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This week’s must-reads:
Lessons on healthy aging from a 93-year-old rower
I’ve read lots of fitness stories over the years, but this week I was truly inspired by Richard Morgan, a 93-year-old rower who has the fitness of someone less than half his age. As our Your Move columnist Gretchen Reynolds explained, Morgan is the subject of a new case study, published last month in the Journal of Applied Physiology, that looked at his training, diet and physiology.
What’s so interesting about Morgan is that he didn’t take up regular exercise until he was in his 70s, and he still trains mostly in his backyard shed. Even though his fitness routine began later in life, he has now rowed the equivalent of almost 10 times around the globe and has won four world championships.
The story has been a favorite among readers this week and shows that it truly is never too late to start exercising. I hope you enjoy the story.
Foods that make you hungry or full
When many of us think about healthful eating, we focus on calories or carbs or some other measure. But a better way might be to think about satiety. What foods leave you satisfied? What foods leave you hungry and wanting more?
Eating Lab columnist Anahad O’Connor developed a simple four-question quiz about breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner to help you start thinking about the satiety of the foods you eat. Unfortunately many of us choose energy-dense foods — foods that pack a lot of calories per bite — that don’t really fill us up. Learn more about the easy switches you can make to upgrade your daily diet.
Should you try supplements, colonics or juicing?
Q: I see so many health trends on social media. How do I know if they’re based in science? Which fads should I be wary of?
A: When you come across a claim, ask yourself: Does the marketing data feel too good to be true? Are major health-care institutions offering or recommending it? Is there any information about it on websites run by the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or other trusted agencies or medical organizations?
If the claim doesn’t pass these tests, talk to a health-care provider before trying it, just to be safe. To learn more about some of the fads you may find on social media this year — and what to try instead — read the full column.
Tell us about your New Year’s resolutions
Did you make a New Year’s resolution this year? Whether you are trying to eat more vegetables, want to spend more time with family or have decided you must learn to juggle, The Washington Post wants to hear about it. Please share your resolution with us using this form, and a reporter will contact you. (We will not publish any part of your response without your permission, so please make sure to include your contact information.)
Find your joy snack!
Here are a few things that brought us joy this week.
Want to know more about “joy” snacks? Our Brain Matters columnist Richard Sima explains. You can also read this story as a comic.
Please let us know how we are doing. Email me at wellbeing@washpost.com. You can also find us on TikTok.