Longevity Strategy: A Personal Guide

Are you struggling to navigate the endless advice on how to live a longer, healthier life? Two years ago, I was in the same position. Every expert seemed to have a different opinion: Eat meat, don’t eat meat. Take Metformin, don’t take Metformin. High-protein, low-protein – the conflicting advice was overwhelming.

After spending 18 months and over $50,000 trying to make sense of it all, I’ve developed a longevity strategy that works for me. My goal now is to share this with you, so you can avoid wasting time and money on the same mistakes I made.

Why Having a Longevity Strategy Is Essential

As a former tech executive and strategy consultant, I assumed I should be a pro at developing strategies. But when it came to longevity, I realized there was little support to guide me through it. Developing an approach to health and longevity is tough – there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

That’s why I want to share how I approached the process, starting with building a strategy and using data to drive decisions.

Step 1: Start with Why

Before anything else, you need to define your personal “why” for longevity. Without this foundational purpose, it’s hard to make meaningful decisions. If you haven’t thought about this yet, I encourage you to revisit the first step in this guide – it’s the bedrock for everything else.

Step 2: Assess Your Risks

Understanding your biggest health risks is key. For me, heart disease was a major concern, given my family history. Knowing this helped me prioritize the areas I needed to focus on.

Step 3: Establish Baseline Diagnostics

To set the foundation for progress, I made sure to gather a comprehensive set of diagnostics. Some of the key tests I used include:

• Comprehensive blood work: Helps me monitor markers that could signal potential health issues.

• Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM): Provides real-time insights into my metabolic health.

• VO2 Max test: Assesses cardiorespiratory fitness.

• Dexa Scan: Measures body composition to track changes in muscle and fat.

Step 4: Prioritize What Matters Most

Once I had a clear picture of my health, I identified the most important areas for improvement. Despite working out regularly for years, my VO2 Max and muscle mass were good but not elite. So, I decided to focus on improving both areas.

To do this, I:

• Built a structured weight training program with a focus on progressive overload.

• Increased my protein intake and started supplementing with creatine.

• Trained in zone 5 (90%+ of my maximum heart rate) to boost my VO2 Max.

After 18 months, I achieved elite-level muscle mass and improved my VO2 Max significantly.

Step 5: Set Long-Term Health Goals

Next, I made a list of long-term health goals:

• Prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and dementia.

• Maintain physical and mental performance, and minimize physical pain so I can ski in my 80s, hike in my 90s, and play with my great-grandkids.

• Focus on mental and emotional well-being.

Step 6: Identify the Levers to Achieve These Goals

There are several key areas that can help you move the needle on your longevity goals:

• Exercise: This is essential for preventing chronic diseases and maintaining mental and physical performance. The stronger and fitter I am in my 40s, the better my chances of maintaining health in my 80s and beyond.

• Sleep: Prioritizing quality sleep (rather than just increasing hours in bed) is crucial for overall health and longevity.

• Nutrition: Focus on quantity rather than obsessing over a specific “longevity diet.” Tailor your nutrition to your personal goals (e.g., building muscle, supporting sleep).

• Supplements: While I don’t take many supplements, they can be valuable for supporting specific goals based on blood work.

• Medications: I’m currently not on any life-extending medications, but I’m open to reevaluating this in the future.

• Diagnostics: Regular diagnostic tests help me stay on track and adjust my strategy. Here’s a look at my protocol:

  • Bloodwork: Every 3 months. I focus on key markers relevant to my current goals.

  • Dexa Scan: Quarterly. This helps track muscle mass and fat percentage.

  • CGM: Annually, for metabolic health.

  • VO2 Max: Biannually, as I continue to improve my cardiorespiratory fitness.

  • Full Body MRI: Every two years to assess for potential underlying health issues.

  • Galleri Test: A liquid biopsy for early cancer detection (every two years).

  • Calcium Scan/CT Angiogram: Every few years to assess arterial plaque and cardiovascular risk.

Step 7: Continuously Evaluate and Adjust Your Strategy

Longevity isn’t a “set and forget” endeavor. My approach to health and wellness has evolved, and I continue to adjust it based on new data and experiences. Every test I undergo, every goal I set, informs my next steps.

In Conclusion: A Structured Approach to Longevity

Building a longevity strategy takes time, effort, and a willingness to test and iterate. By establishing clear goals, assessing risks, using diagnostic tools, and focusing on key levers like exercise, sleep, and nutrition, you can make significant progress toward living a longer, healthier life.

I hope my story provides you with a framework for how to approach longevity in a structured, data-driven way. In future blogs, I’ll dive deeper into the specifics of some of the diagnostics and protocols I use, so stay tuned!