The Livelong Newsletter

Hi everyone,

Healthy aging is about progress and not perfection (even if we are not told this), says pro-aging specialists Shebah Carfagna (67) and Nate Wilkins (70).

☀️ At an age when most have retired, the co-founders of the AgelessWorkout Method are successfully helping older (‘active aging’) adults navigate fitness and live longer lives, which is why we asked them:

What is the secret to aging better?

In this issue:

• Aging is a big business

• Better aging is personalized wellness

• Health is adaptability

• How to actually change your mindset

Personalized wellness for longevity

Aging is big business in America, says Shebah.

She puts it bluntly, having seen how the system affects aging, and the beliefs around it.

“Medications, pharmaceuticals, nursing homes, insurance, surgery…those are all things that we're all looking at this age.”

If it sounds bleak, that’s because…well… it kind of is. 

“Aging is the last prejudice that is accepted,” she says.

Ironically, the health industry is not any more inclusive of older adults. It promotes perfection, and there’s little room for change, she says.

To disrupt these trends, here’s what our experts say to do. 

Personalized wellness

If fitness is the “physical aspect of working out,” wellness takes everything else into account.

Wellness includes fitness, preventive medicine, diet, movement, socialization, and mental acuity, Shebah says.

→ Shifting from “personal trainer mode” to “wellness mode” is more conducive to achieve longer-lasting health.

Nate, the CEO of Ageless Workout, lists a few of the many intricacies that influence fitness and healthy aging.

• Are you motivated to work out? 

• Are you a night owl but doing a morning fitness routine?

• How does what you ate make you feel?

Prioritizing individualized wellness makes healthy habits more likely to stick, which increases quality of life and enhances longevity.

“It's really so simple that people miss the point,” Shebah chimes in.

Speaking of routines… 

I had to ask them about their fitness routines, since both have far superior muscles and functionality than probably 90% of people.

Fitness for healthy aging

“Exercise and strength training can really be a remedy for all types of diseases/problems, whether it be mental or physical,” says Nate.

They start their workouts with 10 to 15 minutes of mobility, flexibility, agility, and cardiovascular movement, before diving into strength training.

• 🔥 Nate does fireman carries for his upper body—a functional movement which involves holding dumbbells and walking—and squats and lunges for the lower body.

•  🏊 Shebah does three or four days of resistance training per week— swimming, working with stretch bands, or lifting.

After age 50, resistance training is more important because of age-related muscle loss. Strength also preserves flexibility and prevents falls.

Nate supplements his workouts with stretching and fascia release, such as foam rolling or massage, since both can prevent injury and improve workouts.

The experts also stress adding mental acuity (“sharpness of the mind”) training in a fitness routine. 

🥊 Boxing is a prime form of fitness strengthened by mental acuity, according to the experts.

• Boxing stimulates the brain with patterns and thinking and it is linked with lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to studies.

While not inherently a workout, Shebah adds the most important facet of an anti-aging body is better posture.

You need to be adaptable

 “As we get older, we start to feel things differently,” Nate says. 

In the face of change, it’s important to adapt, which is another one of the key pillars they promote as part of their Ageless Workout Method.

It can be hard, especially if you’ve had a consistent health routine (or lack of) for 10, 20, or even 50 years.

But “if you don't stay with that change, you're no longer relevant to what's going on,” Shebah says. 

The problem is you may miss out on fundamental socialization, fitness, and rehabilitation opportunities that lead to faster recovery, more fulfillment, and better health.

• YouTube is a decent place to explore new workouts, the science of health and wellness, and information focused on older individuals.

The trick is to learn new things BUT be willing to adjust it to your skill level, Shebah says.

It boils down to mindset

You can’t consider longevity without it.

A core principle of mindset is defining your purpose for health.

“If you have no purpose, you're lost,” Shebah says.

It’s OK if you are struggling to find one. Just start small. Make the purpose to get up, Shebah says. It’s already a win, and you can stack other wins on top.

A single word can even make the difference.

• Rather than saying "we have to take care of ourselves,” say “we get the opportunity to take care of ourselves,” Nate says.

I get that you may still see fitness as a chore. In all honesty, I do, and I’m not the only one.

• Shebah says 80% of people tell her they don’t like to work out.

But here’s the real problem. You (we) haven’t found an exercise that is FUN.

You have to be willing to adapt and explore what ‘FUN’ fitness looks like to you. It might not be the same as when you were younger. That’s OK. It’s normal, in fact. Consider these two points:

• Find fitness that feels like self-care.

• Prioritize working out in a social setting.

Socialization is an effective motivator, leads to better consistency, is a proven mood-booster, and mitigates loneliness in older adults.

There isn’t a manual for growing old

There isn’t a manual for growing old, Shebah says. Big business America makes it look like it is only one thing, but you can flip the script.

“As a person over 50, you can sit and complain, or you can do something about it.” 

Making incremental changes in your choices — avoid soda, go on a walk, just do something… it’s going to become a habit that leads to a longer and better-quality life.

Learn about the Agelessworkout Method here, or find fitness classes at Panache Fitness.

LIVELONG PODCAST • Preventative Medicine

Catch our latest podcast episode on Youtube 👇

Understanding whole-body MRI technology

Learn how MRI technology can increase lifespan and prevent disease in the first place. This was an awesome episode you don’t want to miss.

WATCH NOW on YouTube.

LIVELONG BOOKSHELF • Essentials

Longevity books to add to your 2025 bookshelf

The value of taking care of yourself now is a lifetime of health and better living. These essential longevity books will kickstart your path.

☝️ Find your next transformative read here.

Livelong gift guide

This holiday season, give the gift of health with our hand-selected assortment of products. Find something for every health and longevity journey.

🔛 What’s next?

• 📥 Subscribe to the community — If you haven’t subscribed, please do so. You’re joining a great community of life.

• ➡️ Share this newsletter — Share with a friend so they can get fresh, actionable, and evidence-based information to support their health journey too.

• 🗨️ We love to hear from you! — Please share your feedback, stories, questions, testimonials, ideas, and more with us.

• 🔔 Find us on YouTube — Livelong is excited for our new podcast highlighting conversations with the experts. Subscribe here.

We can’t wait to cover more trending topics in longevity in our next newsletter. Stay tuned.

Longevity Media LLC

Be your own expert. Optimize your health. Look beyond conventional.

Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health care professional before starting any exercise, wellness, or health program. Nothing in our content, products or services should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Livelong is a media company and not a medical provid