We Asked 4 Longevity Experts What the Best Habits Are for Living Longer and They All Said the Same Thing

Earlier this month, many of the health industry's most respected experts congregated at CityPlace West Palm Beach for the ninth annual District Fit Festival, a weekend full of fitness classes, restorative sound baths and engaging wellness panels.

Parade was there too, talking with functional medicine doctors, personal trainers and other experts about the ever-crowded wellness space. There are more health start-ups, supplements and wellness clubs than ever before, and trends spreading like wildfire on social media. How can the average person know who to trust and what wellness trends are actually worth the time and money? (For example: Mouth taping? Hard pass. Japanese walking? Well-worth trying.)

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Longevity was a major topic that kept resurfacing throughout the fitness festival, including the topic of discussion for a panel consisting of four leaders in the health space: Dr. Caleb Moore, MD, an internal medicine doctor and the medical director of Atria Health and Research Institute; Brandon Kaplan, CEO of Maxwell Club (a company focused on improving healthspan), Sean Hoess, CEO of Eudemonia Summit (a longevity company) and former CEO of Wanderlust and Kenny Santucci, CPT, personal trainer and founder of Strong New York.

When asked what the most important habits for living longer are, all four experts had the exact same answer, despite having different backgrounds in the health space. What are the two habits that make the biggest impact in terms of longevity? Keep reading to find out. Plus, their tips for knowing what wellness trends are worth pursuing.

Related: I Took a 'Longevity Vacation'-Here's What I Learned, and How You Can Book One Too

The 2 Best Habits for Longevity, According to Experts

Certainly, the key to longevity doesn't just come down to one habit. If it were that easy, we'd all be living into the triple digits. The cornerstones of healthy living, such as eating nutrient-rich foods, getting regular physical activity, consistently getting enough sleep and having healthy ways to manage stress all matter. But what's most important?

According to all four of the aforementioned experts, the two most important habits for longevity are strength training and community. "Everyone tries to figure out what's going to be the next big thing. Strength and community are tried and true," Santucci tells Parade.

Scientific research backs this up. According to a study taking into account more than 115,000 people 65 and older, when strength training twice a week was integrated into a workout routine that already included 2.5 hours of aerobic exercise a week, the risk of dying dropped by 30%. That's major!

Related: 'I'm a Longevity Expert-Add These 3 (Delicious) Foods To Your Diet if You Want To Live Longer'

The experts explain that the reason why strength training is so important for healthy aging is that it helps prevent muscle and bone loss. This helps with mobility and significantly lowers the risk of falling, which can lead to bone fractures. If you want to maintain your independence into old age, strength training is key.

"We've overcomplicated a lot of stuff, but if I could give people one tip when it comes to health, it's to get up and lift weights, and do it with as many people you love as you can," Santucci says.

As Santucci shared, being part of a community is also important for longevity, which is also backed by science. According to one meta-analysis taking into account more than 148 scientific studies and more than 300,000 people, those with strong social relationships had a 50% increased likelihood of survival. "Training your brain is as important as training your body," Santucci says, adding that this is done by maintaining social connections with others.

Hoess also spoke to the importance of maintaining social connections, saying that social wellness (hanging out with people and doing healthy activities together) is the top wellness habit worth your time and money. For example, he says that group saunas are becoming more popular in the U.S., a cultural habit that's long been the norm in countries like Finland, Russia, Turkey and Japan.

Additional Longevity Tips

While it can be easy to get swept up in buzzy wellness trends, Dr. Moore and Kaplan say that a lot of what's important to longevity is basic, yet important. For example, both say that maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol are key to longevity. Trendy? Not really. Life-lengthening? Definitely.

When it comes to longevity, Kaplan says a great first step is staying on top of your annual checkups with your doctor and on top of relevant cancer screenings. If you have any health conditions that need managing (such as obesity, diabetes or high blood pressure), that's step two. Again, it may sound basic, but it can add years to your life.

Related: The One Exercise Mistake Longevity Experts Are Begging People Over 50 To Stop Making

How To Know if a Wellness Trend Is Worth the Money

As industry leaders, all four panelists have a front row seat to the latest wellness companies and products hitting the market. Kaplan emphasizes the importance of not falling for "well-washing," which is when a wellness company or habit isn't backed by science.

Whenever you are considering whether a health trend or habit is worth pursuing, Dr. Moore says to look at the data. What do scientific studies have to say about it? Especially if you plan on pursuing a habit long-term, it's worth spending some time researching it before you go all in.

At the same time, it's important to remain receptive to new ideas. "Before something becomes science, it has to be a theory. It's important to look at the science and data, but keep an open mind," Dr. Moore recommends.

Just because a workout, diet or wellness habit is trendy doesn't mean it's worth doing-but it doesn't necessarily mean you should automatically skip it either. After all, the more information we have, the more we can use the latest scientific intel to live well.

But it's also a safe bet that the foundations of health won't change. With that in mind, go lift something heavy and spend time with someone you love.

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Related: ‘I'm a Neurologist-This Is the One Habit I Always Avoid for Brain Longevity'

Sources:

• Dr. Caleb Moore, MD, internal medicine doctor and the medical director of Atria Health and Research Institute.
• Brandon Kaplan, CEO of Maxwell Club
• Sean Hoess, CEO of Eudemonia Summit and former CEO of Wanderlust.
• Kenny Santucci, CPT, personal trainer and founder of Strong New York.
• Webber, B. J., Piercy, K. L., Hyde, E. T., et al. (2022). Association of Muscle-Strengthening and Aerobic Physical Activity With Mortality in US Adults Ages 65 Years or Older. JAMA Network Open. 5(10)e2236778.
• Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk. PLoS Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316

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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 7:50 AM.