As a health and wellness reporter, I'm constantly learning about practices experts swear by for a long and healthy life — and trying to incorporate them into my own habits. But some, like walking 10,000 steps a day and cutting back on sugar, are harder to implement. That’s why it was such a relief when Avinish Reddy told me that some highly effective habits can be really simple.

Reddy has been studying longevity and teaching his patients how to structure their lives to improve their health outcomes since 2022. He worked with world-renowned physician and researcher Dr. Peter Attia for over a year, and now has his own medical practice, Elevated Medical.

“Longevity doesn’t have to be that complicated,” he says.  

Here’s how Reddy incorporates the habits he suggests to his patients in his own life.

• Exercises six days a week, with a 50/50 split of cardio and strength training
• Talks to his parents nearly every day and stays in touch with his college friends
• Adds more vegetables to his meals
• Prioritizes making memories to avoid regrets in old age

“I try not to be too obsessive about any one thing,” Reddy says.

"If you’re trying to live perfectly, you’re not going to be able to have all the experiences that you want. So I think the goal is to balance both and just be very consistent with sleep, exercise, diet and stuff when you’re at home.”

Hearing that creating lifelong memories can be as important as making healthy choices reminds me that a life well lived is all about balance. To practice that duality, I’ll eat a nutritious meal — and go to the fun concert.

CNBC