Long-Term Study Reveals the Surprising Fitness Habit That Boosts Overall Health and Longevity

If you’ve been on a fitness journey for a while, you’ve probably noticed how your workout preferences shift over time. Some months, you might crave aerobically challenging workouts like HIIT or long runs. Other times, you’re drawn to lifting heavy weights or hitting the court for a game of basketball. Though it may seem counterproductive to long-term progress, there's something to be said about switching things up. Challenging your body in different ways pushes new muscle groups and can even reignite your motivation when workouts feel stale. And it turns out, there’s more to exercise variety than that.

A new long-term study shows that regularly mixing up your physical activities could have a major impact on your overall health and longevity.

The study, published in BMJ Medicine, analyzed data from more than 100,000 people, tracking their exercise habits for more than 30 years. Participants reported how much time per week they spent doing different exercises, from jogging and swimming to lifting weights and doing yoga. They also tracked outdoor work, like gardening.

Participants who engaged in the highest variety of exercises had a 19 percent lower risk of death compared to those who engaged in the lowest variety. Benefits were even bigger when looking at specific causes like heart disease, cancer, and respiratory illness, with risk reductions ranging from 13 to 41 percent.

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Of course, long-term, consistent activity matters, but this study proves that mixing it up might be a secret weapon to aging better. This could look like lifting weights a few days a week, walking on others, participating in a weekly basketball league, and yes, yardwork.

The variety builds different components of personal fitness. For instance, playing a sport like basketball challenges athletic movements like agility and power, while strength training builds muscle and supports joints. Even activities like walking add value by improving endurance and mobility.

“People naturally choose different activities over time based on their preferences and health conditions," says Yang Hu, corresponding author and research scientist in the Harvard T.H. Chan Department of Nutrition. "When deciding how to exercise, keep in mind that there may be extra health benefits to engaging in multiple types of physical activity, rather than relying on a single type alone."

Don't be afraid to switch it up. Rather than sticking to one favorite exercise, rotate activities that push your body in different ways. Your long-term health and lifespan could benefit dramatically, and anyway, it's way more fun that way.

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