REWIND YOUR BODY CLOCK
How 15 minutes on Insta can add years to your lifespan. Simply # follow our plan
As a reader of this magazine, you likely have an interest in becoming a fitter, healthier man. Whether or not you choose to broadcast this fact to the world six or seven times a day, however, is very much a matter of personal preference. Now, we at Men’s Health are certainly not averse to the odd post-training update (#sorrynotsorry), though we are also of the mind that a social feed dominated by fitness micro-influencers flexing their six-packs, front racks and far too many hashtags can really grate. Still, you don’t have to participate for the likes – you can do it for your lifespan, instead.
In research published by Health Psychology journal, those who identified as having an active (read: ‘wellness’) lifestyle were healthier in a 21-year follow-up period and had a lower risk of premature death than those who described themselves as less active – regardless of the amount of exercise they actually did.
The researchers think there could be a powerful placebo effect at play, in which our beliefs about our bodies, habits and fitness could have physiological effects. So, even if you’ll never go in for a gym-mirror selfie or a top-down picture of your breakfast, spending 15 minutes – the average time users spend on Instagram per day – engaging with the workout community will help you doubletap into a healthier, more positive mindset. Just remember to tag us should you get a blue tick...