Quick! How old are you? No, really.*

The New York Times’ Well Blog reported recently on a study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology that used longitudinal data—that is, data that was recorded over a long period of time but with the same subjects—to consider overall fitness. Now they’ve created a quick online questionnaire that doesn’t require access to a VO2max tester to calculate your “fitness age.” 

I did the extended version of the test, and was pleased to find that my “fitness age” is five years younger than my real age. As the site puts it, “KEEP ON GOING! Your fitness level is at your age and gender expected average or above. This means that your heart’s capacity to transport oxygen is good, which decreases the risk of dying prematurely from cardiac disease.” Then it gives me an option to get some advice on improving my health further or to read the research papers on which the scientists based their calculations.

That last part is important, because no matter what results you get, it’s crucial to know that fitness age can be altered. You can get more fit with “almost any type and amount of exercise” (sayeth the wise Norwegian author), and any improvement will be “larger than any known medical treatment.” 

This is to say, the single best thing you can do for your health and longevity is to move, and the best predictor of a long-term wellness regimen is whether you’ve found a workout you like. So go ahead, try out all the classes we offer here at Six Degrees and see if you can’t find your match. Your heart—and some very smart people in Norway—will thank you!

*I like to amp my age up by a respectable amount, adding, say, 7 or 8 years. That way people say things like “Damn, you look great!” That, or they’re wondering how much “work” I’ve had done. Either way? Awesome.