A new study reveals you can slow aging by changing this one thing while running

Switch it up and make the most out of your runs

By Steph Green Published October 18, 2024

Man running by water — Muse Studio / Shutterstock

We all want to stay feeling vibrant and energized rather than tackling the many challenges that tend to come along with aging. They say, ‘You’re only as young as you feel,’ and people enjoy running because it improves the quality of life, releases feel-good endorphins, increases athletic performance, and more. A new study shows how you can slow down aging by changing this one thing while running. Let’s look at the study results.

The study

Mark Reif running in Patagonia Multi Trails Shorts — Mark Reif / The Manual

Researchers from Edith Cowan University in Australia revealed that traveling to a new location could counteract premature aging and enhance general health. Visiting novel environments promoted social interaction, physical activity, and more.

Recommended Videos

Active tourism refers to the act of traveling while being active, such as rucking, hiking, climbing, cycling, and running. The researchers applied the ‘theory of entropy’ to tourism and found that you don’t necessarily have to travel abroad or somewhere far away to experience positive results; simply visiting a nearby town delivered health benefits and helped encourage a fresh perspective.

Find somewhere new to run

Group of people wearing running socks. — cottonbro studio / Pexels

You could try joining a running club or a race through another town. There are plenty of running clubs, races, and hiking and running trails to explore. Even turning down a different street can bring a whole new flavor to your run.

The takeaway

man running in shorts outside on the road — Jakob Owens / Unsplash

Running already provides numerous benefits, but running in a different place might just be the perfect way to shake up your routine and keep you motivated.

You can’t turn back time, but you can slow down the effects of aging and keep yourself feeling healthier and more vibrant by running somewhere new or somewhere interesting you haven’t been in a while. The great outdoors is vast and ripe for exploration.

Topics

Workouts

Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…

Health & Fitness

Can doing bicep curls on one arm boost strength in the other? Study finds out

Is it possible that doing bicep curls with your left arm somehow impacts the muscles in your right arm?

Muscular man bicep curling weight in one hand

When you’re only curling a dumbbell with one arm, you might think the other arm just hangs out, unaffected. In a fascinating new study, researchers set out to explore whether only training one arm would affect muscle strength and size in the other when we don’t train that side. Is it possible that doing bicep curls with your left arm somehow impacts the muscles in your right arm? Let’s take a look at the research.
The study

In a study published in The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, researchers wanted to understand whether unilateral or single-limb training with heavy weights impacted the strength in the non-working arm. The focus was on neural adaptations and muscle strength and size.
The study methods

Health & Fitness

Can you burn body fat just by walking and wearing a weighted vest? New research

It might be time to put on that weighted vest and start walking in the great outdoors.

man taking break from running working out walking wearing weighted vest outdoors in city near train track

Rucking has continued to pick up steam in recent years as people search for more interesting and effective ways to get moving and burn calories. Rucking involves walking in the great outdoors wearing a weighted rucksack on your back. Research shows the benefits of rucking, from improving muscular power and oxygen intake to burning more calories and lifting your mood. Recently, researchers wanted to understand whether walking in a weighted vest could burn body fat. Let’s take a look at the study.
The study

In a recent study published in The Lancet, researchers examined how additional weights impacted fat loss and the leptin hormone. Your leptin levels are directly related to your body fat percentage. Your body releases leptin to help regulate your hunger and give you a full feeling to prevent overeating. Leptin was only discovered in 1994. Leptin resistance leads to feelings of hunger that urge you to eat more even though your body has sufficient fat stores.

Health & Fitness

Run clubs are the new nightclubs — Strava data shows huge rise in popularity

Running clubs are the new social hotspots allowing people to socialize and stay active.

Group of people running

Having an accountability partner and someone you go running with can help you stay motivated and make you more likely to show up and get moving. Joining a run club allows you to meet new people who are also interested in health and fitness so that you can encourage and support each other. The benefits of running are abundant, from improving your heart health and bone density to burning calories and lifting your mood. Running clubs are another way to incorporate running into your workout schedule and get additional benefits. New Strava data shows a huge rise in the popularity of run clubs. It turns out that run clubs might just be the new nightclubs. Let’s look at the data and the benefits of running clubs.
The data

Strava is an app designed for active people. Recently, Strava released the Year In Sport: Trend Report, identifying the leading trends and surges of 2024. The report combines billions of unique activity data from the global community of over 135 million people, along with insights from a randomized, global survey of over 5,000 people.