"Blue zones" is a coined term that refers to five areas around the world where a significant portion of the population enjoys considerably longer lifespans compared to the global average. In 2012, Dan Buettner, a researcher for National Geographic, embarked on a journey around the globe to find answers regarding the phenomenon of centenarians in certain locations. Buettner and his team successfully identified five blue zones and compiled the common habits and lifestyles of these centenarians in his book *The Blue Zones Solution*, which outlines ways to achieve the goal of living a long and healthy life.
The five areas include the mountainous villages of Nuoro Province in Sardinia, Greek Ikaria in the northeastern Aegean Sea, Okinawa in Japan, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, and Loma Linda in California.
#### Daily Physical Activity
According to a report by Optimist Daily, Buettner discovered through studying the daily lives of blue zone residents that daily physical activity is the key to living a long and healthy life, often exceeding 99 years. He found that individuals in blue zones tend to exercise more than the average person; however, instead of going to the gym, they integrate physical movements into their daily lives.
#### Four Strategies
Buettner explains that exercise inspired by the residents of blue zones does not involve rigorous workouts or routines but rather making arrangements in one's environment that encourage constant movement and muscle engagement. The following are the four main strategies for those wishing to adopt a blue zone-like lifestyle:
1. **Comfortable Shoes**
Keeping a pair of comfortable, easy-to-wear walking shoes near the door or readily available encourages going out and walking.
2. **Social Relationships**
It is easy to cancel or postpone individual plans, but forming a social contract with a friend to go out and exercise together significantly reduces the chances of skipping the workout. Buettner believes that the commitment to exercise made with a friend motivates both parties to follow through.
3. **Walking While Working**
Many have transitioned to remote work due to the COVID pandemic, which in some jobs involves virtual communications and meetings. Buettner advises participating in meetings without video whenever possible and to use headphones while walking during calls. This way, one can incorporate several hours of walking without even thinking about it.
4. **Choose What You Love and Stick With It**
When it comes to committing to a long-term routine, the most important factor is enjoyment of the physical activity. Essentially, one should not start training for a marathon out of obligation; instead, one can explore the type of physical movement they enjoy, such as hiking, dancing, playing squash, or practicing yoga, allowing them to continue regularly for many years.
Buettner explains that centenarians living in blue zones maintain a lifestyle of continuous physical movement, often finding themselves in gardens or having to walk long distances to work along the beach. While this lifestyle may not be feasible for everyone, there are always ways to incorporate daily physical activity into everyone’s life.
