Dr. Steven Austad, the scientific director of a nonprofit researching healthy aging, doesn’t stress about living forever. Instead, he focuses on simple habits that promote overall health. The key to his longevity is not supplements or trendy anti-aging trends but rather heavy exercise and time-restricted eating.
Austad’s day starts with serious gym work, where he exhausts himself physically to reap cognitive benefits, such as improved sleep and immune function. He bikes for cardio and prioritizes strength training. After all, research shows that exercise has numerous health benefits beyond physical fitness.
Another habit of Austad is time-restricted eating, which aligns with his natural circadian rhythm. This allows him to enjoy a late breakfast, skip lunch, and eat dinner in the evening, mirroring his ancestral diet. By following these simple habits, Austad remains healthy despite years of fieldwork, including time spent in malaria-prone areas.
What’s most important to Austad is not obsessing over longevity but living in the moment. He enjoys a glass of wine here and there, avoids supplements due to lack of strong evidence, and doesn’t worry about calorie restriction. By focusing on health and well-being, Dr. Steven Austad has found a balanced approach to life that extends his natural lifespan.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/habits-longevity-researcher-follows-for-healthy-aging-2025-9