• Celebrity personal trainer Luke Worthington is focused on longevity rather than hitting personal fitness bests.
• Strength training and jiu jitsu check the boxes for strength, cardio, mobility, motor control and fun.
• He learned that not compromising his sleep is essential to his performance.

Luke Worthington is one of London’s most in-demand personal trainers, but after 27 years in the industry he has learned that he must prioritize his own wellbeing as much as his job, he said told Business Insider.

Longevity is his goal.

“I’m comfortable enough to accept that my physically strongest days are probably behind me now, so I’m no longer as excited about trying to lift the heaviest weights possible or do anything the fastest I’ve ever done, because it’s not going to be,” Worthington, 45, said. “So it’s more about improving my quality, and hopefully the quantity of my life.”

Interest in longevity is booming and a growing number of “biohackers“share the extreme lengths they go to in an attempt to reduce their”biological agesHowever, experts tend to agree that the best thing you can do for your longevity is to nail yourself the basics: stay active, eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, avoid alcohol and cigarettes and maintain social connections.

Worthington, who has trained celebrities including Dakota JohnsonNaomi Campbell and Jodie Comer, shared her non-negotiable longevity with BI.

1) Strength training three times a week

Taking time to get back into shape is now essential for Worthington, which wasn’t always the case.

“The busier you are with clients, the less time you have for your own intentional exercise,” he said.

Worthington’s approach favors consistency over intensity and he doesn’t take shortcuts.

Three times a week, Worthington trains using the “3×52” format he uses with his clients. His workouts are divided into three sets – sets of three consecutive exercises – where each exercise works a different part of the body. For example, an upper body movement, a lower body movement of the body, then a trunk movement exercise.

Resistance training It has been proven to increase longevity, including strengthening muscles and improving bone density.

2) Jiu-jitsu for cardio and connection

Worthington does it jiujitsu three or four times a week, which ticks its boxes for cardio, mobility, motor control and fun.

Four years ago, Worthington took up jiu-jitsu to get out of his comfort zone because he wanted to become a beginner again.

“‘Have I put my things in the right place? What does that mean? How much time is left?’ All those things that come to people’s minds when they’re starting out at something,” Worthington said.

He fell in love with jiu-jitsu and the community, which strengthens his emotional well-being.

“Feeling a part of something is important in an increasingly disconnected world,” Worthington said.

Combine strength and cardio proves to be the best for increasing longevity, and strong social connections are often cited as a key element to living a long and healthy life.

3) To prioritize sleep

Worthington has learned not to compromise on sleep, he said.

When he was younger, lack of sleep didn’t bother him so much, but now he finds that a late night affects everything he does the next day.

“As you get older, you can still do it, but you’re very aware of the fact that, ‘OK, this seems harder than usual,’ and there’s a very tangible, almost immediate consequence,” Worthington said. “So I’m quite protective of this period.”

With a 5:30 a.m. alarm so he can walk his dog before his 7 a.m. jiu-jitsu session, Worthington’s bedtime is 10 p.m., he said.

Studies suggest that people who sleep less than six hours a night have a higher risk of dying prematurely from any cause.

4) Cook from scratch

Worthington does not eliminate any foods from his diet but focuses on whole foodsincluding lots of protein and vegetables.

While Worthington previously relied on recipe boxes and ready meals, he began cooking from scratch over the past year.

It’s a fun activity he and his girlfriend do on video dates since they don’t live together, he said.

“I cook a lot of big sauces and stews and other things that I can use for different dishes, and I really enjoy that process. So I’ve really found this as a new hobby,” Worthington said. “I used to view it as a chore and try to spend as little time as possible preparing food, but now I really enjoy it.”

Eat protein is important for minimizing age-related muscle wasting, and vegetables are packed with fiber and nutrients that have many benefits, including improving gut health.

5) Time management

The final tool in Worthington’s longevity arsenal is time management, which helps him be productive and minimize stress, he said.

For example, Worthington schedules blocks of time to take care of life administration.

“It connects directly to emotional well-being and being clear about how much time you want to spend on certain things, whether it’s work, life administration or something else,” said Worthington. “It’s compartmentalizing to keep things from overflowing in your mind.”

“Obviously, if the cap falls, you might have to go above and beyond, but I have times during the week where I make all my client appointments and my schedule is done,” Worthington said.

Reduce stress has been linked to longer lifespan.