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Personal Trainer since 2019
I first heard of the concept of healthspan a few years ago at a wellness conference. It stuck with me.
You see, with all the advances in healthcare and technology, we’re now living longer than ever. That’s great — our lifespan has increased.
But here’s the problem: We’re not necessarily living better.
We often forget to ask:
How well are we spending the extra years we’ve gained?
There’s a common myth that exercise helps us live longer. That’s not exactly true.
If you’re meant to live until 80 from natural causes, no amount of jogging or gym sessions will magically turn that into 90. What movement does do, however, is far more powerful in another way:
It helps you live well through those 80 years — being active, independent, and pain-free.
It gives you quality of life, not just quantity.
That second point? That’s healthspan.
And it’s what really matters.
So, how do we extend our healthspan?
Through a mix of healthy habits — but more importantly, by maintaining our ability to move.
That means keeping our muscles strong, our bones dense, and our joints mobile.
There’s solid research behind this too:
A 2018 study published in National Institute of Health (NIH) found that higher grip strength is linked to lower risk of chronic disease and longer healthspan.
In short:
Strong body = strong life.
I’m writing this not just because of what I read — but because of what I’ve seen.
I’ve had close relatives who were financially secure, had worked hard all their lives…
But when retirement came, they couldn’t enjoy it.
They had the time, but not the freedom — because their health was holding them back.
I know I’m not alone in this.
Despite all the progress in medicine, the average number of years people live in poor health has actually gone up.
In fact, a 2024 global analysis found that we now spend around 9.6 years in ill health at the end of life — and in some countries, like the U.S., it’s more than 12 years.
Let that sink in:
That’s over a decade of your life in pain, weakness, or constant medical care.
Imagine working your whole life until 60 — and only having 4 or 5 good years to enjoy your retirement.
Ask yourself honestly:
Do I want to live longer… or live better?
I’ve heard this from people with chronic illness:
“I just want to feel normal again.”
“If this is what life is like, I don’t want to live to 90.”
Living well takes work.
And like anything worth having — if you don’t start early, it might be too late.
They say the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.
The second-best time?
Today.
Start now.
Start small.
Just… start.