A longevity expert shares his exercise routine that he says was inspired by centenarians

• Valter Longo is a longevity expert who developed the Longevity Diet.
• Exercise is a big part of living healthier for longer.

A longevity scientist who incorporates his research into his own life shared how he stays fit with Insider.

Valter Longo, a professor of gerontology and biological sciences and director of the USC Longevity Institute, researches fasting-mimicking diets, which are thought to provide the supposed benefits of periodic fasting while allowing people to eat normally most of the time.

He developed the Longevity Diet, which includes elements of fasting, and he recommends people exercise alongside it.

Longo said that he builds as much physical activity into his own routine as possible to imitate centenarians, who are thought to make it to 100 partly because of their traditionally active lifestyles.

He said: "Being farmers, being shepherds, or just really having a tough life is very common in people that make it to 100. People are now using some type of machine for everything we do, and I think it's really important to go back and do things yourself, without hurting yourself of course, whether it's carrying luggage or going up the stairs."

Longo told Insider how he integrates different kinds of exercise into his routine in order to extend his healthspan.

Do 150 mins of intentional exercise a week

Longo does 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week as per the Longevity Diet — the same amount that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends — including some muscle training.

Longo has a standing bicycle at home, which he uses three times a week. If you struggle with motivating yourself to go to the gym, he recommended trying to find a type of exercise that you can do at home, because "it's the only way you don't have excuses" and there are fewer distractions.

Walk every day

Even if you work out at home, Longo said it's important to walk daily. He tries to walk as much as possible by taking the same 30-minute route around the campus where he works every day, and eats at a restaurant that is a 15 to 20-minute walk away.

Walking can be an accessible way to reach that 150 minute per week exercise goal, according to the Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health, and has been associated with a host of benefits, including preventing cardiovascular disease, and easing the symptoms of high blood pressure and depression.

Never take the elevator

Insider previously reported that many SuperAgers, people who live particularly long, healthy lives, have never actually set foot in a gym, and yet stay fit by incorporating exercise into their lives in other ways.

These include taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking to places instead of driving, and carrying luggage or heavy bags yourself. Longo said: "I never take elevators. I always go up the stairs. It's only a small thing, but if you do it 20 or 30 times it helps you keep active."

Dan Buettner, who researches what are known as Blue Zones, which are locations where people live longer than average, recently told Insider's Hilary Brueck that he uses hand-operated tools where he can for the same reason.

Research suggests that even short bursts of intense physical activity, such as climbing stairs and carrying heavy shopping, could reduce the risk of developing cancer and therefore improve longevity.