ...And I sort of rolled up on 86 and didn't realize your body begins to do different things as you get older.
SUMMERS: Yeah, you can hear those weights clanking behind her in the back.
AUBREY: That's amazing.
SUMMERS: Yeah. Just spell this out for us - what are the benefits from weight training for someone like Mona?
AUBREY: OK, so many - I mean, a big recent study found that women who strength train two to three days a week are more likely to live longer. There's a longevity boost and have a reduced risk of death from heart disease. So this was a really interesting study, Juana. It included data from thousands of people, but only about 1 in 5 women did regular weight training.
SUMMERS: Interesting.
AUBREY: Cardio tends to be on the radar of women - weight training, not as much. But it is so important as we age. So muscle mass peaks in our 20s or 30s, and weight training can really help slow the decline and fend off what's called sarcopenia, which is basically just a scary-sounding medical term for age-related muscle loss.
So, you know, I have seen this myself. I'm in my 50s and adding weights - so resistance bands, you know, lifting weights at the gym - it can really protect your joints. It can protect you against falls. And functionally, you'll just feel stronger. You know, for me, lifting that carry-on into an overhead bin on an airplane is just easier. So another benefit is that as you weight train, as you really work those muscles - this requires energy, so you burn more calories. And the research shows weightlifting and resistance training can help people lose more fat and improve body composition. So just tons of benefits here.
SUMMERS: And Allison, I know one thing that's been true for me over time is I know that I love to work out, but I have so much fun when I do it in a group. And this idea of community - that social benefit - is something that kept coming up and our reporting. We talked to some mall walkers in Annapolis, Maryland, and they've been doing it for years and years. And it's really because of that community connection.
ANITA SNYDER: I don't always want to get up and walk, but I got these two ladies waiting for me. So it gets me here.
SUMMERS: That was Anita Snyder. She's one of the mall walkers that we met in Annapolis. And she and her friends - they enjoy their walking and their time together so much, which is something we heard over and over again - how these fitness communities become a big part of people's lives. And, you know, that really left me wondering, Allison - why is it so challenging for many people who aren't exercising currently to get started?
AUBREY: You know, I think a big part of exercise comes down to building a habit. People who schedule workouts tend to do better. But of course, there are obstacles. I mean, life gets in the way - lack of time, transportation issues, work and caregiving responsibilities. So I'd really encourage folks to check out online programs. Many communities offer low-cost or even free programs. But it's got to be fun. If you don't enjoy it, you probably won't do it.
SUMMERS: Allison, I want to ask you for a closing thought. What's the big takeaway for folks who are interested in getting or staying active as they grow older?
AUBREY: When it comes to healthy aging, four of the most deterministic metrics are your blood pressure, your blood sugar, your body composition and your mental health - that's your sense of well-being. Exercise improves all of these. So if you are looking for a longevity hack, the best one is hidden in plain sight - just move more.
SUMMERS: That's NPR's Allison Aubrey. Thank you.
AUBREY: Thank you so much. Great to be here, Juana.
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