While aging is inevitable, feeling older doesn’t have to be. The good news is that it’s possible to beat the longevity odds. Factors found to negatively affect longevity included smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, being overweight, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and poor physical fitness. Men with all of these risk factors had less than a 25 percent chance of living to age 85. Fortunately, all of these risk factors can be improved with lifestyle changes.

Longevity in Men: Anti-Aging Strategies for Men

Here are some tried-and-true strategies to fight the effects of anti-aging:

Maintain a healthy weight. 

You should calculate your body mass index (BMI). Simply take your weight (in pounds) divided by your height squared (in inches). Take that number and multiple it by 703. If your BMI is greater than 25, then you are probably overweight; if your BMI is above 30, then you are considered obese and you need to focus on losing weight.

Watch your diet. 

Steer clear of fast food — it’s loaded with salt, which increases the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Some studies suggest that a healthy diet of 25- to 40-percent fewer calories than normal may help longevity.

Exercise regularly. 

Aerobic workouts promote longevity by strengthening the heart and lungs. But don’t skimp on resistance workouts (with free weights or weight machines). Resistance training is the only type of exercise that slows declines in muscle mass, bone density, and strength that were once considered inevitable consequences of aging.